Best Route and Time to Sail to Australia ?

[wmgysi]

I like to plan a trip from Vancouver To Australia, stopping in between. Is a time frame of 3 month realistic? What would be the best route to take and when? I sail a Hallberg Rassy 35. Is there any books and if which one is best to invest in?
Thanks
Werner

[Charlie]

straight line distance about 6500 nm dvided by 5nm per hour = 1300 hours of sailing w/o stopping. 1300/24= 54 days. That is a one way trip. You might be able to do it but it wouldn't be a pleasant trip. Route would be hawaii, Tahiti, the your choices open up. markJ recently did the trip from Panama to OZ. Send him a private message or email.

[MarkJ]

Thanks Charlie


Werner,

Here is a link to the Pilot Charts http://pollux.nss.nima.mil/pubs/pubs_j_apc_list.html
Download the Pacific ones.

Look at the winds and current and try to keep both behind the beam. Then just plot islands that interest you (and a few that sound romantic!).

First stop for most would be Hawaii. I think there you will find many cruisers about to make passages and their routes may give you inspiration.

You don't have to have your route set out before you go! Just your next leg


Its your trip, so you decide Jimmy Cornells book (and others) will just tell you HIS trip!


Mark

[starfish62]

JC's book "World Cruising Routes" is worth the money & a good planning guide. Try out Noonsite: The global site for cruising sailors .

[Amgine]

British Admiralty's Ocean Passages for the World, 1954 or earlier, includes extensive and detailed descriptions of passages for sail-powered commercial craft and low-powered steam craft based on logs of ships for about 100 years. Very useful planning tool, and includes Cape Flattery to Sidney Australia passage; I think I typed it up somewhere on cruiser's forum, too.

The OPW is what Cornell's books are based on, but Cornell also takes cruiser's interests and needs into account (such as not sailing windjammers.)