Gallivant First Big Trip

[MarcW]

No taking small steps just crossed the Australian Bight from Esperance Western Australia to Coffin Bay South Australia.

SPOT Shared Page

If you like click on the above link and you will see part of our travels across the Bight.

Quick run down
Esperance to Coffin Bay 8 day 3 hrs West to East (7 days non stop)
Straight line plot GPS = 662 Nm
Our track = 821 Nm distance travelled
Motoring = 20 hrs 5.5 Kts
Hove-to = 15 Hrs (2 Kt Drift)
Average yacht speed 5.8 Kts from Victory Habour W.A only stop on the way to Coffin Bay S.A
Max yacht Speed 8.5 Kts
Max wind speed 45 Kts (while hove-to)

All crew still a live Bonsi lossed some leaves Banjo dog and Rawnee cat yet to fall overboard, Marc and Robyn crew still talking.

We used a 3 hr watch system over night this ran 2000hrs to 10 - 1200hrs.

We sailed most of the time under a storm jib and triple reefed main as wind had an averge speed of 20-30Knts SE-S-SSW winds for a most of the trip.

Hove-to when the swell and sea where running 90 degrees to one and other very rough 5-6 metres+ combined, wind max speed of 45Knts occur then as well. We we under just a storm jib and a bucket as a sea brake with 50 metres of rode this reduce forward travel by 0.3-0.5 Kt. We have a para anchor and dorgue but didnt think we need to set either.

In all it was a good trip, no breakages, no major problem that could no be over come.

[James S]

Excellent post Mark...sounds like the "full meal deal".
Congratulations for a successful, and it sounds, invigorating passage.