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Who We Are

About Offshore

From a photocopied race bulletin in 1971 to the leading voice of ocean racing. This is our story.

Our Story

Born from the Water

Offshore began in 1971 as a modest black and white magazine produced by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia — 16 pages and sold for 20 cents. Its purpose was to tell sailors what was happening on the water.

Through many iterations that included name and format changes, new editors, publishers and writers, well over 200 issues have been published.

Fifty-five years later though, one thing that hasn’t changed is the original purpose.

We still exist to tell the stories of the CYCA and ocean racing — some results, yes, but also the people, the culture, the innovation, and the extraordinary human drama that plays out every time a yacht clears the heads and sets sail for open water.

Offshore has grown from a bulletin into a full-scale magazine, and now into a digital platform designed to reach sailors everywhere — not just those standing on a dock in Sydney.

Browse the Archive →

Key Milestones

1971
First Edition of ‘Offshore’ Published
A 16-page forum that Commodore Bill Psaltis described as a ‘means of communication’ is released in June and costs 20 cents.
1981
Colour
The first sign of colour comes to Offshore with a vibrant blue title on the front cover of the August-September issue – the magazine’s 61st edition.
1987
Becomes ‘Offshore Yacht Racing & Cruising
After 92 issues as ‘Offshore’ the magazine gets a new name.
1995
Offshore becomes the program of the Great Race South
In December ’95 a special edition of the now ‘Offshore Yachting’ is produced to double as the Official Program of the Sydney Hobart, even calling it the ‘Sydney to Hobart’.
2018
Our original name returns
The original name ‘Offshore’ returned for the April/May issue with a trimmed down format.
2026
‘Offshore’ goes 100% online
The traditional printed magazine evolves into a standalone digital platform — contemporary, agile and built for every generation of offshore sailor.

What We Stand For

Our Values

01
Craft
Every story is worth telling well. We take the time to get it right, because the sailors and the sport deserve nothing less.
02
Authenticity
We write stories for sailors and sailing fans. Every story is grounded in lived experience on the water.
03
Ambition
We pursue the stories that matter — the ones that are difficult, nuanced, and worth the effort to tell properly.
04
Community
Offshore belongs to the sailing community. We platform new voices, emerging photographers, and fresh perspectives from across the sport.

Our Foundation

Proudly CYCA

Offshore is published by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia — one of the world’s great offshore racing clubs and the home of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

While Offshore operates as a stand-alone editorial platform with its own distinct voice and identity, the CYCA’s support and heritage are foundational to what we do. The full archive of previous Offshore editions — all 308 issues — lives on the CYCA website.

Pictured right: the crew of Rani in Hobart after winning the first Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, 1945. Skippered by Captain John Illingworth.

Visit CYCA.com.au →

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