Journal

There is a myriad of things that can go wrong with your engine, but sometimes the culprit isn't a mechanical failure, it’s a biological one - diesel bug. Diesel bug, or diesel plague, refers to the growth of microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, and mold within your fuel tank. It’s a contamination that can go unnoticed until it is too late, so knowing how to identify and treat it is key.

When managing routine maintenance and servicing aboard a boat, most cruisers have a solid list of things to do; service the engines, clean the hull, restock spares, test the bilge pumps and so on. On this list should be a check of one of the most critically important systems onboard; the rig.

Owning a boat is about freedom, adventure and making the most of your time on the water. But even the best-planned day can take an unexpected turn. A collision, grounding, storm, fire, theft or mechanical incident can quickly turn a great day out into a significant financial and logistical headache.

Few moments are more exciting than finding what appears to be the perfect boat. Perhaps it's a beautifully maintained cruising yacht in Asia-Pacific, or a well-priced motor yacht in Europe. Compared to the Australian or New Zealand market, the asking price can seem almost too good to ignore. And sometimes it genuinely is.

There’s something uniquely terrifying about the thought of a fire aboard a boat. Whether you’re docked in a marina or anchored off a beach, boat fires spread fast and your options for containment are limited. For liveaboard cruisers especially, the risks are compounded. Not just by isolation or distance from emergency services, but because the boat isn’t just a vessel, it’s home. While we all like to believe we’re cautious, the reality is that fires aboard happen more often than you might think, and often through no fault of your own.

Few manoeuvres test a skipper's confidence quite like docking. In calm conditions it requires precision and teamwork, but introduce a strong crosswind or fast-running current and even experienced boaters can find themselves under pressure.

While cruising with kids is an incredible family adventure that fosters resilience and adaptability, it also introduces a unique set of safety considerations.

There are few sailing events in the South Pacific quite like Fiji Regatta Week. In 2026, the much-loved event returns to Musket Cove from 15 to 19 September for its 42nd edition, bringing together yacht owners, Bluewater cruisers, liveaboards, families and sailors from around the world.

It is so very easy to suggest that the value of your insurance is the number on the front page of your policy. Alas, what if it was more? Much more. What if the value was indeed so totally immeasurable? You know, save your bacon type level. And what if the response was immediate, the care considerable, and the payout swift? Would that not then constitute your policy actually becoming priceless? You’d have to think it would.

There is something undeniably appealing about the idea of casting off, leaving land life behind, and cruising to remote anchorages, tropical islands, and places most people only ever see on a screen. For many boat owners, living aboard represents freedom, adventure, simplicity, and the chance to experience the world from a completely different perspective.

The Nordhavn 5101 could well have taken the famous band’s name simply because Mark and Fiona Rammell have elected to, Take the long way home. As it stands, the deeply symbolic and personal choice for, Awanui NZ, is that she draws her name from the Māori word meaning, big river, which is a phrase Mark believes captures the way the world’s oceans connect. “All the oceans flow together,” said Mark. “So, we’re travelling on the big river back to New Zealand.”

Our natural environment is under pressure. From plastic pollution and fuel emissions to chemical runoff, overfishing, and unsustainable consumption, the challenges are vast. Living on the water means cruisers often get a front row seat to this, and for many that leaves an impact.