Can I finance up to 100% of the boat price?

Yes, the majority of new & used boats are 100% financed, however the buyers can elect to pay any level of deposit they desire.

Do I need to provide any other security in addition to the boat for the loan?

No, usually the boat is the only security.

Would I qualify for a boat loan?

There are four main things that Finance Companies look for when approving a loan – these are:

1. You need to show that you can make the finance payments from your annual income.
2. If you require 100% finance, you will need to show that you have some ‘tangible’ net worth such as equity in Real Estate or investments. The Finance Companies will NOT want a mortgage; they simply want to feel comfortable that you have the ability to make good any shortfall between the second-hand value of the boat and the amount that they initially financed.
3. You have a good ‘credit history’.
4. You have been in stable employment.

How many years can I have the loan for?

Usually up to 5 years, if required a residual of up to 40% can be structured into the loan in order to keep payments lower. The residual can be refinanced for a further period of up to 5 years at the end of the initial term.

Can I Finance a USED BOAT?

Absolutely, at least 50% of all boats financed are used. Typically, the boat would need to be no older than 15 years for this finance however, there are always exceptions. Recently someone financed a 1953 Halvorsen Bridgedeck Cruiser. You can also finance boats which are being privately sold.

with compliments of
Finlease (Australia) Pty Ltd
www.finlease.com.au
1300 FINLEASE (346 532)

• Great sailing on inshore and offshore courses - all very easy distances from the marina
• Quality marina facilities at a good price
• Fun, affordable social mischief
• A huge range of accommodation choices from Caravan Park Cabins to 5 Star Resorts
• And plenty of well priced activities for partners and kids to do on land…

It gets a tick on all fronts….sound like a regatta you’d like to sail in ?

It’s all just a day’s sail or a two hour drive from Sydney…. and there’s easy access from Victoria and Queensland with direct flights into Newcastle airport at Williamtown – just 40 mins from the regatta centre….
Sail Port Stephens in April this year was a quiet little success, and the 175 odd yachties and their families and partners who participated in this year’s event have been talking about it ever since.
So lock it in your calendars and make sure you’re there next year !!

Here is what is on offer….and there’s something for boats of all sizes and classes.
From Sydney and further south, you can sail up at your own leisure, or make a race of it with the following feeder races:
1. Race from Pittwater to Newcastle on Saturday the 18thof April – overnight fun in Newcastle at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (exact details closer to the date).
2. Race from Newcastle to Port Stephens on Sunday 19th of April – drinks on arrival,
welcome function (exact details closer to the date)
On Monday 20th April, at a civilised time of around 11am – the Commodores Cup gets underway – a 3 day - 3 race series, aimed at those who want to have a good sail, and good fun with mates or family on a cruising style course – you can put kites up or you can leave them packed in their bags. The choice is yours – and handicaps will be calculated under PHS.
You’re on the water around 11am each day (some start lines are 5 minutes from the marina!) and back by 4’ish, leaving you plenty of time and energy to enjoy the social fun and spend time with friends and family and fellow competitors.

The Commodores Cup concludes on Wednesday 22nd April – with the presentation that evening.

Then there’s a day off on Thursday 23rd April – you can catch up on work, or you can take in some of the local tourist activities, do lunch, sleep or even go on a bus tour to the Hunter Valley.

From Friday 24th April to Sunday 26th April, the action hots up on the water again, with the NSW IRC Championship getting underway, along with the Port Stephens Trophy for the PHS boats.
Last year’s PHS fleet ranged from an Elliot 7 to an Archambault 40 – with every boat and crew delighted with the courses, the race management…and of course the sailing…!

The IRC fleet were unanimous in their praise of the windward leeward inshore courses, as well as an offshore course to test the skills of their crews, some of whom had flown in from Victoria for the regatta.
All racing is under the master control of well known and respected Principal Race Officer, Denis Thompson.

On the social front, there are gatherings involving a few quiet drinks and dinner/bbq/food of some sort in different spots around the Bay each night, and bus transport is provided to and from the venues, giving you the chance to relax and enjoy the night.

And there’s little chance of partners, wives, kids and families getting bored – for the ladies, there is a fine selection of day spas around the Bay – most of whom will be putting together special deals for participants of Sail Port Stephens ( just another thing that might make it that little bit easier to get that leave pass to get to the regatta and to go sailing…)

For kids, there’s a range of activities like go-karting, horse riding, the movies, whale and dolphin watching , as well as great beaches, bike hire and Kids clubs at some of the resort properties.
Whether you can get away for the whole week, or just choose to do the early week or weekend sailing, there really is something for everyone at Sail Port Stephens.

If you’ve got any questions, please call Jody Ellem on 0416 222 899 or email sailportstephens09@gmail.com

See you at Sail Port Stephens 2009 !

The group set sail on 18th November 1854 and covered the 11,800 nautical miles to Melbourne in 116 days, stopping only in Cape Town for supplies and repairs.

153 years later sailor and adventurer Pete Goss was looking for a new challenge when he came across the story of the Mystery and decided to re enact the voyage. The project commenced in August 2007 with design and building of the boat. Spirit of Mystery was launched on 21st June and will be fitted out over the coming months. The boat is a close replica of the original Mystery. No plans were used to build these boats in 1854 and no craft from that era have survived to the present although the basic dimensions of Mystery are known. Fortunately plans for a Mounts Bay lugger were found in a report into a 1848 storm in Scotland which sank 124 boats greatly assisting designer and builder Chris Rees.

Goss will be sailing with a crew of three making it considerably less cramped than on the original voyage and there will be a few modern conveniences onboard that were unavailable in 1854 including safety and communication equipment. However Goss intends to sail and navigate the boat just as it was done on the original voyage using a sextant and celestial navigation. An engine has been fitted to the boat for legal and practical reasons but the intention is not use it on the voyage. There are no electrics apart from a solar panel for the satcom.

Goss hopes to have the boat completed in time to set off in October and be in Cape Town for Christmas.

No stranger to adventure Goss, a former Royal Marine has taken part many offshore yacht races and organised expeditions to the North Pole. He famously rescued fellow competitor Rapheal Dinelli in the 1996 Vendee Globe. His revolutionary catamaran Team Philips broke up in a storm in December 2000 on its way to begin “The Race” to be the fastest boat to sail around the world.

Click here to visit the Spirit of Mystery website.

Boat operators in NSW should be aware that Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi has announced a new law which will come into effect on 1st July 2008. All vessels over 8m will be required to carry a 406mHZ EPIRB when 2 nautical miles or more from shore. Vessels under 8m are only recommended to carry a 406 Mhz EPIRB.

There were 141 EPIRB activations between January and March this year of which 108 were false alarms. This is obviously wastes a lot of time and money. In addition to providing quicker and more accurate position information when activated 406 EPIRBs are able to be individually identified. This enables the rescue authorities to eliminate most false alarms by contacting the vessels or owners when possible to confirm there is an emergency.

For more information contact AMSA or NSW Maritime.

Personally I think it would make sense to have every vessel carry an EPIRB whilst operating offshore. If you are to going force people to carry safety equipment the rules should applied across the board.

Is there any reason why a vessel under 8m is less likely to need one? Any comments?

An avid sailor since the age of 8, Jessie Watson, who turned 15 in May, has set her sights on becoming the youngest person to sail solo unassisted around the world. Jessie’s dream has been inspired by Kay Cottee, the first woman to make an unassisted solo sail around the world, and Jesse Martin, who currently holds the record for the youngest person to do so.

Jessie readily admits she has quite a task ahead of her just to set off on her quest and sees this as more of a challenge than the voyage itself. She has yet to do a solo sailing trip but is building her offshore experience having just returned from delivering boats from New Zealand to Vanuatu and Vanuatu to Australia. Jessie is also working towards her Yachtmaster qualifications.

She still needs a boat and has an S and S 34 or something equally suitable in mind, an ocean proven vessel that won’t cost the earth. Jessie is looking for a major sponsor to underwrite the voyage. Given the enthusiasm with which Australians supported Kay Cottee and Jesse Martin, this would almost certainly pay off for anyone who put their hand up.

To beat the current record Jessie has 3 years to prepare for and complete the voyage. It is a journey of approximately 27,000 nautical miles and can take 7 to 10 months to complete. This is a long time to spend on your own, especially when the going is tough. Jessie seems unfazed by this prospect and thinks the physical challenge of sailing and looking after the boat will outweigh the mental challenges.

Setting off from the east coast of Australia her route would take her eastwards and south of New Zealand. Crossing the Southern Ocean she would then round the notorious Cape Horn before heading north to a waypoint in the north Atlantic. Heading South again she will pass the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa then head east again towards Australia and her port of origin

Jessie has already experienced some critism about her objective along the lines of she is too young and inexperienced. However by the time she actually gets on the water she will most likely be 17 years old or close to it and will have spent that time preparing for the voyage.

Her parents are very supportive whilst admitting it wouldn’t be their first choice of all the challenges that are available. Given Jessie’s determination, their attitude is to make sure she is well prepared and completes the voyage as safely as possible. Jessie herself gives off an air of quiet determination. At no time when I was speaking with her did she even give the slightest hint that she wasn’t more than capable of becoming the youngest person to sail alone around the world.

If anyone is interested in sponsorship they can get in touch through our contact form on this website. Jessie also has a blog.

PVC or polyvinyl chloride is a type of plastic and Hypalon is a synthetic rubber patented by the DuPont company. Both are used as coatings on nylon or polyester fabric to form sheets of strong tear resistant material. These sheets are then glued or bonded together into the tubes that make up the inflatable boat.

Hypalon Advantages

• Very durable, resistant to UV, ozone, fuel, oil and other contaminants

• Flexible

• Abrasion resistant

• Good resale

• Quality hand construction when assembled by experienced workers

• Easier to repair/glue

Hypalon Disadvantages

• More expensive material

• More expensive to manufacture

• Gets dirty easily

PVC Advantages

• Cheaper, the material is cheaper and manufacturing can be automated using thermal bonding of the seams
• Thermally bonded seams should last as long as the material

PVC Disadvantages

• Less resistance to UV, petrol and other chemicals

• Less abrasion resistance

• Lower resale

• Less flexible

When considering the purchase of an inflatable boat or dinghy the choice of construction material can be narrowed down to two factors.

Type of use

The general concensus is that if an inflatable boat that is going to used a lot, be exposed to the elements and generally get more wear and tear , it would be better off made from Hypalon. If occasional use is more likely and the dinghy will be stowed out of the elements then a cheaper PVC dinghy might make more sense. Technological advances in PVC based materials and thermal bonding equipment are challenging this perception, but as ever only time will tell.

Quality

Cost and quality usually go hand in hand. Whilst Hypalon has the edge in general overall durability, a well made dinghy in either material will outlast a poorly manufactured one. A poorly made inflatable boat will literally fall apart at the seams, whilst the construction material still has plenty of life left in it. Anyone purchasing a dinghy with an intention of high use and a long life needs to research the quality of their intended purchase before parting with their money.

The handling and application of rope on board yachts is a broad subject made all the more expansive by advances in technology. The place of rope, wire and spars on board a sailing vessel now more than ever requires well researched decisions which will take many factors into account. This investment in time to choose the ropes and lines best suited to the purpose on board ship will ultimately pay great dividends for owners and crews of racing and cruising boats alike.

Regardless of potential hull speeds the optimum hoisting and trimming of sails combines human factors i.e. seamanship and boat handling with the mechanics of effort and energy. The greatest limitation to achieving the optimums, assuming reasonably competent equipment use will be the physical properties of the equipment itself.

The point of this article is to not so much discuss the properties of rope in detail but to outline the benefits of which rope products best suit the budget and on board application.

There are some valuable generalizations about the use of rope and associated equipment i.e. blocks, jammers, winches, cleats etc. that remain current regardless of their construction and material properties.

• There is an important relationship between rope diameter and sheave/capstan diameter
• Mechanical advantage reduces effort
• Sunlight, dirt, moisture and mould affect the durability all ropes and lines
• Safe loading relies on secure fastening of hardware
• Safe Working Loads (SWL) information is where a system design begins

The all important selection of sailing equipment using weight to strength ratios has been arguably complicated by the increased availability and subsequent affordability of so called exotic and space age materials. The research and development of high modulus aramid fibers and yarns has lead to the commercial production of rope products such as Zylon and PBO.

Besides being very light for its strength these lines virtually eliminate stretch thus lending it to applications previously met with steel rod and steel wire. The crucial element in modern rig and sail design is weight and even on an agricultural cruising vessel the realization of weight minimization aloft is a big advantage. Less weight aloft means reduced heeling angles and less energy required in hoisting sails.

The introduction of low stretch braided ropes to the market has virtually bid farewell to the necessity for stainless steel wire halyards. However if you are considering replacing wire with low stretch braid it is crucial to check the profile of the masthead sheave as the wire sheave can damage a new braided rope when placed under load. Most braided rope manufacturers are now offering low stretch ropes and can supply data on the “ stretch “ and “ creep “ factors. The construction and properties and price of these ropes will vary from factory to factory but the one consistent element in their manufacture and supply is the requirement for oil based polymers.

Some on board applications require the opposite to no or low stretch. Anchor and mooring lines made up from nylon rope which can stretch up to 50% of its length reduces the shock loading in storm conditions. Three strand nylon ropes are not as abrasion resistant as braided or covered nylon ropes but are more abrasion resistant than three strand polyester ropes.

Somewhere between these two extremes of stretch is a multitude of choice in rope constructed to suit multipurpose applications. As stated earlier, the effort taken to find out the properties of the ropes and lines you are considering for your rig will have both physical and financial. Talk to your chandler and or rigger and use the internet (reputable rope manufacturers provide lots of load/weight/ strength/ stretch information) to help make these decisions.

And remember when hoisting or preparing to change sails, never let that halyard go without securing it to something on deck because it is a long way up that mast to retrieve a wayward halyard gone aloft. Sometimes the situation serves to remind us of the halyard we intended to replace at the start of the season. Not to mention the showdown between skipper and crew over whose fault and who is going aloft. Happy sailing starts and finishes with the wise and competent selection and use of rope.

Captain Tricko

One man band, sailorman, artist , writer, urger has lived aboard for ten years. My main accomplishment is recovery from frozen shoulder and having my name on a statue honoring Matthew Flinders in Hervey Bay. I also surf a bit and don’t mind a bit of hastily organised fishing.

Anyone fortunate enough to have the time to sail their own yacht there can easily spend several months exploring the many islands and anchorages. If lack of time is a problem or you don’t have a suitable boat there are numerous companies offering bareboat and crewed charters.

Getting There

The area is served by two airports, the airport at Proserpine, 30 minutes drive inland, is well served by shuttle buses to the mainland charter bases at Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour. The other airport is at Hamilton Island which has a regular ferry service to Shute Harbour. Both airports have regular flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns.

When to Go?

The Whitsundays are a year round destination however the peak season is between May and October. Weather at this time of year is warm, averaging 23°C to 27°C during the day and 17°C to 21°C at night, cool enough to need some warm clothing. Rainfall is low and the area is subject to the SE trade winds which may be quite fresh at times. Winter water temperature is around 22°C. Despite this I find a thin wetsuit necessary when snorkeling for any length of time. Naturally this is the busiest time of the year and the most expensive.

During the summer the weather is hotter and more humid and the winds are lighter. Also the heaviest rainfall occurs between January and March. The average for January is 200mm and for October just 16mm. The area is within the cyclone belt and cyclones can occur anytime between November and May but are most likely to occur in February and March if at all.

How much does it cost?

Bare boats are hired out on a cost per night, which is in the range of $140-$180 per person per night during the high season, depending on the type and standard of the boat. It is possible to pay more or less than this depending on your personal preferences. Most companies have special offers from time to time which will save you money if you can fit in around the conditions of the offer. All food and drink must be purchased separately and most charter companies will pre stock your boat for a fee. Around $25 to $30 per day per person should cover onboard meals and soft drinks.

It is possible to visit some of the resorts during your cruise, so meals and in some cases mooring costs will add to your expenses.

So depending on your requirements hiring the boat and provisioning should cost between $175 to $210 even in the high season. This seems pretty reasonable for meals and accommodation although you do have to do the cooking and washing up!

Airfares and any alcohol costs must be added to this to get the total cost of the holiday.

Can you Do It?

Charter companies don’t require any formal training, but do require some sailing experience. Certainly you should have some experience of anchoring and coastal navigation.

All charter companies give a detailed briefing on the boat and the area before you set off to make sure you understand everything you need to know about the boat and the area.

Some experience can be gained by having some sailing lessons prior to the charter or hiring a skipper for the first few days. You will certainly enjoy your holiday more if you feel confident in your abilities.

How long is long enough?

Most charter prices are per night and are based on a minimum of 5 nights. You wouldn’t want to go for any less time than that or you will have barely left the charter base before having to think about heading back. A ten night charter would probably be best as it would give you time to relax and experience the area at a more leisurely pace. Even then you are unlikely to have seen and done everything.

Let us know if you have any chartering experiences or recommendations by leaving a comment below.

Sailing conditions covered the whole spectrum with the light shifty conditions on the first day seeing Graeme Taylors Magpie win by 30 seconds after leading the fleet around the course.

The start was delayed due to lack of breeze and then went through 3 general recalls as the eager 54 boat fleet fought for a good position before finally getting underway. Unfortunately, last years winner, Skip Lissiman crossed the line early earning him a disqualification on the final start.

Day 2 saw an increase in wind strength with 12-18 knot southeaster and a long day on the water with 3 races sailed to get the 6 race format back on track. Magpie and her crew of Graeme Taylor, Grant Wharrington and Simon Gorman were able to consolidate their earlier win with a 7th, 1st and a 2nd.

The last day had some tough and challenging conditions, race 5 was sailed in SE 16-18 knots with rain squalls causing some major windshifts. During the last race the wind increased to 22-25 knots with a steep chop on top the regular swell causing 11 boats to retire from the gruelling conditions.

Racer XY made a good start in the last race and built a lead of more than minute on the next boat Critical Balance with Magpie making 4th place behind Funky Cold Medina. Able to discard their 18th place in race 5 , Magpie won the championship with15 points, ahead of Critical Balance on 19 points with Racer XY a very close third.

For more information see the Mooloolaba Etchells website.

Nothing to unusual in that except that Lister is a quadriplegic and is only able to move her head.

Lister has gradually been losing the use of almost all her body since the age of 11 due to a neurological disorder known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy which ironically also leaves her in great pain.

Housebound, reduced to complete inactivity and totally dependent on others for even the most basic activities Lester was beginning to question whether life was worth continuing.

Fortunately in September 2003 Lister was introduced to sailing by a neighbour and was immediately hooked. Initially a passenger Lister’s desire for more independence turned into a dream of sailing across the English Channel even though she had no sailing skills or experience at this point.

A chance meeting with Emma Richards at the London Boat Show saw support enlisted from her sponsor Matthew Pindar. Lister was loaned a 26′ Soling keel boat which was adapted so Lister could sail it.

After learning to sail Lister successfully crossed the Channel on 23rd August 2005.

Last year in a new boat, an Artemis 20, Lister completed the much longer voyage around the Isle of Wight a distance of 50 nautical miles.

Lister controls her boat and navigates via a computer by gently sipping or puffing on three pneumatic straws.

We wish her luck and fair winds on her challenge next week.

Checkout her website for more details and inspiration.