Tassie

[Bricky]

Thinking of heading down to Tassie over summer and would like to know the best time to do so. The west coast interests us mostly but have heard the weather can be very unpredictable which could test our limited experience.
Cheers
Daryl & Kerren

[ozskip]

Hi January has easterlys february and march are the most stable look up www.ryct.org.au and they have a rallie around tassie and a cruising book.Greg

[Cherp]

Yep. February March April are the most settled. Up to Christmas can be boisterous with fronts and lows. You can pick your way around them If
you watch the forecasts though.

[MarkJ]

My Mum was born in Coffin Bay

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Bricky,

Not sure where Coffin Bay is, so don't know what your approach will be. We've spent a lot of time in Eden waiting for decent conditions for crossing the Straits, and have found that things usually start getting better around early January. We try to leave as the center of a high cell crosses the coast. Usually get enough light wind turning N'ly to reach shelter before the next frontal passage arrives... usually at least to Wine Glass, often to Spring Bay or Mariah Island.

The West coast has few hidey holes. If south bound, Macquarie Harbour and Port Davey are your. only real choices, and getting into Macquarie is difficult in big winds. Local fishermen have some places they run to in harsh weather, but they are far braver than I am. Don't always make it, either...

Having said that, the run up the Gordon River out of Macquarie isn't to be missed, and Port Davey is just spectacular. We keep going back!

All in all, Tassie is one of our all time favorite cruising grounds... in their so called summer! By April single digit temperatures drive us northward towards the sun. For us, cold and cruising do not combine well!

Cheers,

Jim

[Bricky]

Thanks for the info. Will look at heading off sometime December and take our time getting there.
Jim : Coffin Bay is about 50 km west of Port Lincoln, South Australia, so would head to Apollo Bay then King Island and down the west coast of Tassie.

Cheers
Daryl

[Portobello]

I live here and love it - later summer into autumn is the most settled time but mostly you can play the weather systems and find shelter when you need to. South East from Freycinet past Bruny Island and D'Entrecasteaux Channel to Recherche Bay is all semi sheltered with many wonderful places to tuck away. This link will take you to the Tassie Cruising Guide - excellent book. The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania - Anchorage Guide

[Bricky]

Thanks for that, actually got that book last week. Excellent .
Cheers

[ozskipper]

Interesting convo if you dont mind me chiming in. I had never really thought of Tassie as a cruising ground. Being located near sydney, I constantly think of places to the north. But the more I think about, the better it sounds. HMmm.... Excuse me now, I have to go talk to my mate google.

[Reid]

Hi Tassie

I am in Adelaide and thinking of a sail to Hobart. Good info in the responses. How many days at sea do you think from Coffins? Cheers Reid

[Bricky]

Haven't really worked out how many days it will take. Hope to spend a couple of months having a good look around.
We have a mate who lives on King Island we haven't seen for a long time so would like to spend some time there.
Cheers

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Interesting convo if you dont mind me chiming in. I had never really thought of Tassie as a cruising ground. Being located near sydney, I constantly think of places to the north.

Tasmania was the cruising ground before people started heading north.

The Sydney Hobart Yachts race started by a group of people who went each year to cruise tassie in the summer.

I think it reminded them of England? -Note a joke - in those days many were from the cooler cliimes and even Sydney was thought too hot in summer. Thats why the land lubbers went to Medlow Bath and the Southern Highlands in summer to escape the heat.


Mark

[surfingminniwinni]

Sailing adventures of CRAZY LADY

Part of our blog, the sailing to tassie part:

[Bricky]

surfingminniwinni : Thanks for that. I will have a read.
Cheers

[olaf hart]

The other guides are:

Maritime Tasmania, by John Brettingham - Moore. This was / is the bible, the hardcopy is long out of print, but I think Boatbooks has a reprint in soft cover.
Cruising Southern Tasmania, By the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania (CYCT), an excellent guide to anchorages around Hobart and the Channel.

There are said to be 92 sheltered anchorages in a days sail from Hobart, so there is plenty of room, and you will find Hobart Ports and the clubs welcome cruisers.

Main issue is to take your time in Eden waiting for a window to cross Bass Strait, allow extra time cause St Helens is not a safe deepwater entrance in a swell with any draft.

Plan on your first stop in Bicheno or Hourglass Bay, and you should be right.

If you are adventurous, I have seen some folk island hop down the west side of Flinders Island, but not a nice spot to be caught in a strong westerly.