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Our latest video, Sailing Soccer Mum, is a cruiser and family friendly guide to Townsville, Queensland. We have been in Townsville for a couple months and we have found some wonderful (and FREE) places to visit, see, and activities to do with kids - and bonus is that they are all within walking distance from the marina. Breakwater Marina- Walking distance to the supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths). Great Staff, you can be liveaboards in the marina. The facilities include toilets, showers, laundry area, bins and there is a courtest car for hire ($10 for 2 hours) Castletown Shopping Center - A bit further of a distance but it is certainly a fun day out. They have a Play center (free) for kids, supermarkets, BIG W, doctors, optometrists, cafes, shoppes, and lots lots more. We really enjoyed going to the Teddy Beat Tea Time out on during school holidays - a free event for kids! Townsville City Library (Flinders Street) Located on the second floor of the building, and it is free to become a member. They have free wifi, a crafts table for kids, and a kids courner filled with books, toys, dress up, and a tent! We really enjoyed our time at the library. Museum of Tropical Queensland Free entry but they do put on special exhibits and the special short time ones are a small fee. They have a science area that you can easily spend hours in with kids and lots of interactive activities and hunts to do around the museum. On the top level (and the far back) is a giant tropical tree with a slide and activity for the kids. Lots to see and very interactive.

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Watch Bill Henson’s JPK 45 SIRENE flying downwind with their UK Sailmakers asymmetrical spinnaker in the 2024 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race! Making an incredible debut, SIRENE was crowned IRC Corinthian Division Champion, took 2nd place in IRC Division 2, and finished 15th overall in IRC out of 104 starters—only 74 of which crossed the finish line. Representing Fremantle Sailing Club and equipped with an expertly crafted sail inventory from UK Sailmakers Fremantle, SIRENE showcased the perfect balance of versatility and performance that defines this racer-cruiser. The sails were designed and built by UK Sailmakers, with upwind sails developed by Pat Considine (UK Sailmakers Chicago) and asymmetrical spinnakers by Geoff Bishop (UK Sailmakers Fremantle). SIRENE’s inventory included: • X-Drive mainsail with three reefs • X-Drive J2 race jib, reefable to J3 • Heavy-weather J4 staysail on a furler • Code Zero, A2, A3, A4, and a reaching jib top • Storm jib for safety compliance The sail wardrobe was meticulously planned, combining local expertise with UK Sailmakers' cutting-edge Fluid–Structure Interaction (FSI) modeling—an advanced analytical tool that simulates the interaction between sails and surrounding airflow to optimize performance. The initial sail plan was developed in collaboration with Geoff Bishop of UK Sailmakers and a local rigger, with support from FSI modeling by UK Sailmakers' lead designer, Pat Considine. This resulted in a highly effective combination of a jib with a reef and a furling staysail, minimizing jib sail changes while providing a versatile downwind staysail. Video clip provided by Bill Henson.

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