Trade-A-Boat

JUST TOO MANY OF US Research shows that fishing is one of the primary reasons most people get into boating. And with varying intensity, most have dreamed of one day catching a huge specimen. But just how likely is that? With care, and if anglers adopt an attitude of only harvesting a family meal — as opposed to as much as they can catch — great fishing opportunities should continue well into the future. Your dream catch is still very possible, although, sadly, ‘trophy’ specimens of some species are now far rarer than they were just a few decades ago. There are several reasons for this, including some that you may not have realised. The world’s population roughly doubles every 40 years. Since 1982, Australia’s population has increased from 15.18 million to more…

Who was the REAL pirate of the Caribbean? Anne Bonny was a notorious Irish female pirate who terrorised the Caribbean during the early 18th century. Born in Ireland to a wealthy lawyer and his maid, Anne soon relocated to Charleston where she met and eloped with sailor James Bonny. They sailed the Bahamas together, but their bliss was short-lived as Anne soon dropped Bonny for pirate ‘Calico Jack’ Rackham. She gave birth to Rackham’s child in Cuba before returning to the seas to maraud the Caribbean with her new lover. Anne’s presence on board was unconventional as women were regarded as bad omens. She was known to disguise herself as a man when pillaging other ships. One night, after taking a ship, Rackham offered crew positions to those who survived his attack. One…

The World Ocean Observatory (W20) and Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) recently launched the World Ocean Explorer Deep Sea exhibit, creating a first-of-its kind immersive virtual aquarium showcasing deep-sea discoveries. The ‘Deep Sea’ is an educational, interactive online platform for ocean exploration and discovery. It uses high-resolution video, models, and descriptive materials of newly discovered deep-sea ocean species and environments observed during science expeditions. This was done aboard research vessel Falkor with the underwater robot (ROV) SuBastian. The virtual aquarium exhibit allows users to explore deep-sea ecosystems that cannot be observed in a traditional aquarium setting, such as hydrothermal vents, whale falls, and interactions with 3D models of newly-discovered species. It brings three-dimensional ocean literacy and marine science to a worldwide audience of educators, students and individuals interested in the full spectrum of biodiversity…

In May, the Western Australian Minister for Environment, Reece Whitby, announced the establishment of an Exmouth Gulf Taskforce which would be funded as one of the McGowan Government’s responses to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) report on Exmouth Gulf, delivered in 2021. The EPA report confirmed the Gulf is of global importance, fragile, under pressure and needs conservation attention, and new protected areas including where major industrial development has been proposed, as a high priority. Paul Gamblin, Director of Protect Ningaloo, said, “We welcome this announcement by Minister Whitby, and the strong signal it sends that the future of Exmouth Gulf and its economy must be based on protecting the environment rather than threatening it with industrial development. The establishment of the Exmouth Gulf Taskforce is an implicit acknowledgment by the Government…

Leading Australian refit and repair provider, Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard (GCCM), has been announced as a world finalist in the 2022 ACREW Superyacht Business Awards. The global award finalists were announced recently, with GCCM in strong contention for The Best Refit Yard Award for the third consecutive year. In the ultimate endorsement, these international awards acknowledge and celebrate the best refit and repair businesses in the world, as voted by a network of over 15,000 captains and crew members. Nominations for the highly coveted awards come from leading Superyacht captains from around the world who put forward businesses they believe deserve global recognition, for being the best in their field. Refit yards are judged on their knowledge, customer service, safety procedures and their specialist efforts to achieve efficient and…

Turkish shipyard Vicem Yachts has signed a contract for a 93-foot (28.3-metre) cold-molded superyacht – the Vicem 93 Cruiser – for an un-named Australian owner. Although the builder’s more recent launches have ranged in size between 46-65 feet, the delivery of the Vicem 82 in January this year, alongside the growing popularity of its bigger superyacht models, has confirmed a trend back towards the shipyard’s well-known larger vessels. With 12 guests accommodated across four generous staterooms, the new Vicem 93 Cruiser is designed with onboard comfort as her top priority, boasting high ceilings, large windows and an airy and open design. Besides numerous sunbathing and relaxation areas, flush decks boost ease of movement on board, with no steps on the main or lower levels. Standout features include a large cockpit, with sofa, table and…