Cruising News
Recent Cruising Division events:
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Annual Squadron Cruise 21-28 April
More than 40 boats assembled for the 49th Annual Cruise to Broken Bay, Cowan Creek, Coal and Candle Creek and Pittwater.
Report coming soon
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.Member Forum 28 March
'Anchorages & Destinations on Sydney Harbour' hosted by Greer Leonard and Anthony Bell from The Count.
Report coming soon
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Bass & Flinders Presentation 28 February
Andrew Phippen, a volunteer with the Australian National Maritime Museum, gave a talk.
Click here for full report
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SY Ena & other Maritime Adventures Presentation 15 February
John Mullen described three exciting projects.
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Australia Day Raft-up 26-28 January
We visited Hen & Chicken Bay.
Click here for full report
Guest Speaker Dinner 24 January
Sir James Hardy OBE reminisced about the Admiral's Cup which celebrated its 50th anniversay in 2017.
Click here for full report
Christmas Drinks 11 December
We celebrated the end of the year with 'An Evening on the James Craig' - a unique opportunity to get together in a beautiful situation alongside the Heritage Fleet Wharf overlooking Barangaroo.
Click here for full report
Presentation 22 November
'Are animals the new Oceanographers?' with Prof. Rob Harcourt and Kate Parsons of the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
Click here for full report Download SIMS flyer
Presentation 12 October
'Sail the World - Everything you need to know to circumnavigate the Globe' with Erick Reikert.
Click here for full report
Long Weekend Raft Up 30 Sep - 2 Oct
Destination Pittwater
Presentation 27 September
'Wartime story of Krait'
by Noel Phelan of the National Maritime Museum
Click here for full report
Presentation 23 August
'North Sydney Maritime and Local History'
With North Shore Council Librarian Dr Ian Hoskins
Click here for full report
Presentation 10 August
'2018 Tahiti Yacht Rally'
with Trevor Joyce, Mariner Boating Holidays Further information here
Presentation 26 July
'So you want to race around the World?'
Tales from the Clipper Challenge for Corinthian sailors with Michael Molesworth
Presentation 28 June
'Whales, their sounds and conservation'
With Doug Cato.
Click here for full report
Wine-Dark Sea Voyage
Where are they now? Read their blog here
Presentation 24 May
'Coastal Navigation'
Barry Cuneo discussed cruising the Barrier Reef, covering route and weather planning.
Click here for full report
17-24 April
Squadron Annual Cruise
Over 40 boats enjoyed a magnificent week of racing, cruising, beach gatherings and social times, accompanied by sunshine and fair breezes.
Click here for photos
Presentation 22 March 2017
'Weather Prediction'
With weather guru Roger ‘Clouds’ Badham.
Presentation 22 February 2017
‘Sailing to the Antarctic aboard the Bark Europa’
John Taylor and Rhod Cook recall their voyages exploring the Antarctic.
Click here for full report
Wednesday 25 January 2017
'Cruising Preparation from Ocean Racing'
Sean Langman's renovation of Maluka of Kermandie to make her fit for the Sydney-Hobart.
Click here for full report
26 - 29 January 2017
Australia Day raft-up at Hen and Chicken Bay
Click here for full report
Wednesday 14 December 2016
Christmas Party
Drinks and dinner in the CCA. Lots of stories about past and future cruises and events.
Wednesday 23 November 2016
Cruising Division talk 'From Sydney to Suez'
Jill and David Henry recounted the first part of their decade-long circumnavigation of the world aboard Sweet Chariot.
Click here for full report
Wednesday 26 October 2016
Cruising Division talk 'Cruising Holidays'
Trevor and Maggie Joyce discussed chartering and cruising in rallies in many exotic locations.
Click here for full report
Wednesday 28 September 2016
Cruising Division talk 'Rescuing the James Craig'
Alan Edenborough gave a presentation on his experiences identifying, patching up, towing and restoring this iconic ship.
Click here for full report
The Stockholm Archipelago comprises 25,000 islands in an area of only 65 nautical miles from north to south and 15 miles from east to west. Trevor Joyce has written a report for you to enjoy.
Click here for full report
Piloting Big Boats presentation
13-14 August
Late Winter Raft Up
Excursion to Bantry Bay
Cruising Division talk 'Marine Rescue Sydney'
Cruising Division talk 'North West Passage Transit'
Long Weekend Raft Up
Cruising Division talk 'Sea Safety'
Wednesday 27 April
Cruising Division talk 'Tales from the Sydney Hobart'
Renowned navigator Lindsay May recounted his experiences competing in over 40 Sydney to Hobart yacht races.
16-23 April Annual Cruise
Over 40 boats enjoyed a magnificent week of racing, cruising, beach gatherings and social times, accompanied by sunshine and fair breezes.
Read the Cruise Captain's report
The Galley Gourmet Challenge
Cruising in Company report
24-28 March Easter Cruising in Company.
Participants were Wine-Dark Sea, Limelight and Anitra V with Vibe joining on Sunday. We departed Sydney on Good Friday, arrived at Broken Bay throughout the day and rafted up for evening drinks. The Saturday waterfall drinks at Castle Lagoon featured the new WDS inflatable lounge! On Sunday we motored round to Mushroom Bay, dropped anchor and headed into Akuna Bay Marina for lunch at the new Pilu. We enjoyed a gentle sail back to Sydney on Monday, with fine, warm weather.
Click here to see photos on Facebook.
23 March Cruising Division Presentation - Voyage around Cape Horn
David and Sarah Salt regaled us with fabulous photos, fascinating charts and thrilling narration of their adventures in the Atacama Dessert, crossing the Andes, to Argentinian frontier towns on the edge of the southern ocean. Amazing bird life and wildlife, cascading glaciers, the majesty of Cape Horn itself.
Click here to view their stunning animated photo collage
24 February Cruising Division Forum - Rafting Up & Anchoring
James Merrington and David Salt discussed the finer techniques of rafting up and anchoring etiquette, shared videos and stories of anchoring antics. Their recommendations on chain size, length and weight, anchor types and weight, how to anchor for swing, fore and aft and how to raft up, all triggered good discussion around the room.
27 January Cruising Division Presentation - Lord Howe island
Nigel Stoke spoke to a large crowd (80 people!) of RSYS cruising enthusiasts about sailing his beautiful yacht Fidelis to Lord Howe Island.
He was well qualified, having sailed the route for more than 13 years. He spoke wonderfully, supported by charts, videos, photos and stories. We all got a real feel for what it was like to sail to LHI and go to the famous Ned’s Beach Barbecue. There was very funny film of Nigel’s happy working crews and of their daily activities for the three to four days of the trip. There were dolphins playing around the bow and film of all forms of weather from sparkling days to heavy conditions. He told us about planning, safety, navigation, the sailing itself and the arrival at the lagoon at LHI. He made the roughly 400 nautical trip sound like something we could all do on a well-planned, well prepared Cat 1 boat.
At the back of the room he had generously laid out for viewing an array of his on-board documents, including pre-trip preparation lists, safety and communication procedures, charts of the layout of the boat, a map of through hull fittings and valves and numerous other useful documents. On the walls were the famous LHI Barbecue posters that are forming part of Sydney sailing history.
It was an amusing, informative and very well attended night. Impossible to hear it and not think about doing it!
December 2015 Newsletter
As the Cruising Division celebrates 12 months of the Cruising Experience, we publish here a selection of articles, written by Members, describing a number of activities which have taken place around the Division. We hope you find these informative and inspiring!
Click here to read
August 26 Rigging Maintenance
11-18 April Annual Cruise
Click here to read Richard Lawson's report.