Category Archives: News

Crux/Blondie is for sale !

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The best S&S 34 ever built is for sale in Sydney.

FOR SALE: 2008 Sparkman & Stephens 34 Mark II – “Crux”

Crux is the last S&S 34 ever built. She was not built to a budget, she was built to be the best. She was launched in December 2008 as Blondie. As a Mark II, she carries the performance gains that matter: a taller double-spreader rig, spade rudder and deeper draft. Constructed to Category 0 specifications (Southern Ocean storm conditions), Crux’s hull features a Gurit closed-cell sandwich with vacuum-infused vinylester. A bulletproof rig setup features an inner forestay and checkstays for mast stabilisation, offshore redundancy and performance optimisation. A grand prix sail wardrobe includes 11 brand new or as new sails, plus 3 cruising/delivery sails.

Crux is equipped for comfort with a luxurious fitout. She has been meticulously maintained and optimised for IRC. A turnkey package that can be aggressively raced or safely cruised in comfort.

Some footage of her sailing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1MMDziaLbQ

Racing Pedigree:

6th Place Overall: 2025 Sydney-Hobart (Double-handed)

Division winner with multiple podiums across all three Sydney–Hobarts she contested, 2021–2025 (Double-handed)

Electronics & Navigation:

B&G H5000 system (includes 3D sensor autopilot, Hercules processor, Bluetooth remotes, chartplotter and displays)

Starlink broadband & onboard WiFi

Stereo sound system, AIS and VHF with cockpit speakers

Mechanical, Electrical & Tankage:

21hp Nanni Diesel engine with saildrive 

Slipstream 2-blade propeller

House and engine batteries with separate alternators and circuits

400L water capacity (split across 2 tanks)

125L fuel tank

Sewage tank

Accommodation & Comfort:

Interior fit-out that sleeps 7 (includes 2 double berths)

Fridge and separate freezer

Gimballed LPG stove and oven

Hot water system with tank

Enclosed head with shower, plus an additional hot water deck shower

Rigging & Deck Hardware:

Hinged mast (can be dropped single-handed for maintenance or to navigate under low bridges)

Dyform wire rigging

Hydraulic backstay tensioner

Inner forestay and checkstays

Tuff Luff Aero headsail system

2x Carbon fibre spinnaker poles

Carbon fibre jockey pole

Safety & Extras:

Offshore Viking Liferaft

Achilles inflatable dinghy with Yamaha 2HP outboard motor

6x Offshore inflatable lifejackets with harnesses and tethers

Fiorentino Para-Anchor

IRC and ORCi certificates 

Plus all the usual gear required to safely keep and sail the boat

Sail Inventory: 

Mainsails:

Doyle Stratis – As New (1 season only)

Doyle Stratis – Older, but in good shape for passages/deliveries (9 years)

Headsails:

Light wind genoa (North Sails 3Di Endurance) – As new (2 seasons)

Light wind genoa (Polyester Cruise Laminate) – Brand new (1 passage)

Medium wind jib (Doyle Stratis Structured Luff) – As new (1 season)

Heavy weather jib (Doyle White Dacron) – Used (10 years)

Downwind & Reaching:

Code-0 (Doyle 15 Grand Prix with Karver small drum furler) – Brand new (2 races only)

Jib Top (Doyle Black X-Tech 05 hybrid laminate) – As new (3 seasons but very little use)

S2 Spinnaker (Doyle .75 oz Superkote) – Brand new (1 race only)

A3 Spinnaker (Doyle .80 oz) – New (1 season)

Staysail (Doyle Kevlar with furler) – Used (10 years)

Blooper Spinnaker (North Sails .75 oz Superkote) – Brand New (3 races only)

Specialty / Storm Sails:

Storm jib (Doyle Safety Orange Dacron) – As new

Trysail (Doyle Safety Orange Dacron) – As new

Facts:

Professional survey: 2025

Rigging replaced: 2021

Engine hours: 1100

Location: Sydney, Australia.

Contact: Carlos Aydos

Email: aydosj@gmail.com

Price: AUD 179,000

CRUX (TH), Sail No: MYC8, Owner: Carlos Aydos, Skipper: Carlos Aydos & Peter Grayson, Design: S&S 34
Crux, Carlos Aydos and Peter Grayson

Renewed Enthusiasm for the S&S 34 Association

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There is renewed enthusiasm for the S&S 34 Association following a committee meeting held on 3rd November 2025.

In April 2025 the committee resolved to wind up the association due to lack of activity and interest. This prompted some members and new owner Allan Coulter to take action to rebuild the association and set a new direction.

In the committee meeting on 3rd November, the president Andrew Waldby and secretary Vera Waldby stepped down from their positions as they are no longer boat owners. New president Allan Coulter and new secretary Jamie Downs were elected. Rob Eliot-Lockhart retains his position of Treasurer.

The committee would like to thank Andrew, Vera and former president Ron Kooy for many years service to the association. Many thanks to Rob Eliot-Lockhart for his continued work as treasurer.

The S&S 34 Association is alive and well. The president Allan Coulter will be focussing on increasing the association membership and setting a new direction and sense of purpose.

The date for the next AGM will be announced soon.

S&S 34 Association Discussion Forum upgrade

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The S&S 34 Association Discussion Forum has been upgraded and is now fully functional.

All posts have been transferred from the old forum. If you were involved with the forum between 2006 and 2020, your username remains in place. For more information click through Forum Registration > Your existing forum membership

New users to the forum are most welcome.

Vale Jim Putt

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It is with deep sadness we note the passing of Jim Putt our former treasurer on Sunday, 16 September, 2018 in Perth, Western Australia.

As many of us in Western Australia know, Jim was a fantastic sailor, a keen supporter of Fremantle Sailing Club, and of course the owner of Morning Tide an S&S 34 Mark 1 which he fitted out himself from new.

He and his lovely wife Margaret sailed together in a circumnavigation between 1991 and 1997 in Morning Tide. The record of this journey was captured by Margaret and can be found on our website. Jim was also a key contributor of the Western Australian Cruising Guide which is indispensable to anyone wishing to sail the Western Australian coast.

Jim’s contribution to the S&S34 Association cannot be overstated. He was a great influence in the way the association has developed over the years.

Jim will be sorely missed by us all. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time.

Funeral service is to be held at Friday 21 September at 10:00AM at St Edmund’s Anglican Church, 54 Pangbourne Street, Wembley , Western Australia.

 

Melbourne to Osaka – Morning Star Second Across the Line

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After 39 days 15 hours 23 minutes and 56 seconds, SS34 Morning Star was second across the finish line in the Melbourne Osaka Cup double handed race on 24 April. Skippered by Jo Breen, 27 and Peter Brooks, 39, both from Tasmania, Morning Star led the staggered start 5,500 nautical mile race until just 250 nautical miles from the finish when the 62ft Judel-Vrolijk 62, Chinese Whisper, passed her on the way to breaking the race record in 21days 12hours 41minutes and 13seconds.

Jo & Peter’s efforts in maintaining their lead right up to the very end has been a testament to their great sailing ability and a very well set up yacht. They have done a fantastic job averaging 5.6 knots and reaching a top speed of 11 knots during the race.

Morning Star was built in 1984 by Swarbricks and was purchased by Jo in 2016. She is a mark 2 hull and has undergone a complete refit including having a new keel stepped tall rig fitted and changing the wheel steering to a tiller. Careful sail selection has given her an IRC rating of 0.913.

Many of us have been following Morning Star’s progress on the Blue Water Tracks website where progress of all the yachts in the race can be viewed. The race still continues with a large part of the fleet having been delayed by tropical cyclone Iris off Australia’s Queensland coast early in April. A link to the tracker can be found below.

https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2018-osaka-race

The Melbourne to Osaka website is http://melbourneosaka.com/en/home/

2018 Commodore’s Perpetual Trophy Race Results

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The 2018 Commodore’s Perpetual Trophy Race was held on the 25th March at Fremantle Sailing Club. We had 10 S&S34’s present and 12 Commodore’s from various clubs in Western Australia.

The wind was a great 15-20knots and conditions were just right for our yachts up until midway in the race when the wind died and we were all left floating for a while. The breeze kicked in again and we were all away to the finish line. Refreshments and presentations were held after and enjoyed by all.

The final results were,

1st and Fastest  – Perie Banou III – Owner Colin Sanders and Commodore Danny O’Byrne from East Fremantle Sailing Club

2nd Morning Tide – Owner Jim Putt and Commodore Graeme Cole from Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club

3rd Seashell – Owner Dave Mitchell and Commanding Officer Brian Delamont from HMAS Stirling, Fleet Base West.

 

Jon Sanders Is Coming Home!

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From Royal Perth Yacht Club Mast Headlines 5th Feb 2018

You’re invited to welcome home Jon Sanders from his amazing Swan Song 10th Circumnavigation of the Globe.

Royal Perth Yacht Club is organising a Welcome Home celebration and we’d love to see you there to pass on your congratulations to Jon after over 435 days circling the Globe.

Welcome Home Flotilla – Fremantle

When: Sunday 11th February

Time: 1:30pm – ETA for Jon’s arrival is 2pm.

Where: Boats to meet in the vicinity of South Mole

Yachts and Power Boats all welcome.

Jon will be heading into the harbour and then sailing up river to Royal Perth Yacht Club.

Welcome Home Function  at Royal Perth Yacht Club, Crawley

If you can’t make it under the bridges – meet Perie Banou at Bricklanding

  • Rendezvous with Jon at Bricklanding at approximately 4pm, form an escort to bring Jon and Perie Banou back to Royal Perth Yacht Club.

Following the Welcome Home Flotilla, celebrations will continue at Royal Perth Yacht Club from 6pm with the Beach Party.

 

 

History made in sailpast of the century

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Yachting history was made on Sydney Harbour on the morning of 22nd December 2017 when four yachts designed by the legendary American Olin Stephens for his design firm Sparkman and Stephens, but from vastly different eras, came together for the first time.

Four Sparkman & Stephens boats Azzurro, Dorade, Eve, Kialoa II sail past the Opera House Picture: Andrea Francolini. Courtesy The Australian newspaper

For the full story go to the article in The Australian here

 

Another circumnavigation record attempt by Jon Sanders! (in his S&S 39)

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Jon Sanders is well known to all sailors for his sailing records firstly in his S&S 34 Perie Banou and then his triple circumnavigation in Parry Endeavour.  He is now planning a record beating 10th circumnavigation in his S&S 39 Perie Banou III.

Perie Banou will need refitting and equipping for the long voyage.  For further information and to offer your support, please see:

Website: www.jonsanders.com.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jonsanders10th

and especially the Funding website: gogetfunding.com/jonsanders

A Fund Raising Dinner is being held at RPYC on 8th July 2016, please come along and support Jon, ring RPYC for reservations as below:

Jon Sanders fundraising dinner RPYC 2016