The beautiful 1929 Bermudan Ketch Halcyon reaches her 80th birthday on 10 July, and this great milestone causes us to recall the circumstances of her launch all those years ago, writes David Green.

2009 is proving to be a busy and exciting year for The Ellen MacArthur Trust, a charity that supports young people in recovery from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illness, by introducing them to the joys of sailing at sea.

Taking place from 11-20 September the PSP Southampton Boat Show is aiming to break a number of world records throughout the duration of the UK's leading outdoor social event showcasing boating, watersports, and lifestyle.

Double Olympic sailing gold medallist Sarah Dempsey and her husband Olympic windsurfer Nick Dempsey are the proud new parents of their first baby, a son.

With entries flying in fast organisers are counting down the days until this year's Beneteau Cup, to be held in Cowes, Isle of Wight, on the weekend of 21-23 August.

A disappointing day for Tour leader Adam Minoprio and second placed Brit Ian Williams saw both swept out of the repechage and the World Championship point scoring zone of Match Cup Sweden, stage five of the World Match Racing Tour.

The Royal Southampton Yacht Club's own version of a round the Island race on 18 July presents double-handed crews with some of the most taxing, tactical, and enjoyable racing in the south coast sailing calendar.

Hilary Lister will leave Ardglass in Northern Ireland on the afternoon of 2 July bound for Portpatrick on the west coast of Scotland, becoming the first female quadriplegic to sail the Irish Sea both ways solo.

As Scarlet Oyster makes her way around the country on the Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain voyage, Dame Ellen is giving public talks at many of the key stopover ports whilst Scarlet is in dock.

After 14 days of glorious Scottish weather and following the departure of our guests, once again the crew set to getting on with preparing Halcyon for our next charter, writes Captain Robert Hickman of the 1929 classic Bermudan Ketch.

The warm and sunny weather has continued in Marstrand, bringing spectators out in force to watch the repechage round robin at Match Cup Sweden where six teams were in the hunt for the last two quarterfinal places.

Just days after arriving in New York, French yachtsman Thomas Coville is on stand-by with his maxi-trimaran Sodeb'O for an attempt to break his own solo North Atlantic record between New York and Lizard Point, England.

The Women's Open Keelboat Championship is all set to go this Saturday, 4 July, with a total of 150 women taking part.

The Cowes Week Radio commentary RIB is once again being sponsored by the Portsmouth-based marine electronics manufacturer, Raymarine.

The 608 nautical mile offshore classic that is the Rolex Fastnet will get underway on Sunday, 9 August, and the 300 registered crews for the race are hard at work completing their qualification miles and other prerequisites.