Roberts 28 - Steel, Shoal Draft, Twin Keels, Plus Rear Fin Keel

[excelpest2002]

I have just purchased a roberts 28a steel yacht and im wondering does anyone do serious offshore sailing in such sized vessel shes seems pretty well built , Owner Hayley roberts28a steel

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, excelpest2002.

Congratulations on your new boat.

[boatman61]

Welcome.... some friends of mine did Sweden to the Med in one similar... they seemed happy enough... just pick your times like the rest of us n you'll do fine

[marc2012]

Congrats.,should do fine.marc

[excelpest2002]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Welcome.... some friends of mine did Sweden to the Med in one similar... they seemed happy enough... just pick your times like the rest of us n you'll do fine

Thanks mate great to hear ,Also i am living in sydney and want to bring her from pittwater which is north around 20 nm open water along coast ,pls google map to see , and only been sailing a year taught myself in halftonner with big sails learned few things quick too! Am planning solo to sydney never been on yacht in open water have worked trawlers in area not skipper though. Is it wise as a lot of people say get out there ! My yacht stuck there two weeks waitin had three days flat sea now we se wind 15 to 25 avg 2m swell 1.5 m seas i do have outboard 20 hp on her with fuel for at least the trip in open water and a half more, was planning on running under a double reefed sail as the boat new to me and running under main only. I may sound like a total noobie mate ,but we all started somewhere !

[excelpest2002]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, excelpest2002.

Congratulations on your new boat.

Thanks for warm welcome seems great place to converse with the true open water seafarers !

[excelpest2002]

Originally Posted by marc2012

Congrats.,should do fine.marc

Thanks matey. Will post first trip

[excelpest2002]

Originally Posted by excelpest2002

I have just purchased a roberts 28a steel yacht and im wondering does anyone do serious offshore sailing in such sized vessel shes seems pretty well built , Owner Hayley roberts28a steel

Just thought id add my experience in yachting started a two year ago with a purchase of what i thought was a sailing dingy! It was in fact a formula one racer when we took her to drummoyne sailing club a couple of boys were racing around in similar type but much heavier as they beached their craft they came over and i explained i never sailed before can they tAke me for a run ,when she took off they were having trouble with control almost instant acceleration , i was scared they were scared we headed back for the club and could not stop her one guy jumped off back with a rope and slowed her enough to ease ease embarrasment of a wreck on the doorstep of the club , I gave away the boat , i wanted to puff along not ski! My next yacht was 5.8 admiral snook racer setup after three months of some hairy moments i had her steady in most weather sailing only in sydney harbour . I now have the roberts28 and plan to take next step to open water a mate in nth queensland is int regatta champ when he comes down next month all will be great ,he will prep her for distance runs . Thanks guys for help and warm responses to the noobs !

[excelpest2002]

Originally Posted by excelpest2002

I have just purchased a roberts 28a steel yacht and im wondering does anyone do serious offshore sailing in such sized vessel shes seems pretty well built , Owner Hayley roberts28a steel

Sydney to Pittwater 17nm outside mymaiden run in open wAter was a scary one. The local skippers said go so at 5 pm headed for sydney 8 hrs late as my outboard box blew we had to buy a second hand 30hp but in a1 condition,just as well, we approached the pittwater headland and took the corner into 3 m swells and a cross sea too! I had been out fromsydney in trawlers so i presumed it was only like sydney head and currents. And swells are common there ,but , I was wrong !!! As we proceeded thesky went black and seas arou d 4 mpluswith odd one at 6 m easy . My sons followed the coastby car and watched me proceed until we got near long reef ,themostdangerousarea on east coast ! My boat took a wave lost all electronics knocked off the compass cracked it os we had had no sounder no compass no plotter gps ,But i made sure i carried my ipad with navionics and a handheld garmi. Just in case ! Glad i did saved my butt. When i managed to get a break from the wheel ( only crew member 1st timeon yacht ! So using sails was not happening not even reefed ! ) i grabbed the hand held and seen we had.5 nm to go beforeontopof long reef " it stretches fromthe shoreline to about4 km east so we shot out east directly ,lucky boys ! My sons lostusatthis stage andlater said itlokkedlike we took a wave and went down so he was tryingto get me viamobile ,not a hope no reception and the storm meant i wanstletting go ofthe wheel to answer ! We got to sydney heads at 930 pm its a scary place ifnew to area butmy experienceonthe trawler meant i knewaboutthe leads into sydney so i slid inquite comfy. Once in the harbour a msb boat pulledalongside ithought as we had no lightbut clear leds butwas actually there to see if i was ok ! Yhe kids called coastguard and they saidwas too rough search that area til morning. I hVe very limited expertise only sailed a year and taught myself wTchin other on hbr buti was disgusted to hear that , If i got apan pan ormayday from a boat i would not hessitate to go out andtry and get them . Commonsense And a good solid seaworthyboat will ensure safety, im proof ! My robertswas hit side on few times and handledlike a. Cat with claws refusing tolet hergrip go on the water ! Bruce roberts is da Man!,all hail bruce ( hope he sees the post) my deckie was on his knees for haplf the trip vomiting but he was confident and i like positive vibes onmyyacht. We never got to sail her yetbut as for bad weather i thinkit was a good thing as i can handle that easy but will have to get morelockson cupboardsthe boats trashed from the run home the old motor fell on mya 20 hp old thing with barnacles plus the portablefuel tank too (straps broke) but no injuries as mydeckie was straight onto it . It was a great experiece but atthe time i was scared inside utube excelpest2002 is me some footage on vid when was stable enough for deckieto get thecam .i now know that video cannot show yawavesizes the roll of the boat is only way to judge it. Ill update on first sail of Hayley ,later guys ,...

[boatman61]

Good one... sounds an epic start... glad she's safe for you..

[Boracay]

I've only been to Pittwater/Broken Bay a few times but it sounds like some of your local knowledge is less than perfect.

The weather and sea conditions off Sydney can be pretty bad, particularly where the waves bounce off vertical cliffs.

For a small boat checking on the weather forecast is essential. BOM puts then out around 5:00am and 4:00pm. They include wave height and swell.

Planning my trip North with inexperienced crew I've noticed that good weather is not the norm. Maybe one day in four or even five.

Yes, the wind can abate in the evening, but if it doesn't then you've got a night trip in bad weather. In a small boat I'd be much more tempted to spend the night at Stores Beach/Refuge Bay (just inside), and then check the morning forecast. If OK I'd go for it, as the wind sometimes does not pick up until 11:00am. In winter the Westerlies can come in with a real bang about then.

It can be a really uncomfortable trip. From an early start some firm motoring could see most of it under your belt by 11:00am.

And of course the good people at Marine Rescue do appreciate boats logging on at the start and logging off at the finish with a half way call.

[Uncle Bob]

I have to second Boracay's comments, I have done the trip from Broken Bay to Botany Bay ( somewhat further than Sydney Harbour) a number of times in varying weather conditions, never more than 6 hrs and always with an early start to allow for unforseen problems.
I also find the people at marine rescue provide a great service to one and all at no charge.
Take care and enjoy the water.
Rob.

[excelpest2002]

Originally Posted by Boracay

I've only been to Pittwater/Broken Bay a few times but it sounds like some of your local knowledge is less than perfect.

The weather and sea conditions off Sydney can be pretty bad, particularly where the waves bounce off vertical cliffs.

For a small boat checking on the weather forecast is essential. BOM puts then out around 5:00am and 4:00pm. They include wave height and swell.

Planning my trip North with inexperienced crew I've noticed that good weather is not the norm. Maybe one day in four or even five.

Yes, the wind can abate in the evening, but if it doesn't then you've got a night trip in bad weather. In a small boat I'd be much more tempted to spend the night at Stores Beach/Refuge Bay (just inside), and then check the morning forecast. If OK I'd go for it, as the wind sometimes does not pick up until 11:00am. In winter the Westerlies can come in with a real bang about then.

It can be a really uncomfortable trip. From an early start some firm motoring could see most of it under your belt by 11:00am.

And of course the good people at Marine Rescue do appreciate boats logging on at the start and logging off at the finish with a half way call.

Hi mate , we did che k weather also spoke with all local skippers at palm beAch wharf and got the same answers all day , Go for it, you will be fine , great trip ! Maybe not all commercial skippers are weather wise . I am not running down coast guard by the way, its just i expected better response in 4 m swells my son could have came out in a 16 ft tinnie as long as it had plentyof power , so was disgusted ! All boaties beware when in sydney get in trouble near long reef and ya alone !!! James W " hayley" ps when i was in mooloolaba queensland i met ron the harbourmaster of many years and also the local coast guards and they were the most polite ,helpful, down to earth guys ive met ! So sydney coast guards and water police should take a leaf from their procedure books , I was stuck up there in a 40 ft ketch built 1890 blown motor and was a month fixing her .after 7 days u can be fined$500 per day living aboard ya yachtbe warned , but was told to keep noise down and no fines will be issued , great guys not revenue rats ,...

[excelpest2002]

Originally Posted by Boracay

I've only been to Pittwater/Broken Bay a few times but it sounds like some of your local knowledge is less than perfect.

The weather and sea conditions off Sydney can be pretty bad, particularly where the waves bounce off vertical cliffs.

For a small boat checking on the weather forecast is essential. BOM puts then out around 5:00am and 4:00pm. They include wave height and swell.

Planning my trip North with inexperienced crew I've noticed that good weather is not the norm. Maybe one day in four or even five.

Yes, the wind can abate in the evening, but if it doesn't then you've got a night trip in bad weather. In a small boat I'd be much more tempted to spend the night at Stores Beach/Refuge Bay (just inside), and then check the morning forecast. If OK I'd go for it, as the wind sometimes does not pick up until 11:00am. In winter the Westerlies can come in with a real bang about then.

It can be a really uncomfortable trip. From an early start some firm motoring could see most of it under your belt by 11:00am.

And of course the good people at Marine Rescue do appreciate boats logging on at the start and logging off at the finish with a half way call.

Thought ibetter add this too my first boat was 7 ft as akid in auckland nz i use to go out with the tide manakau river and get flushed back incomin tide !age 11 ! Also had many tinnies and seen botany bay atits worst in 10 ft tinnie many times too . My expertise on trawlers was from sydney fish markets sth to woolongong wide as far as the continental shelf at timesso i know what weather can do around here and also knowabout the waves coming back from cliffs and bouncing into incoming waves doubling up or sometimes slamming to gether , you dont wanna be in the middle ! My navigation skills were tested big time as no sounder meant no way to confirm our track ! Our navionics on ipad was a great map for the dramas encountered , all you guys check out the ipads even our forum has an app on there ! Many useful tools gps plotters weather sms compasses windvanes sail simulators and many more a thousand spent on this will save your life maybe !