The Australian Bight West to East

[44rob]

Originally Posted by giant

Crossed the Bight January last year in a 40 ft seawind. Last anchourage was a day sail east of Esperance. First anchourage for us was Coffin bay SA. Great trip, little wind,lots of motoring. We all had a nice swim in the middle in very flat water 4kms deep. Lots of Bluefin Tuna sashimi.

Stay well off shore ie 150 miles or more from memory.

A 28 foot roberts is going to be painfully slow... Roberts are not known for speed and I am guessing she is steel too... heavy.

GIlow lives in Adelaide and to my knowledge hasno intention of crossing the Bight, his plans last I heard involve Bass Staite and Tassie, once he gets his boat ready and enough experience/confidence. A good plan.

If you are considering getting a tow as a option forget it, dangerous, uncomfortable and expensive. That tow statement has me wondering if you have any idea whatsoever what you are doing.

Do you have a reliable engine?

Do you know how to sail?

Not many boats do that crossing and the only boat likely to buddy up with you will be another 28 footer or similar... odds not looking good for the buddy up thing. On that crossing it wont take long for your buddy boat to dissapear over the horizon and you would be very lucky to even maintain vhf contact.

I'll try to answer all your questions It is a light fibreglass yacht a lot faster than my 44 Have a lot of sailing under my belt from 6 years old now 52 The tow would be free I'm in the fishing industry [master 5] and only rough I've sailed in is cyclone's we have towed yacht's with nobody on board behind 60 foot fishing trawlers at ease I thought about that option because I have a mates 80 footer that I will steam to SA for him from esperance another option
we might have the yacht lifted on to the deck of the trawler.

[44rob]

Originally Posted by giant

"We have to cross the Bight". No one has to cross the Bight it is something you choose to do.

Good to hear at least your schedule is flexible and you are prepared to wait for weather. The problem for you is your boat is not quick so the crossing will take a long time and your weather window wil not likely last and you will likely get caught in headwinds, bigs seas and big winds, it is the Southern Ocean and nothing but wide open ocean between Oz and f'n Antarctica.

It's a matter of shortest distance when the owner's are paying Told them the yacht's not worth the money but they said it has a lot of value to them,They're not concerned with how mutch,
And before anyone ask's I am a Master 5 as well as having yacht masters Only concern I have is its a lot smaller than my own yacht a 44 and nearly 40 foot shorter than boats I operate,I have never skippered boat's in the south of the state even my own yacht is kept up in cyclone country

[giant]

Wasn't aware that you are qualified and experienced commercial fishermen/sailor... got a lot of respect for you guys.

Wasn't aware it is a delivery either.

Your 44 footer must be really slow if a 28 foot Roberts is faster. I have never heard of a fast Roberts. What is hull speed for a 28 footer?

Still wouldn't want my boat towed unless it was emergency, seems hard on the boat and a bit risky to me, ripping out cleats, rouge waves and watching it all the time.

Wonder about putting a yacht on the deck of a fishing boat too, thats a lot of weight above the water line.

Sounds like you don't need my advice though as you have lots of experience. Just stay well out to sea and be flexible on your point of landfall as this will be dictated by the wind and conditions..

Hope that 28 footer has a dodger.

There are a lot of people who get in this forum with no experience at all and decide they are going to circumnavigate or do the North West Passage or something crazy. You are obviously not one of those.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, fellows,

Might not the owner of the Roberts 28 be better served by trucking it? That boat will not have been designed to be towed that far, and at a high speed. Have you checked the backiing plates at the tow points? They would almost certainly need to be seriously backed if you want to tow it, as they're probably designed to hold her fast in a marina. I can just imagine how fast she could fill up in a storm being towed along at greater than hull speed if one of the cleats pulls out a piece of deck when it breaks off.

Good luck with it.

Ann

[Mirage Gecko]

We have trucked a 27 footer Townsville to Perth and a 41 Perth to Brisbane. Both great boats but neither suitable for voyages like that.
I am out of that industry now but lots of truckers looking for loading back to the east when I was in WA so competitive prices.
Chris

[Capt Rottnest]

yep, WA doesn't export anything to the east (we export to the world instead), so all those empty trucks heading east. Gotta be a deal somewhere.

[44rob]

We did put the truck idea to them price's where in the 20 K range , The trawler's top speed is 7 knots so not that fast
The trawler can carry 50 ton on deck not usually that high but should be good ,

I would rather take it around the top might give them a discount and go the top

I've been in our robert's 44 sailing with this little 28 thing and it supprised me

[44rob]

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

yep, WA doesn't export anything to the east (we export to the world instead), so all those empty trucks heading east. Gotta be a deal somewhere.

We are looking and calling but being oversize is making it hard

[44rob]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Hi, fellows,

Might not the owner of the Roberts 28 be better served by trucking it? That boat will not have been designed to be towed that far, and at a high speed. Have you checked the backiing plates at the tow points? They would almost certainly need to be seriously backed if you want to tow it, as they're probably designed to hold her fast in a marina. I can just imagine how fast she could fill up in a storm being towed along at greater than hull speed if one of the cleats pulls out a piece of deck when it breaks off.

Good luck with it.

Ann

I usually tow from the base of the mast and bridle the rope at the bow bit stronger only directional pull on the bow that way..