Tasman in winter

[aussie_sailor]

Call me crazy but does anyone have experience of crossing the Tasman Hobart-Greymouth in winter before?

Thx


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by aussie_sailor

Call me crazy but does anyone have experience of crossing the Tasman Hobart-Greymouth in winter before?

Thx


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Well Crazy, If you do a search of sailing the Tasman or possibly sailing the paddock, something like that, there is a video of four or five men doing that. Time of year they did it I'm not certain of. I'm interested I what answers you get though.

[El Pinguino]

G'day Crazy,
The only time I have sailed the Tasman ( Bass Strait to Cook Strait) was in late January.
However..... in the day job I spent about 18 years on Bass Strait ( about 3300 crossings more or less ) plus 3 years before that running across the Bight to the west and also a couple of years on rig boats in the Paddock. Also about 20 years small boat sailing in the area in all seasons.

Winters can give very settled weather, depends on the year. Gales are usually quite honest... you see them coming and.. well.... they are just gales.
Worst time is typically August/Sept with April not quite so bad...the equinoctial gales.
Late spring/Early summer gives storms... not many but can be bad... short sharp and nasty... from October into very early January.
So nothing intrinsically wrong with a winter crossing ( depends a lot of course on boat and crew).
Problem is picking if it is going to be a hard season or not, dry year ashore...good winter weather and v/v.

Dunno if I would be wanting to make a landfall on the west coast of the South Island in winter..... maybe I'm just getting soft.

[Neptune's Gear]

I've Sailed Cook Strait and surrounds for over 30 years. Crossed the Tasman several times, once single-handed. Over 40K miles offshore.
I'd be really wary of approaching Greymouth in strong conditions, let alone a gale or storm. Nelson would be better and safer, unless the weather is very good. Can be done, but likely to be a cold, heavy weather voyage... Remember you are in the roaring 40's, approaching a lee shore with a difficult entrance in anything but calm conditions.
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=gr...w=1024&bih=499

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Neptune's Gear

....
I'd be really wary of approaching Greymouth in strong conditions, let alone a gale or storm. Nelson would be better and safer, unless the weather is very good. Can be done, but likely to be a cold, heavy weather voyage... Remember you are in the roaring 40's, approaching a lee shore with a difficult entrance in anything but calm conditions.

I reckon the west coast would be a lee shore if you were within about 500 miles of it in a blow.

[Neptune's Gear]

Ha, yep spot on IMO....

[beneteau-500]

I spent 15 yrs on bass strait oil/ gas platforms and would never consider sailing across from May to sept one day can be fine good wind flat sea then bingo the **** hits the fan I remember being stuck out on platforms for 3 weeks plus on many occasions due to high winds and helicopters grounded because of the weather