Across the Top of Australia

[dirkdig]

What a nightmare,crappy conditions let alone the boats conditions.

[Wotname]

Holy Moley, can this get worse.
Tough time to do Cairns to Brisbane but surely it can't much worse.
I am impressed with your tenacity.

[dirkdig]

Want to deliver my cat from cairns to Hervey Bay?
Everything works on it,i think?

[Jim Cate]

G'Day tony,

Holy ****, Batman, don't think I've ever heard of a worse delivery scenario. What a saga! Your perseverance is laudable, the boat's perseverance is not so good. I forget what sort of cat it is that you are sailing, but I think there is a new and lucrative occupation for your future: blackmailing the builder, threatening to go to boat shows with a copy of all your posts here on CF!!

At any rate, sure hope that the rest of the trip goes well... but then, what would you have to write about?

Cheers,

Jim

[downunder]

Enough issues to put the average sailor off sailing for life.

What a ride.

Hope you have better trip south to Brisbane although the wind will likely be in your face and if recent weather is any guide not ideal to put it mildly.

cheers

[sctpc]

Originally Posted by downunder

Enough issues to put the average sailor off sailing for life.

cheers

Im just happy im NOT the owner

[dirkdig]

Sounds like a very,very expensive boat

[bvimatelot]

Many thanks to all for the comments - and the weather !!

Well - we got in to Brisbane this morning and the boat is securely at the owner's dock. The last leg from Cairns was not without its electrical and mechanical problems - but we've come to expect these! In particular, we lost the autopilot again and this time I couldn't coax her back. Then the depth sounder went which was a little unnerving coming into the very shallow Moreton Bay. However, we didn't manage to bump into anything. Then the Starboard engine water cooling system completely broke down so I had to rob the port engine of the exhaust muffler and various cooling hoses, so we came the last few days on one engine - I robbed the Port because the Starboard is the only one giving us electricity!

Otherwise, the run down from Cairns included a couple of 150 mile days in the right direction so it was generally the best part of the whole trip. Nice to be finished though!!

Once again, many thanks to all and Safe Sailing to everyone. Tony

[bvimatelot]

Originally Posted by dirkdig

Want to deliver my cat from cairns to Hervey Bay?
Everything works on it,i think?

Just got in and catching up! When do you want it done? PM me and I'll work out a quote for you. Cheers, Tony (PS - I'm getting quite used to cats where nothing works!!)

[pdbms]

what part of brisbane are you in?

[Wotname]

I bet everyone is happy that you finally arrived, good to see that the boat kept true to form right up to arrival - not.

I wonder if you have found ALL the defects in the boat or if the ownwer still has a few surprises coming his way .

Again congratulations on your perseverance!

[bytownboy]

Hey Tony. Glad you made it! In comparison my trip with Rupert from Singapore to Cairns was the exact opposite - no wind other than PNG to Cairns. Biggest problem was fuel - and getting robbed in PNG of course. I'm back in a logging camp in Canada - gotta work a bit, the problem with 100% retirement is too much time on your hands to spend money! Stay safe.
Doug

[bvimatelot]

Hey Doug - thanks!! I followed your passage (via Roop's fb page) with interest. Hope to see you on the water again soon! Tony

[bvimatelot]

Originally Posted by pdbms

what part of brisbane are you in?

Hi Kevin - I'm to-day in Currumbin, having spent a couple of days in Noosa catching up with relatives and friends who emigrated many years ago. I fly home to the Caribbean on Friday and, going Eastabouts, its gonna be a very long day! I wish I could have stayed much longer - really loving it here (apart from the current weather), but there's work in the Caribbean and if I aint sailing, I don't get paid!

Tony

[boatman61]

HeyTony.... you finally made it... good one...
Is the Torres as scary as it looks on the charts....
I've managed to get to the Marquesas so far and next stop is American Samoa... I'll be passing through the opposite way....
Have a good flight home mate...
hope there's an easy one waiting for you there....