A tiny sailboat, built in Massachusetts, beaches near Dalyellup, Western Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325373)
Rockingham, Australia
July 4, 2020 1:49am CST
Photo is of Vince’s sailboat.
Edit: When I first published this, I left off the line saying that the photo is of Vince's boat. My apologies.
On the news today was a story about a small research boat which was recently found on Dalyellup beach in south-west Western Australia. Dalyellup is about 160 kms south of Perth and about half an hour’s drive from our home.
It seems the 5.5-foot-long miniature, unmanned sailboat was built by students from Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School in Massachusetts. It is one of more than 165 boatbuilding kit provided to schools from not-for-profit organisation, Educational Passages. The letters were sealed in the waterproof hull. The boat was also carrying a GPS tracker.
Once built, it was filled with over 50 letters and launched by scientists into the Indian Ocean from South Africa in February, 2019. After 461 days, the boat eventually made its way to Dalyellup.
The boat is currently having its sail and mast replaced. Primary school students from the region are writing letters to put into the boat, after which it will be re-launched. I wonder what stories this little boat could tell.
17 people like this
18 responses
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jul 20
I think it is a drone spy sailboat sent to check you out! Be careful, it may have eyes that are watching you! haha
It is really neat to read about things like this, and hear about the journeys such vessels take across the world, simply riding out wave and wind currents. I must say that the boat looks to be in really good shape for being at sea for so long. I'm surprised the hull is not covered in barnacles.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jul 20
@JudyEv That makes much more sense now! I was thinking that the boat looked amazingly good for so many days at sea! haha
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@JudyEv (325373)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul 20
@moffittjc @LadyDuck Apologies folks - I left off one line and the photo is actually Vince's model yacht.
2 people like this
@yoalldudes (35040)
• Philippines
4 Jul 20
Small but terrible, is our expression here to describe to never understimate something small. Awesome story.
2 people like this
@yoalldudes (35040)
• Philippines
4 Jul 20
@JudyEv 
Cheers for the small parcels.
Cheers for the small parcels.1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
4 Jul 20
when I was a teacher there was a great movie called Paddle to the Sea (
it is a very similar story - this is so cool!!!
Canadian film board classic. This film played in Canadian schools back in late 60's/early 70's.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325373)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jul 20
@DocAndersen I watched the film. A novel I love that was set in Canada was 'I heard the owl call my name'. I've lost my copy but one day I'll buy another.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
4 Jul 20
@JudyEv it really is, i love the story. Thank you- you made me smile!
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@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
4 Jul 20
Oh wow, thank you for sharing this wonderful story. That sailboat is like a giant version of the legendary bottle with a letter floating in the sea.
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@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
4 Jul 20
@JudyEv yes, there are many stories about the letter in the bottle.But this sailboat is very interesting since it is similar but kind of unique.
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@JudyEv (325373)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul 20
One letter in a bottle was found 50 years later:
and another had a date of 1886 on it: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-06/oldest-known-message-in-a-bottle-found-on-wa-beach/9518632. It would be really exciting to find such a bottle.
Fifty years after 13-year-old Paul Gilmore threw a message in a bottle into the Indian Ocean, he's finally had a reply. But he doesn't know it yet, because he's still at sea.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325373)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul 20
@Alexandoy And it carrying 50+ letters, not just one.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246334)
• United States
4 Jul 20
What an exciting experiment! The kids will be thrilled.
At first I thought it sailed from Massachusetts. That would have been quite a feat, too.
Please never mention boats again. My husband walked by the computer as I was reading your post and asked me why I was looking at boats. No boat for him!!!
Please never mention boats again. My husband walked by the computer as I was reading your post and asked me why I was looking at boats. No boat for him!!!1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325373)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jul 20
Oh no! I forgot about your husband and unmentionables. I'll write in code next time.
I wondered why they didn't let them go from Massachusetts too. And if they all went into the sea in South Africa, you'd think more would end up on the beaches here. Maybe they will.
I wondered why they didn't let them go from Massachusetts too. And if they all went into the sea in South Africa, you'd think more would end up on the beaches here. Maybe they will.1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (155562)
• United States
4 Jul 20
What a cool story! Love your sailboat.
1 person likes this
@crafty01 (480)
• Jamshedpur, India
5 Jul 20
South Africa to Australia is a long very distance to cover by such a miniature sailboat,
Port of Durban, South Africa to Port of Darwin, Australia is 6498 nm is equal to 12034.3 Km/h.
I wonder what those letters say about that distant land, stories of families, celebrations, adventures nobody knows.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34316)
•
4 Jul 20
The design on the sail caught my eye immediately. Does it have any meaning? Now that's putting kids brain power to good use.
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@wolfgirl569 (94806)
• Marion, Ohio
4 Jul 20
That has to be exciting for the students.
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@erictsuma (9726)
• Mombasa, Kenya
4 Jul 20
That's a good platform for students to learn from one another.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325373)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul 20
That was the hope of the association that gave out the boats.
@Butterfingers (66585)
• India
4 Jul 20
It was nice to know about it in detail dear thanks
1 person likes this
