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12-08-2022, 20:56
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,415
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New Menaces to Navigation?
The image illustrates one of the offshore areas proposed to be designated for wind farms in Bass Strait off the south eastern coast of Australia. The eastern side of this is where a number of boats were lost and fatalities occurred during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race a couple of decades ago.
There are others dotted around the Australian coast.
Will these things become a menace to yachtmen in the future?
__________________
Satiriker ist verboten, la conformité est obligatoire
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12-08-2022, 21:12
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Seattle
Boat: Cal 40 (sold). Still have a Hobie 20
Posts: 2,944
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Too late - 162 offshore wind farms exist, 26 under construction as of 2021.
article
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12-08-2022, 22:04
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Back in Montt.
Boat: Westerly Sealord
Posts: 8,178
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaymondR
The image illustrates one of the offshore areas proposed to be designated for wind farms in Bass Strait off the south eastern coast of Australia. The eastern side of this is where a number of boats were lost and fatalities occurred during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race a couple of decades ago.
There are others dotted around the Australian coast.
Will these things become a menace to yachtmen in the future?
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No more a menace than assorted islands and reefs have been since Noah was a deck boy.
The Bass Strait ones are said to be planned for offshore from Port Albert, in what is currently the oil patch.
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12-08-2022, 22:21
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Somewhere in French Polynesia
Boat: Dean 440 13.4m catamaran
Posts: 2,333
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
cannot say i like them but very common in eg baltic & north sea
progress towards re-newables is something we cannot stop
cheers,
__________________
"home is where the anchor drops"...living onboard in French Polynesia...maintaining social distancing
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12-08-2022, 22:31
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#5
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Moderator and Certifiable Refitter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South of 43 S, Australia
Boat: C.L.O.D.
Posts: 20,242
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Probably make the waters more safe as the project(s) will ensure nearby waters are better surveyed. Likely to be a no go buffer zone around each one similar to off shore oil and gas platforms.
Mostly they are easily seen from a considerable distance (except in fog).
Radar problems may exist see https://www.nationalacademies.org/ne...ays-new-report
The 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race storm was some distance away from this location and it would have pushed boats even further away from the proposed wind farm areas.
Storm in a teacup really.
__________________
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
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13-08-2022, 05:32
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Southern Maine
Boat: Prairie 36 Coastal Cruiser
Posts: 3,080
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Around here some people try to raise navigation issues to justify opposing wind farms. More often it's just a ruse. They really want to avoid spoiling their billion-dollar estates' waterfront views.
Personally, I'm confident I can avoid colliding with a windmill. And I kinda like the look of them, too. Much better than oil rigs.
Please don't feed the NIMBY's.
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13-08-2022, 07:38
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#7
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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New Menaces to Navigation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptTom
Around here some people try to raise navigation issues to justify opposing wind farms. More often it's just a ruse. They really want to avoid spoiling their billion-dollar estates' waterfront views.
Personally, I'm confident I can avoid colliding with a windmill. And I kinda like the look of them, too. Much better than oil rigs.
Please don't feed the NIMBY's.
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The 1.3 gigawatt floating wind farm project starting next year ( JV with shell ) are 36 -60 km offshore in the Celtic Sea , shouldn’t be seen from land much at all. They are based on oil rig technology, wouldn’t want to stray into this !! ( total size is 90 such units over three fields )
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Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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13-08-2022, 10:11
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Southern Maine
Boat: Prairie 36 Coastal Cruiser
Posts: 3,080
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow
The 1.3 gigawatt floating wind farm project starting next year ( JV with shell ) are 36 -60 km offshore in the Celtic Sea , shouldn’t be seen from land much at all. They are based on oil rig technology, wouldn’t want to stray into this !! ( total size is 90 such units over three fields )
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Yeah, that technology is really amazing. And of course there won't be complaints about views if the shoreside land owners can't see the offshore turbines. There may still some (probably justifiable) concerns from commercial fishermen. But as a recreational boater, I'm happy to see progress toward renewable energy, and won't complain too loudly if the wind turbines force me to alter course.
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13-08-2022, 16:07
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#9
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, cruising in Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 28,400
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Who will be mainly affected amongst the yachting community are those who want to cross the south of the Australian continent to head north to NSW and Qld, or, of course west. It means going a little further south to stay out of the built out area, and away from the shipping lanes, and planning to cross the shipping lanes via the shortest route further east. I'd have to agree with El Pinguino that they will not be a "problem" for experienced cruising sailors who will find alternate routes to inshore destinations, even if it means (ugh!) motoring.
Ann
(Jim and I have crossed Bass Sts. 35 times, not like the racers, on Boxing Day weekend, but with waiting for weather favorable to the jaunt.)
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Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
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13-08-2022, 19:06
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,415
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
From someone who spent a significant portion of their working life on offshore drill rigs I can inform you that the positioning technology utilized is far from perfect.
I also spent one winter on a floating drill rig in the area proposed and decided I never wanted to spend another. Only the harshest environment rated drill rigs, known as "gorillas", are allowed to operate in that area.
An aspect of the Sydney to Hobart disaster which may be significant is that it occurred during the first week of a January, which is pretty well mid summer and the weather is far better than in winter. Whilst it would not be prudent to make the passage in winter I would not want to be in survival mode in the dark being blown downwind through there with it populated by numerous man made obstructions.
__________________
Satiriker ist verboten, la conformité est obligatoire
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13-08-2022, 20:02
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 760
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
I guess they can be a "menace" if you sail blindly into them without looking at a chart--but that's on YOU.
There are reasons that ocean wind farms can be argued to be a bad idea, the cost of power from them is CRAZY expensive, but to consider them a "menace" to navigation is more than a bit of a stretch. Just political posturing, IMO. Certainly no more a menace than most small islands.
I sailed across the Gulf of Mexico for the first time on a delivery a few weeks ago, and while approaching Texas oil and gas drilling and production platforms are EVERYWHERE. Much more of an issue than any wind farm I have ever seen. But they are on the chart, and you just sail around them. What's the difference?
I worry more about ocean fishing gear than wind farms.
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13-08-2022, 20:31
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#12
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ItDepends
I guess they can be a "menace" if you sail blindly into them without looking at a chart--but that's on YOU.
There are reasons that ocean wind farms can be argued to be a bad idea, the cost of power from them is CRAZY expensive, but to consider them a "menace" to navigation is more than a bit of a stretch. Just political posturing, IMO. Certainly no more a menace than most small islands.
I sailed across the Gulf of Mexico for the first time on a delivery a few weeks ago, and while approaching Texas oil and gas drilling and production platforms are EVERYWHERE. Much more of an issue than any wind farm I have ever seen. But they are on the chart, and you just sail around them. What's the difference?
I worry more about ocean fishing gear than wind farms.
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The Levelised Cost of Electrify from offshore wind is one of the more cost effective means of generating electricity. So I don’t know where you get your statement
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Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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13-08-2022, 21:04
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#13
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Moderator and Certifiable Refitter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South of 43 S, Australia
Boat: C.L.O.D.
Posts: 20,242
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaymondR
From someone who spent a significant portion of their working life on offshore drill rigs I can inform you that the positioning technology utilized is far from perfect.
I also spent one winter on a floating drill rig in the area proposed and decided I never wanted to spend another. Only the harshest environment rated drill rigs, known as "gorillas", are allowed to operate in that area.
An aspect of the Sydney to Hobart disaster which may be significant is that it occurred during the first week of a January, which is pretty well mid summer and the weather is far better than in winter. Whilst it would not be prudent to make the passage in winter I would not want to be in survival mode in the dark being blown downwind through there with it populated by numerous man made obstructions.
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So...would you be OK being in survival mode in the dark being blown downwind through there with it populated by numerous natural obstructions?
__________________
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
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14-08-2022, 00:40
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Back in Montt.
Boat: Westerly Sealord
Posts: 8,178
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wotname
So...would you be OK being in survival mode in the dark being blown downwind through there with it populated by numerous natural obstructions?
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They plan to put these as close to the coast as they can get away with without upsetting the NIMBYS.
We are speaking about The Paddock here - that bit between Corner Inlet and Lakes Entrance.
If you are getting driven downwind through that area in survival mode your goose is already well and truly cooked before you start worrying about wind farms.
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14-08-2022, 01:36
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,415
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Re: New Menaces to Navigation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow
The Levelised Cost of Electrify from offshore wind is one of the more cost effective means of generating electricity. So I don’t know where you get your statement
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A lot of us are yachties who live on our own little mobile, islanded, energy networks and have real world experience with wind and solar power and you can't fool us with a pretty little illustration. Wind energy is only cheap if you ignore what else is required to provide reliable 24/365 power.
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