advice and help to cross the tasman

[Boracay]

Have you contacted any shipping companies for quotes?

For a big boat it's a very short hop across the Tasman, and they hardly notice weather that would have me searching for deities to invoke.

It would probably be more expensive, and take more organizing, but would be far safer.

If cost is a concern would it not be better to import and register the boat in Australia? I understand there are tax agreements that could make this beneficial.

[matauwhi]

G'day, mate. If/when you do decide to sail across, be patient and keep an eye out for a weather pattern similiar to what is developing this week in the Tasman. A nice high pressure system is moving across. Be ready to leave N.Z. when the Southwesterlys start to hit the north island and then turn to the SE as you head towards Brisbane. If this high pressure tracks as predicted, it would give a good 6 to 8/9 days of sailing. All the best. Cheers.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by matauwhi

G'day, mate. If/when you do decide to sail across, be patient and keep an eye out for a weather pattern similiar to what is developing this week in the Tasman. A nice high pressure system is moving across. Be ready to leave N.Z. when the Southwesterlys start to hit the north island and then turn to the SE as you head towards Brisbane. If this high pressure tracks as predicted, it would give a good 6 to 8/9 days of sailing. All the best. Cheers.

Memory of queen's birthday storm 20 odd years ago. Boats sank, lives lost. Not much warning. So get life insurance just in case if you have any dependents.

[stillbuilding]

Originally Posted by savoir

Really ?

What was the last cyclone to hit Mooloolaba or even as far up as Bundaberg in December or January ? I can remember David in January 1976 ( which crossed the coast near Mackay but there were a couple of ugly days in Mooloolaba ) but apart from that . . . . .

1981 cyclone went right over Mooloolaba just one month after i bought a yacht there.

[savoir]

Not relevant. That cyclone was in February. I have never recommended that anyone approach the coast of Queensland in February. If OP does what he says then he will arrive in Queensland in mid January.

[chris_gee]

Weather systems seem to move acroos at 6-7 day intervals. While the paths seem generally to the NE sometimes they are from the NW. In rough terms one might estimate the W-E component at say 8 knots phr. To that add the boat speed for that type of boat to get a relative speed of 12 knots/hr. That gives a system change of four to five days. Since the trip EW would take 12-15 days that gives three systems at least. Probably a low in the middle and the first part of one at the end. Coming the other way one might stay in the system for 12 or more days staying in one high.
I doubt that one would get 9 days in a high going EW. Of course some are slow moving but I wouldn't expect one in Sept. One might do better going somewhat north. There are monthly charts of the prevailing winds that should be referred to in planning. I am not going into that detail.
I just suggest EW is harder and while you are unlikely to get a cyclone, you are likely to get a rough patch with a long fetch so big waves. You may also have a bit of a wait for a better weather window. Hence the quite strict cat one regulations and the need for experienced crew.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by savoir

Not relevant. That cyclone was in February. I have never recommended that anyone approach the coast of Queensland in February. If OP does what he says then he will arrive in Queensland in mid January.

Where did you find this bit of information? I have not seen anything in this thread to this effect.

[matauwhi]

G'day, mates. This high pressure system that I mentioned above has yielded favorable sailing to NE Oz for over 10 days now. 2 boats cleared out of Opua today and are heading to Bundaberg. Again, if you can be patient and wait for a favorable system, a decent passage should be able to be had from this time in the year until around mid November. All the best. Cheers.

[chall]

Thanks Matauwhi, that is good information in general.

[matauwhi]

Thanks, mate. I have learned a bit from Bob McDavitt, who recently retired with over 40 years from the New Zealand MetService, over the years. He is still posting a weekly weathergram and you can sign up and get it emailed directly. Currently there is no charge for these weekly updates. Cheers.
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