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The final version of the Junk Rig Glossary is now available and can be found under the Junk Information menu, or directly here.  This Glossary lists all the terms related to the junk rig, its implementation and use.

We were formed in the UK, and although our 'office' address and banking remains in the UK we are run by an increasingly international Committee via the Internet. A number of posts become vacant every year, at the AGM, so if you choose to join you could also put your name forward to help run the 'club'. It doesn't run itself. Our membership is now more than   50% outside the UK. Click the chart for detail.

We are running out of boats being put forward for BOTM, so this month have taken a departure to cover an article about a favourite cruising area.

April 2018 - My Favourite Cruising Destination, from David Thatcher

I am always very interested in the boats that people sail and own, especially other junk rig yachts. But equally fascinating for me is the areas that our various members do their sailing in. If I had the time and money I would charter a yacht in every sailing corner of the world, but I cannot, and so need to satisfy myself with our local cruising area.

But I am not badly off because our local cruising waters are amongst the best in the world, and for me the jewel in our local crown is an area known as the Mercury Islands.  This group is made up of 7 small islands located on the fringe of the Pacific Ocean, and while just a few miles off the mainland New Zealand coast, can sometimes prove difficult to get to. Of the seven islands 6 are wildlife reserves and landing on these islands is prohibited without a permit to do so.

The largest island, known as Great Mercury, is owned by two New Zealand businessmen, who unlike many of their ilk, actually welcome the greater boating public to visit their ‘private’ island. There are some restrictions in place as to where people can go on the island, but so generous are the island owners that they even throw a New Year party for cruisers visiting the island at that time of the year. There is also accommodation for rent on the island in any of the several very luxurious lodges located there. The price for this accommodation is not listed, so I imagine if you need to ask how much you probably cannot afford to stay there, although the price is rumored to be in the region of NZ$20,00 per day.

The thing I like is that we can get to enjoy the beautiful scenery and beaches of Great Mercury island essentially for free, our only cost being the effort of sailing there. I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Our Boat of the Month Archive is here.