Advice needed.

[salticrak]

Righto, so now that I no longer have the burden of visa uncertainty hanging around my neck, the pressure is off me like you cannot believe.
My wharram tiki 26 is almost ready for launching, it does not need much work to get her afloat.

My question to you is wether I should wait until the end of the southern cyclone season here on the east coast of Australia to launch her.

My concerns are;

I have never sailed a catamaran.
She will be living on the hook.
Increased amount of jokers on the water over Xmas holidays.

Also, the mackerel fishing season is in full swing and have been catching these toothy critters on my kayak lately, it is an obsession with me.

Your indulgences please.

[zeehag]

salti --go with gut feeling.
have fun.
catch fish.
stay dry and out of bad winds

[boatman61]

I would not fret overmuch over the cyclone season as long as you keep an eye on the weather.. and when the SHTF with your draft you can run and hide where others cannot. As for anchoring keep a long scope on a bridle and she'll sit steady as a rock
As for sailing her.. she'll be easy to learn and if your ever caught in the irons just give her opposite helm and she'll reverse round till the wind catches and you can harden the sails.. may take awhile to get used to her speed though... you'll likely find her luffing as she overtakes the wind...

[44'cruisingcat]

Is the boat at Palmwoods? If so, you're pretty safe regarding cyclones. Not so many get down to the sunshine coast, and any that do are pretty low intensity.

Launch time is exciting, congratulations!

[salticrak]

Thanks Zee and Boatie, I shall ruminate.

[Coops]

We sail out of just north of the Gold Coast all year round. Unless there is a strange anomaly in the weather you have no fear around there. Watch out for Riviera owners though.

PS. We do NOT sail over the holiday period because of the "jokers".

Coops.

[salticrak]

Hey Coops, yep Palmwoods it is, i am just not keen on the idea of heavy rainfall/flooding like we've had over the last few seasons, whilst learning the ropes an all.I will have her on the pick on the Mooloolah river at first.

[cwjohm]

Not sure who the "jokers" are. Once you get into the coral sea then there isn't much traffic. If you mean the Mooloolah river then there can be a bit of traffic but mostly well behaved.

Over xmas we will be heading out to Moreton or the straights depending on the weather. Unusual to get cyclonic effects as low as sunshine coast.

[ausaviator]

The jokers get pretty active up in Qld I've noticed on my visits. My parents are usually up there for the season during their retirement and they refuse to go boating on the weekends period, so as to avoid a collision or otherwise.

[cwjohm]

Sound like parochial BS to me. I was born and bred in Vic, 17 years in NSW and now reside in Brisbane. I have boated extensively in Port Phillip Bay, Sydney Harbour and Moreton Bay, and they are all the same to me. Most people are well behaved, but you get the few ratbags wherever you go.

If you don't go out boating because of what other people may do then you are not really interested in boating IMO.

[ausaviator]

It's particularly bad down at the Gold Coast. A lot of boats going in all directions, busy beaches, jetties and the like. Over 100 people in line at the fish and chip shop. Rescued 2 unprepared boaties in the week that I was there. Doesn't make for a nice weekend out.

[cwjohm]

Ah, the gold coast. That is not QLD. That is a parallel universe inhabited mostly by retired Victorians, bikers, drug addicts, retrobates and schoolies.

[Coops]

Originally Posted by cwjohm

Sound like parochial BS to me. I was born and bred in Vic, 17 years in NSW and now reside in Brisbane. I have boated extensively in Port Phillip Bay, Sydney Harbour and Moreton Bay, and they are all the same to me. Most people are well behaved, but you get the few ratbags wherever you go.

If you don't go out boating because of what other people may do then you are not really interested in boating IMO.

Thank you for pointing that out to me. I have been sailing for over 50 years and I can and do go out during the week. Because I choose to not bother to go out when the place is crowded then according to you I am not really interested in boating. I wonder why I spent all that money and time on boats then? I should have met you decades ago, I could have found another hobby.

Coops.

[cwjohm]

Actually I wasn't pointing it out to you, but rather to ausaviator who seemed to singling out Qld. Its gets crowded everywhere. The discussions was about "jokers" who I assume refers to those who do not behave responsibly on the water. My point was referring to them.

[Coops]

No problems, I was happy to make a bit of fun out of it anyway. I spent 17 years sailing Pittwater from 74 on. Able to go out in the weekdays and not see a soul, apart from wednesday afternoon racers, cannot imagine what it is like nowadays. Yes, the GC seems to be a collection centre for all that is worst in society, especially the boating one. I worked in a chandlery there for many years and, oh dear, the level of ignorance about boats/safety/self reliance was appalling.

Coops.