Product & industry review
 Milldale Wines – 20% discount
Nestled in the Broke-Fordwich area of the Hunter Valley, Milldale Winery was founded in 2007 on an established vineyard with vines approximately 12 years old.
Catering to the tastes of today, Milldale specialises in a fresh, crisp, light chardonnay.
Milldale Wine’s 2008 Unwooded Chardonnay is designed to be perfect for a summer afternoon on your boat.
Milldale also produce a Semillon with passionfruit, lime and citrus characters – just the drop to go with your catch of the day – and a Viognier also done to a lighter style.
Milldale’s French oaked Chardonnay has just been bottled and will be released in January. Milldale Wines are made using minimal chemical input and they are moving toward organic principles over the next few years.
Order wine from the website and get free delivery.
Readers who mention Afloat magazine will get 20% off the case price.
Milldale Wines – www.milldale.com.au
Windcraft celebrates 10 years with Hanse Yachts
Peter Hrones, founder and managing director of Windcraft Australia has a big smile on his face. He is now celebrating a decision made ten years ago in the small but historically significant boat building town of Greifswald, on Germany’s Baltic Coast.
1999 saw the birth of Windcraft, Hrones’ yacht importing company based on Sydney’s Pittwater.
In Windcraft’s tenth year of importing Hanse Yachts, a turnover of 20 million dollars was achieved, firmly placing the company as a leading importer of yachts to Australia & New Zealand.
This success was recognised by Hanse Yachts with Hrones being awarded the Hanse Dealer of the Year Award. This suggests that it is not only Hrones who is smiling - Hanse Yachts must also be pleased that the young Australian found his way to the Greifswald yard ten years ago.
Windcraft displayed a total of 12 boats at the 2008 Sydney Boat Show. With his ideas for further expansion in the next twelve months Peter’s smile is going to get even bigger.
Windcraft Australia – www.hansedownunder.com.au
Seabrake
Burke Marine have acquired Seabrake International, along with the Seabrake patents and intellectual property from Captain John Abernathy, inventor and major shareholder of Seabrake.
 Burke Marine have been manufacturing and distributing the Seabrake range under licence for almost five years. During this period, Burke Marine further developed the Seabrake and successfully established twelve new markets throughout Europe and the Asia Pacific region.
Seabrake is a variable drag drogue that was invented by Captain Abernathy after working for many years in the rough waters of Bass Strait that fronts on to the infamous Southern Ocean.
The Seabrake’s unique patented concept of more speed equals more drag has been used successfully used by sailors around the world to control broaching or surfing and is accepted by Yachting Australia for use as emergency steering.
Burke Marine is a family owned business established over 37 years ago.
Burke Marine – 02 9638 4333; www.burkemarine.com.au also www.seabrake.com
Maxx3 from Contender Sailcloth adds fifth angle
Contender Sailcloth has launched Maxx3, a unique sail laminate which offers five fibres laid asymmetrically at specific angles throughout the cloth which ensures the sail fabric fibres always meet the load requirements from any sail shape.
 With the fibres laid at these five critical angles, when load requirements change, for example when sheeting in, trimming or due to mast bend, there is always a fibre running at that exact angle required providing the strength to ensure high performance and minimal stretch.
For sailmakers, this unique fabric design is key because it enables the sail cloth to be cross cut, rather than radial cut, making it quicker and easier to make the most effective sails.
For boat owners, the Maxx3 laminate is easy to handle and extremely durable. It does not crack or break when folded, rolled or reefed. The multiple fibre angles also reduced the chances of the fabric being torn or punctured.
Contender Sailcloth – 02 9997 4099; www.contender.com.au
Raymarine Reels in Best in Show Award
For the sixth year in a row Raymarine has taken home the Best in Show award from the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) Convention and Exposition, held in San Diego, California.
This year, Raymarine was honoured for its G-Series Navigation System, the company’s premier navigation system, which combines Raymarine’s leading chartplotter, radar and digital fishfinder technology with high-speed processing and networking.
The G-Series joins the long list of Raymarine products that have won the Best in Show award over the past five years.
The NMEA awards recognize excellence in design, performance and reliability in marine electronics products, and offer NMEA members the opportunity to distinguish the most innovative technology in the market. The awards are selected by votes from marine electronics dealers, distributors and other industry professionals in a variety of categories.
Raymarine – 02 9479 4800. www.raymarine.com.au
Windward Mark Marine moves to new premises in Botany
One of the very few marine businesses to flourish in the face of financial melt down, the small three-man company, Windward Mark, specializes in two recession proof segments in the trade.
The first, specialized repair of classic timber boats, services an unending stream of fine old craft in need of constant care and attention.
The second, the building of small, elegant gaff-cutters continues to thrive for the simple but obvious reason – a new trailerable classic makes an awful lot of sense.
“Our Secret 20s are fast, nimble and undeniably beautiful and while the vast majority of our clients can well afford bigger boats they opt for the convenience and economy of a trailerable boat,” Director Chris Ellard said.
At their new premises, there are three of the wicked little cutters: the owner’s boat (available for demos at the drop of a hat!) one about to be handed over and one in frame.
Chris invites readers to ring and call him (0425 240 595) for a look.
Windward Mark Marine – (02) 9316 4883; windwardmarkmarine@hotmail.com
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