Hi from Tasmania - Australia

[CruiserPete]

Hi all,

Thought I'd chip in and say hello.
I've just invested in a Farrier Trailer-able TT680 trimaran as the first step in my live-aboard, possible circumnavigation of the Island I live on and then possible world circumnavigation (The worlds a big place so the world circumnavigation a big goal) but back to the present.

I'm intending on a live-aboard trimaran and given that's there is only me, I do not need copious amounts of living space so I'm thinking once I learn how to sail my smaller coastal TT680 trimaran I'll upgrade to a larger, seagoing, more current Farrier F31 or similar.

I purchased the TT680 with the goal of sailing a trimaran that was easy to handle and then making the jump into something significantly bigger once I'm more confident and importantly familiar with multihulls. I've always sailed monohulls and sold my monohull for the TT680 trimaran. I figured that given my zero experience on a multihull (trimaran) it would be wiser for me to 'learn' to sail a smaller coastal trimaran so I'd have a good understanding of the intricacies of multihulls.

So here I am, learning on a TT680, planning to up size to something in the vicinity of 30-40 feet in 4 or 5 years and then moving aboard as a live aboard and sailing where the wind (and work ) takes me.

Cheers, Pete

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Pete,

Welcome to CF! Nice to have a new member who seems to have already gotten started on his plan and who isn't asking "what should I buy"! Good onya, mate...

So, where in Tassie are you, and where will you be doing your learning? Seems like the wx has been pretty ordinary there lately, so I hope that your tri has been sitting happily on its trailer somewhere safe.

There are a few other CFers in Tasmania, and we spend a lot of time there ourselves, so you might have some built in pals if required. Looking forward to hearing of your adventures.

Jim

[CruiserPete]

Hi Jim and thanks for the hello,

I'm in Devonport Tasmania and yes, last weeks weather was atrocious, Winds in the vicinity of 100kph and gusting to 140kph. Matsika Island just south of Hobart had winds at 150kph and gusting to 190kph. Worse part was these condition stayed for the whole week so 5 days of huge winds and devastation, houses with roofs blown off, trees down, 200mm rain in one day, it was insane.

Yes, my lovely TT680 trimaran was sung as a bug in the driveway, albeit under a Temporary carport. I had dynabolted the temporary carport to the concrete then secured it to the dynabolts and to its credit (and my forethought and handy work) my temporary (tent style) carport did not budge or give me any grief with winds gusting well past 100kph.

I'm a teacher so I'm planning on using a really cool public servants initiative by the Tasmanian Government called SSAL - State Service Accumulated Leave. I accumulate 20% paid leave a year over 4 years and then take the 5th year off at 80% paid leave 20% x 4 years = 5th year off at 80%. I work 4 years, each year at only 80% wages but a 100% workload so I'm accumulating the 20% each year to take on the 5th year.
This combined with my long service leave should give me close to 15 months paid leave combined with the 6 week long holiday break at Christmas should give me a total of 17 months paid leave.

The 17 months paid leave will support my 12 months off sailing/live aboard, with 5 months up my sleeve for unforeseen events. This will allow me to essentially test the live aboard cruising lifestyle with a well considered time frame and a contingency income. Then pending all 'feels' right I'll extend the year off to continue as live aboard.

Cheers, Pete

[Snowpetrel]

Hi Pete, welcome from another Tasmanian, although from the wrong end of the state in Hobart. Sounds like you have a sensible plan and a fun little boat. I love those little trailer tris, and with all the cool lakes, and waterways around the state you can really see some waters most of us cant reach in our "go anywhere" offshore cruisers.

Cheers

Ben

[Jim Cate]

Pete, thanks for the details. Like they say, "sounds like a plan". I was not aware of the SSAL scheme. Sounds like a great means of a trial run for you. We don't have the long service leave sort of thing in the States, so after 27 years I just took a year of "leave without pay" sort of thing and Ann and I set out from San Francisco. In the back of our minds was the canonical phone call from some tropical paradise saying take the job and shove it, but it didn't work out that way (fancy that!). We did well in Mexico on our sparse budget, but French Polynesia was a lot dearer and we became short of funds and sailed back to SF and our jobs. Left again 18 months later and shortly thereafter the lab where I worked found themselves over staffed and under funded, and damned if they didn't come up with an early retirement scheme. I nearly broke a leg getting back from Mexico to take advantage of it, and we've been at it ever since. Anyhow, there's usually a way to realize your goals, and it sounds like you have a good shot at having a go at it.

Hope that your wx improves and that you can get some winter sailing in.

Cheers,

Jim

PS: Friends of ours were volunteer lighthouse keepers at Matsuyker last year. They said it was blowy at times... guess they were right!

[CruiserPete]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Matsuyker !

Hi Jim,

I had a strange feeling that I had indeed spelt Matsuyker wrong and I live in Tasmania.
Cheers,

[CruiserPete]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Hi Pete, welcome from another Tasmanian, although from the wrong end of the state in Hobart. Sounds like you have a sensible plan and a fun little boat. I love those little trailer tris, and with all the cool lakes, and waterways around the state you can really see some waters most of us cant reach in our "go anywhere" offshore cruisers.

Cheers

Ben

Hey Ben,

Great to meet another Taswegian, wow, you guys copped the brunt of the storms as well.
Cheers, Pete

[Wotname]

Welcome aboard C'Pete, hope you enjoy your time on CF but don't let it get in the way of your cruising plans

[sapient sue]

Hi great to meet another would be cruiser from Down Under. We sail to Tassie each year and just love the cruising around your beautiful island. Your plan sounds great. We moved from racing dinghies to a forty foot monohull and have lived aboard for 18 years now and still loving the lifestyle. You meet such great people.

Cheers Sue (currently in Pittwater, NSW)

[CruiserPete]

Hey Sue,

Sounds like you and your other half have and importantly are still enjoying the cruising, live aboard lifestyle. Although I'm 50 and starting late I also believe never too late. Hopefully, I'll get 18 fantastic cruising live aboard years in as well. It's a big wide world out there with plenty of amazing places and of course people to see and meet.
Cheers Pete