Latest News

Photo by Rene Chapman. 

Member, Jocelyn Webb, writes "It was travel tales Tuesday in the Carabella room, all seats filled in anticipation of Sean Langman recounting stories of salty adventures with mates on his historic Ranger, Maluka: the much loved “little boat that could” (and did).

In the 2005 edition of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart, Sean skippered the 100 foot canting keel super maxi AAPT to 5th place on line honours taking two days and four hours. One would think that a fast ride to Hobart would lead to hunger to sail even faster the following year. Not so for Sean, who felt something was missing.

When Sean was 12 years old, he had been happily sailing the “low tech”, classic timber yacht Vagrant with his father, sharing a love of pure sailing and adventures. His world turned upside down when Vagrant was sold. Sean was devastated.


Photo by Rene Chapman. 

Whilst he continued to sail on yachts of increasing length, speed and technology, the love of pure sailing remained. Twenty-eight years later, Sean purchased and restored Vagrant, and takes great joy in seeing it every day, swinging on its mooring in Berry’s Bay. Vagrant is one of around 38 yachts Sean owns, of which nearly three-quarters are classic yachts, restored or under restoration, amplifying his deep connection.

Fast forward to 2006: shortly after the 2005 Sydney to Hobart, Sean purchased the 1932 Tasmanian Huon Pine Ranger, Maluka. Maluka was the spark to rekindle his desire to reconnect with sailing at its grass roots, overriding the “need for speed” (with the exception of the ORMA 60 trimaran which, in 2013, he skippered to a Sydney – Hobart passage record of 29 hours. 52 minutes and 23 seconds!).

Maluka was built as a coastal cruiser, and her early owners had actually sailed her to Hobart, completing the passage on their second attempt 70 years previously. Maluka was lovingly and meticulously restored with assistance from close friend Gary Ferres and inspiration from the legendary Bill Gale. This included meeting Category 1 structural and safety criteria, allowing Maluka, skippered by Sean, to successfully complete the 2006 edition (63rd of 69) arriving in the early hours of New Years Eve.

The 2006 Sydney – Hobart was the first of eight (so far) for Maluka. In 2022, skippered by Sean’s son Pete with a group of Pete’s mates, Maluka won division 5. The win was the second for the family that year as Sean (his 32nd Hobart race) won division “0” with the 69-foot modern, professionally crewed Moneypenny.

Maluka’s win in 2022 rekindled Sean’s desire for pure sailing adventures; cruising with mates: the purpose for which Maluka was originally built. Sean was drawn to the volumes of tomes and YouTube footage of adventures around the estuaries of Great Britain and Ireland, compiled by British sea-farers over the years. Not to mention the adventure books we read as children were largely from the UK – who wasn’t a fan of the “Famous five”? 

The 50th Rolex Fastnet would be held in July 2023. Sean knew Maluka “loved racing” and also had proven herself for cruising, so Maluka was loaded onto a ship bound for Cork in Ireland. Sean recounted a quote from Alex Whitworth: “once you have your boat on a ship, your shoes are bolted to the floor”. Maluka’s northern adventures began.

Sean’s accounts of 24 days cruising from Ireland to the start of the Fastnet in Southampton were filled with hilarity and beautiful pictures. Visits to scenic ports including the legendary Camelot (King Arthur/Monty Python - you choose!), huge tides, unseasonal Easterly breezes, the Atlantic ocean swell, unmarked rocks, unlit lighthouses, receiving fruit cake as a 3rd place prize, sharing stories with local characters, legless crabs and sailing around live fire ranges! Sean described those 24 days as one of the best sailing voyages he had experienced. A few more additions to the many tomes are due, I think.

…And, of course, a few important lessons:
1) When in an Irish Pub, let the Guinness sit before you sip!
2) Never follow the French anywhere!

Sean then enthralled the audience with accounts and pictures of the Fastnet race, and his crew of his son Pete Langman, Josh Alexander, Pete Inchbold and Gordon Maguire (who prior to the Fastnet had been racing on Caro, the overall winner!).


Photo by Jocelyn Webb. 

The race saw a vast range of conditions for Langman. The fast and frenetic start was held in 45 knots and 4-6 metre sea state. The first day saw 100 yachts retire, three dismasted and one sunk. This was followed by the enormously different experience of being becalmed in the Celtic sea, floating around fastnet rock and celebrating with a bottle of pinot gris (Tasmanian of course) miraculously “found” on board.

Despite the challenges presented by mind-boggling currents, tidal gates, traffic separation zones, accommodating Maluka’s “nuances” and avoiding shipping channels, Maluka finished at Cherbourg in 6 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes and 43 seconds where Langman received the trophy for the oldest yacht to finish and won the IRC 4B division.

Of course, Sean pointed out that Maluka may be small in length but big on comfort - only taking on one bucket of water during the race, and off-watch involved sleeping in comfy bunks with pyjamas & pillows. 

Maluka’s adventures with mates continue. Sean and Pete Inchbold fulfilled another long held dream of Sean’s – to sail Maluka from Cherbourg across the English channel. Maluka is now converting to “cruising mode”, for adventures to Loch Ness, the Hebrides, Iceland and possibly across the North Atlantic to Greenland and the Labrador Sea to enter the Newport to Bermuda yacht race (yet another fixed date!).

Sean amplifies the joy of grassroots sailing adventures with friends and, through his restoration program, maintains an important part of our maritime history. We can all help by utilising social media to raise and maintain awareness and keep the beautiful classic yachts afloat!

Notably, 2032, the year the Olympic Games return to Australia, is also Maluka’s 100th birthday –plans will no doubt be made to celebrate appropriately, possibly involving sailing adventures with friends (and Tassie pinot?!)"

Thank you to Sean for joining us to speak about his incredible adventure. An entertaining evening was had by all.