Importing a Boat to Australia

[D&D]

...anyone care to share any experiences (or point us to accounts of others' experiences) delivering/sailing to OZ via the Suez and Indian Ocean...?

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by D&D

...anyone care to share any experiences (or point us to accounts of others' experiences) delivering/sailing to OZ via the Suez and Indian Ocean...?

Black Wave by John and Jean Silverwood is an interesting read. Sadly they put thier cat up onto a reef near tahiti- this obviously, is the main focus of the book. Its one of those books that you learn from as well as getting an interesting story.

Also here is the blog of an Aussie who is in the process of the trip at the moment. Although he is still in the caribean at last read.
Sleepy Hollow | Wander to Downunder

Cheers
Oz

[atoll]

Originally Posted by D&D

...anyone care to share any experiences (or point us to accounts of others' experiences) delivering/sailing to OZ via the Suez and Indian Ocean...?

given the prevailing trade winds the best way to reach western australia would be via cape town in nov dec,january.

numerous accounts of this passage from western europe via tristan de cuna island,cape town ,perth.

[D&D]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

here is the blog of an Aussie who is in the process of the trip at the moment.

Thanks ozskipper, but we're looking for experiences going the other way...east through the Suez and across the Indian Ocean...a shorter trip (from the Med) but with an ugly -- The issue is 'How well deserved?' -- reputation for pirates...

[D&D]

Originally Posted by atoll

the best way to reach western australia would be via cape town in nov dec,january

Indeed if embarking from the US or the Caribbean atoll, but what about if starting from the Med, especially the eastern Med?

[savoir]

A voyage to Australia via Suez is not a very smart thing to do.

[meyermm]

Originally Posted by D&D

Thanks ozskipper, but we're looking for experiences going the other way...east through the Suez and across the Indian Ocean...a shorter trip (from the Med) but with an ugly -- The issue is 'How well deserved?' -- reputation for pirates...

Consult MarkJ for recent first hand account.

[Dragon Lady]

I've been told you can't get insurance if you go through the Suez, there are many recent reports of pirates extending their range well off shore in that area down to the Seychelles .
Also check out MarkJ's blog makes interesting reading.
It's even on the Aust gov "smart traveler", website good luck with your trip.

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Dragon Lady

Just spoke to the nice folk at the Australian shipping register who tell me you can pre pay, lodge your application and be allocated a number for your hull ID in advance.
So you can go OS inspect the boat, finalize payment, then when you have the bill of sale and clearance certificate you can send it to them and they will process it the day they receive it.
They also said it is currently taking 2 weeks to process applications.
Anyway I thought I would share this info as it may help others doing the same as me.

Do you have a name for the "nice folk at the Australian shipping register"?

We're now on the edge of importing a 44' sail cat from the Med (altho currently South African flagged) to OZ, awaiting survey scheduled for early next week and our sea trials thereafter. We just finished chatting with a fairly unhelpful person at AMSA who remarked the process would take "anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months"...and we want to head over for sea trails and then set off on the delivery voyage ASAP...argh!

[Dragon Lady]

Try ringing Elliot on (02)62795925 he wasn't there the other day but an equally helpful young lady who's name escapes me gave me the info I required.
Good luck with your purchase.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by D&D

Do you have a name for the "nice folk at the Australian shipping register"?

We're now on the edge of importing a 44' sail cat from the Med (altho currently South African flagged) to OZ, awaiting survey scheduled for early next week and our sea trials thereafter. We just finished chatting with a fairly unhelpful person at AMSA who remarked the process would take "anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months"...and we want to head over for sea trails and then set off on the delivery voyage ASAP...argh!

d&d even from the eastern med to SYDNEY going via panama or cape town is the easier voyage at the right time of year.

via suez only realy works to go to darwin or along the e african coast then turn left nr the cape for perth,and catamarans dont like going upwind,so it could actually take longer,use much more engine hours,and greatly increase the chance of damage to the vessel,without even mentioning the issue of pirates.

sailing in the sw monsoon can also be pretty interesting 35-40 kts constant after june

[atoll]

for info on doing the trip via suez,singapore,torres str.

alan lucas
red sea and indian ocean guide isbn 0-85288-096-0
old guide but he proposed this route,which he never did as he sold the"allegrias" in durban.

also see my friend lars hassler's blog on board "jennifer" who just sailed turkey to thailand in november.

SailEvent - Segla med S/Y Jennifer

i have only done darwin,e africa ,suez and malaysia,suez and suez ,east africa, suez twice so apart from the red sea bit dont really have much experiance of going to australia againts the prevailing winds and currents,during cyclone season, though i have crossed the pacific three times to australia .

[Dragon Lady]

I'm not sure who is telling people it will take months to get on the Aussie shipping register, but I rang them today to check if they had received my application and if there were any problems.
I was told that my boat name had been approved and what my rego number was so I can arrange for a plaque to be made.
They also told me I should have the forms processed this week which makes it less than 2 weeks.
It's hard to believe I'm dealing with a gov department.

So does any one have any suggestions on where to get a plaque made?

[ausaviator]

Are we going to see some pics of this new vessel Dragon Lady or are they posted elsewhere and I missed them?

[Dragon Lady]

No I'll extract my digit and post some today.