I am looking at purchasing a Beneteau 42 yacht from Hobart and want to bring it back to Melbourne. I have not sailed across Bass Strait before. Can I have some advice on what time of year is best to make the crossing, and what route I should follow? Also recommendations on whether i should have a delivery skipper accompany me and can you recommend one? thanks all
Hi Innerwest welcome to the forum
Just wondering how long you intend to take for the trip back
If you intend to do it quickly and want to follow someone you might be. able to tag along with one of the Melbourne based Sydney to Hobart boats on the trip back
Regards Don
I looked into the same process last winter, when I was tempted by a beautiful Knoop 28 in Hobart. However I concluded that a delivery sail, solo, back to Port Phillip Bay was probably pushing it! The selling agents said they could arrange a delivery skipper for about three boat dollars. They said any season (forecast permitting) was OK, but in my experience late winter-early spring is too changeable and gale-ridden. The next few months should be fine. In the end I bought locally.
I guess that depends on how much offshore sailing experience you have in regard to sailing your new boat home. I have just completed my 19th crossing the other day. Three of those were deliveries. I have been caught out there in gale conditions once, that was my 2nd crossing. Lesson learnt early.
I would suggest via the East coast in stages then direct via the Tamar River on a good weather window with the tide at the rip timed just right. Use AIS for shipping movements around the entrance and call Lonsdale with your position and intentions an hour before entering. The pilots will then also know to look out for you as they go about there duty and will also call you if need be. Perhaps you are already familiar with the rip procedures and channels once in.
PM me if you need any further assistance.
I am based in the Tamar
Cheers
Wayne
My preferable Bass Strait sailing is Feb to May. Lows are far apart, enough wind to
cover distance. Mid winter is ok too, expect fog, rain & luck of wind.
Best time of year is when the high pressure systems are regular and settled, from Australia Day through to early winter. This spring has seen a lot of windy conditions and very quickly moving systems, making a reliable 3 day weather window untenable, so it had to be a smaller window.
Yes you should have other crew on board, especially experienced crew. Maybe 3 or 4 in total including yourself. Much easier for watch keeping and other people to bounce ideas or doubts to, and get a response not tainted by your own fears. I don't know how to find a paid skipper, but they exist. However, there are willing people on this and other sailing forums that will be available and keen to do it unpaid, perhaps with an airfare thrown in. Timing of crew availability could be enhanced if you plan it for school holidays (march april) if possible.
Do tell us that you have paper charts and plotter, AIS and have researched the PP heads crossing. A book on Bass Strait/Tassy anchorages will help. There was a thread on SB recently about the heads. Best route would be up the E coast of Tassy. Then you can island hop or go via the Tamar. I've only been to Flinders Island, Prom and along the Vic coast Lakes Ent to Westernport, but experience helps. If you don't have all the equipment some can be borrowed. But you need to know that you can handle your boat in all the conditions anticipated; anchoring technique, navigating, radio procedures, reefing, etc. The rest is just sailing through water: doesn't matter too much if it's along a coast, or a crossing.
