If you’ve been following us on social media, you’ll have seen the steady (but sometimes slow!) progress of our newly acquired second-hand Elliott 7 sail training vessel.
This project has been a massive undertaking — from research and inspection through to purchase and transport — and it marks a significant milestone for our charity. Until now, we’ve primarily relied on rented boats, and this vessel will allow us to expand our capacity, strengthen our identity on the water, and create more meaningful opportunities for veterans to be involved in every aspect of the vessel’s operation, maintenance, and sailing.
A huge thank you to everyone involved over the past few days in loading and securing our Elliott 7 aboard HMAS Warramunga — including the incredible support from Ocius and the HMAS Coonawarra Port Services team.
We’ve been truly humbled by the generosity surrounding this project — from the donated transport, to a brand-new mainsail kindly contributed by North Sails and Contender Sailcloth, and Buckingham Marine Services volunteering their time for fibreglass and rudder repairs.
Once the Elliott 7 arrives in Sydney, it will undergo deep maintenance and restoration before being commissioned into the Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project fleet — operating alongside Salty RHIB to support those who’ve served and their families.
So, why in Darwin? The Elliott 7 class is used by many major yacht clubs across Australia and rarely comes up for sale. When this opportunity appeared, we jumped — purchasing it for $17,000, with funding support from NSW Government & Ocius, compared to around $100,000 new. Thanks to our community’s support, we’ve secured a truly fit-for-purpose vessel that will serve veterans for years to come.