In part 1 we saw maintenance of the rig mostly involves checking for existing problems and preventing new ones. The options for maintenance aloft range from a basic inspection to removing each piece of rigging to check its condition and attachment point. If you feel the latter is necessary it’s probably better to pull the stick out and do a thorough check at ground level.
A strong, seaworthy rig is a vital part of any cruising boat. But care of the rig is often overlooked, either through ignorance or a conviction that rig maintenance is a mysterious art known only to a select few.
Circumnavigating the world at age 80 for the 11th time Mr Jon Sanders departed the Fremantle Sailing Club on his 10-month journey on the 3rd November 2019 cementing himself as a WA icon and helping the planet at the same time.
The Jubilee Sailing Trust announced on Monday that they are likely to be forced to cease all activities from Friday 5th July, if they cannot raise £1,000,000.
New research by a travel comparison website found that nearly one in two Australian travellers don’t know which pre-existing conditions to declare when buying travel insurance, which could leave them uninsured.
The first ever SailGP was witnessed by more than 20,000 people who took to the water on the spectacular Sydney Harbour, providing the perfect amphitheatre for the season kick off.
The Department of Transport (DoT) wants those heading out on the water to be prepared and is advocating skippers and passengers take the 30 Second Challenge which tests readiness for an emergency response on board a vessel.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced a funding boost for marine rescue services in the state with an extra $37.6 million pledged for Marine Rescue NSW (MRNSW) over the next four years.
The free to atted Multihull Boat Show and Open Day is being held at Multihull Solutions Gold Coast sales centre where there will be an extensive range of quality new and pre-owned sail and power multihulls.
The Topsail Australia team has grown by two new members who have both made the long journey from the UK. Rob and Barkely are now well settled in Sydney and looking forward to their first Christmas in warmer climes.
Two weather systems are coming together to create a deluge that is set to pummel much of the eastern seaboard in the coming days, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing severe weather warnings in several states.
When a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi it resulted in thousands of deaths and hundreds of children being separated from their families.
The DAME - Design Award, the most significant marine equipment competition of its kind, will next week announce who of the 63 products nominated will be the 2018 winners.
DHL partnered Susie Goodall arrived into Storm Bay, Tasmania on the DHL Starlight at 23:30 local time (12.30 UTC), 30 October. Susie is the fourth Golden Globe competitor to reach the gate, reports Sail World Australia.
THE US National Weather Service says Hurricane Lane has strengthened to become a Category 5 hurricane, which means that it is likely to cause catastrophic damage with winds 157km/h or above.
It was a big shock to us all when we heard that Henri Lloyd had gone into administration but then even better to hear now that they have been saved through the intervention of Swedish investment company, Aligro Group Limited.
In the Volvo Ocean Race Cardiff race village, the Welsh Government signed the country up to the United Nations Environment's #CleanSeas campaign alongside World Sailing and the International Olympic Committee.
New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services have advised anyone boating off the north coast this weekend to be on alert for debris after more than 80 shipping containers toppled from a cargo ship off Stockton on Thursday night.
Visible from space, covering 1000 miles, a complex yet fragile ecosystem home to thousands of marine life, the World's largest living structure; the Great Barrier Reef is dying and in danger of disappearing.
Australian youth sailors are benefitting from an exchange programme with Japanese sailors. SailWorld recently covered the story of some of Australia's up-and-coming sailing talents who are gaining a valuable opportunity to race, learn and build relationships with young Japanese sailors as part of an exchange program in the lead-up to the Youth World Championships in the US later this year.
Preliminary results found 360 particles of microplastics per cubic metre in the sample from the South China Sea, an area that feeds into the Great Pacific Ocean Gyre.
The weather may be making a dive into the lower temperatures but there is still plenty of sailing available around the country. Thanks to our friends at MySail you can see all available crewing and sailing opportunities in their weekly update.
The Sydney International Boat Show, the region's largest recreational boating event, will once again be at the ICC Sydney exhibition space, the largest single consumer show at the venue, occupying seven halls and the spectacular outdoor event deck as well as the marina.
A government programme in New South Wales, Old4New, is encouraging boaters and water users to trade in their old lifejackets for new ones with modern technology and systems.
We have been informed of a frightening Pirate attack recently experienced by a sailing family in the Gulf of Aden. Also known as Pirates Alley, the Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen and Somalia.
4Ocean, set up by two surfing and ocean enthusiast friends Alex and Andrew, is the global movement offering a 100% recycled bracelet that purposefully and proudly funds the removal of litter from our oceans and coastlines.
The Topsail team loves all sports and like many all over the world are avidly watching the reports coming out of South Korea to see how our favourite teams and athletes are getting on.
Superyacht Queensland met late last year to elect its 2018 committee as the sector braces for a busy year ahead starting with the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April.
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) created an annual campaign to raise awareness of the threats to reefs and marine life in 2015. Now in its third year, the Year of the Reef continues to promote the benefits and value of reefs across the globe.
This week, the first of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet have arrived into the Whitsundays. The Clipper fleet have raced up the east coast of Australia in The Wondrous Whitsundays Race.
Topsail Australia Directors Mark and Cathy are proud owners of a stunning 42ft sailing yacht Catcha Star. Together they have sailed up the West coast of Australia, journeyed to Singapore and explored the islands of Indonesia.
Philip Chandler, Senior Travel Underwriter, has recently joined the Topsail Australia team and is based on the East coast in Sydney, following six years as a Travel Underwriter in the Lloyd’s of London Insurance Market. We took ten minutes and asked ten questions to get to know him better.
We all recognise the importance of maintaining our boat, in order to ensure that She remains safe and sea worthy. However, one of the most important things in keeping the vessel safe, are it’s berthing/ mooring chains and lines.
Have you received the latest Topsail Insurance newsletter? Our Autumn newsletter has gone out and it contains lots of updates, news and information from the team.
We all know that talking about travel insurance isn’t the most enticing topic. Take it from someone who works in the industry – it frequently kills the conversation as soon as it’s brought up. However, as with most insurance products, travel insurance is often hugely undervalued until such time as it’s really needed, and as a result I believe it’s important to share the reasons why it is essential to have a suitable travel policy in place before you embark on a trip, whether that includes a boat or not.
Lisa Blair is returning home to Sydney Harbour this weekend after recently sailing into Albany Harbour WA, completing her world record circumnavigation of Antarctica.
If you love boating or regularly use other craft on Western Australian waterways the Department of Transport (DoT) wants your feedback on its safety publications.
The 50th anniversary show made a successful return to Darling Harbour and was also hosted, for the first time, at the ICC-Sydney last week (3-7 August 2017).
Are you signed up with the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System that provides early warning of global disasters via an SMS message? This free service is invaluable for tsunami, earthquake and other emergencies and will send alerts to up to five mobile telephones per subscriber
The Sydney Boat Show was launched as a standalone event in 1968. Prior to this it was common for boats to be displayed as part of a motor show or at the Royal Easter Show.
You just bought a really sweet boat. A fine piece of watercraft that will allow you to zip about on a body of water with the wind in your hair and the water on your face. You can’t wait to get out there and start using it. To glide over the water on waterskis. To sip a cold beverage while being gently rocked by the waves. To embarrass your kids by wearing a Speedo that’s two sizes two small. To take guests out for pleasure cruises on moonlit evenings.
This year’s Fremantle to Bali Ocean Classic rally race has come to a jubilant end with Garth Curran’s Inglis 58, Walk on the Wildside taking line honours. First IRC and first YAH, Wildside’s winning time was the third fastest on record.
Seven months ago, the dream to set a new world record for a solo, unassisted, westerly circumnavigation in a yacht under 40ft began from the Gold Coast.
This March the Eastern coast of Australia was in preparation mode as an aggressive tropical low formed off the Queensland coast. By late March the low was officially named Cyclone Debbie and the state waited in anticipation for where it would hit first.
Fremantle Sailing Club is again to host the infamous, biennial Fremantle to Bali Rally Race that will see blue water cruisers setting off on Saturday 6 May 2017.
Topsail exhibited at last year’s Fremantle Ports Maritime Day sharing a stand with colleagues from Motor Plan / Marine Plan Finance and Pirate Radio Fremantle.
After a statement from the Mandurah Boat Show that they were to take a break from hosting the show in 2017 it has now been announced that there will be a brand-new boat show in Western Australia.
October 2016, Andy Lamont and his 34ft S&S yacht Impulse set off from the Gold Coast with the aim of becoming the first sailor to circle the world in a westerly direction, solo and unassisted in a yacht smaller than 40ft.
The Yachting Journalist’ Association (YJA) has announced the winner of this year’s boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year and it has gone to a heroic mid-ocean rescuer.
The infamous, annual yacht race from Sydney to Hobart hosted over 80 sailing yachts in what will be a most memorable 72nd race down the East coast of Australia.
An Australian adventurer who happens to love sailing is not only entering the 2018 Golden Globe Race (GGR) but is sailing half way round the world to make the start line.
This year’s World Cruising Club ARC takes place this Sunday (20 November, 2016) but the ARC+* is well underway with yachts making their way from Las Palmas.
Australia is set again to experience some severe weather hitting the country. Just last month South Australia was bombarded with strong winds and lightning storms that resulted in blackouts across the state.
Already a passionate ‘boatie’ or want to find out how to become one, then a trip to this month’s Sydney International Boat Show is a must to find out everything you need to know about recreational boating in Australia.
With just 38 days to go to this year’s Summer Olympic Games it comes with sad news that another athlete has been attacked on the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
The storms that battered the East Coast of Australia this week caused havoc but the real kicker was the deadly combination of the storm system and high tides that had us suffering a “continuous bashing”.
We’re delighted to let you know that Jon Sanders has decided to undertake a record breaking 10th circumnavigation of the planet leaving in October this year.
The Sydney Hobart Race, the Brisbane to Gladstone event and the Whitsunday’s Hamilton Island Race Week are just a few examples of the ever popular racing events that Australia has to offer.
It’s that time of year again when you may be thinking about laying your boat up out of season. Use these handy tips for Winterising your boat and you'll be thanking yourself come Spring! Remember to keep track of all the activities that you have performed on your boat so that you have a note of what to reverse when you take your boat out of hibernation.
Back in January Dan Groves, Senior Account Executive at Topsail UK left the cold weather behind and headed for our Topsail Australia office in Perth. Dan has since been running the Australian office whilst Mark Ainscough and Cathy Charlick have a well-deserved break on their own yacht ‘Catcha Star’ in Thailand.
Last week saw the 2016 Yachts and Yachting awards presented at the London Boat Show. The annual awards recognise the best clubs, events, performances and products of the past 12 months. There were 15 categories overall ranging from ‘Dinghy of the Year’ to ‘Best Amateur Sailor’.
Tall Ship ‘Defender’, owned by Mr Les Dick of Tasmania, has sunk at Ross Creek, Townsville where she has been based for the last 7 years having suffered damage from an engine room fire.
The vessel was spotted submerged at a wharf in the CBD, with just her rigging left visible above the waterline.
Andrew Turton & Pete Ceglinski - founders of the Seabin project are keen to let us know how we can join them in helping create a better world with their new invention that will help to prevent our oceans pollution issues.
The ARC is on the bucket list of a vast number of sailors, with over 200 boats and 1200 people every year joining to sail from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia. The event is organised by the World Cruising Club and is one of their many events from all around the world.
