a mooring became available about 5 weeks ago - 2 days before i was to fly to Europe for 5 weeks! So the window is narrow to get my boat down from the pittwater to woodford bay, not to mention the mooring put in. The mooring contractor seems pretty capable of doing this pronto
and the RMS of choosing the spot. The weather is looking great for the end of the week. Nor, westers, light winds.
Im a bit nervous taking this little thing out in the open ocean, but it must be done! On top of that ive got a broken boom, so today(monday) ill be repairing boom and organising the mooring.
Any Advice anyone can give for such a trip would be most welcome. I have paper charts, VHF radio and Navionics. I do know the coastline pretty well as i surf the whole bit plus have been up and down there numerous times in a big motorboat.
THanks!
Bluebirds used to race offshore years ago. The trip down from Pittwater is not that long compared to the distance from Sydney Heads to Lane cove, that's probably going to be the longest part. Print off an enlarged segment of the chart, offshore bit. Annotate it and slip it into a plastic folder so you can check it in the cockpit. You know the coast but having the latitude marks highlighted along the chart will help with distances. Note book and keep tabs of your progress. Carry all the usual safety stuff and a handheld VHF if your solo is always handy.
Just to clarify a point about distances. The offshore leg is obviously longer but will be an easier sail than the leg from the heads to Lane cove where the probable Westerlies are going to give you trying conditions.
Ramonas advice is good.
A couple of points, probably self evident:
Leave as early as possible to allow enough daylight at the end of the trip
Have one or two bolt hole options that suit the prevailing winds where you can overnight around Manly etc if needed, where you don't need to navigate the whole harbour at the end of the day.
Keep an eye out for sow and pigs reef as you come up the harbour
Plot a basic route and laminate a copy for in the cockpit per Ramonas advice, have a permanent marker pen and update your
position every hr or so as you go. Gives you an idea on how you are tracking for arrival in daylight etc.
Look after your own fuel needs - keep a thermos of hot stuff and snacks in the cockpit
Think about possible sail configurations needed and change down early as needed. Westerlies can be very gusty
Make sure you have some means of self steering to allow sail changes, eating drinking etc. This could be a bungy cord setup for a 22 footer.
Enjoy
Looking at the current wind charts, Thursday is west all day, however Friday is west, then north later in the day, so that may help (if it eventuates) to get you up the harbour without having to bash into it.
The wave heights are also dropping well, so it should be reasonably comfortable.
I'd love to do the trip with you, but already doing something this week, and can't take any more time off. :-(
Leave at or before daybreak, even if you have to motor out for a bit. Once you round Barrenjoey, and start heading south, you'll be able to see pretty much all the way to North Head. Keep an eye out for Newport Reef, and Long Reef, just give them a wide berth of at least 500 metres and don't go too close in to Manly, or you'll lose the westerly when you get to North Head. As others have said, Bluebirds used to race offshore, and my uncle sailed his to Pittwater often, and Port Stephens once, in one hop. So you should have no worries providing all your gear is fine.
Have a great trip, your first coastal solo!
Check here for required equipment:
www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/index.html
If you want a PLB, there is a shop in Mona Vale that rents them. GPSoz. $5 per day, min 7 days. If going solo, I'd suggest this is a must have.
If you are going to end up overnighting, Quarantine beach (near little manly) has about 4 public moorings and Athol Bay near the zoo has about 7 public moorings. Mid week shouldn't be a problem getting one.
Keep a good watch out ahead and behind for ferries, the river cats come up fast and are not very noisy. Give circular quay a wide berth as it gets very busy in and out with the ferries.
Enjoy!
thanks Michael, and everyone for the encouragement.. i feel a bit rusty, am a bit nervous. ive not sailed a month now having been away.
Ive fixed the broken boom by sleeving it and rivetts. THe only thing im worried about is that i may not have enough sleeve in the boom. Only about 1 foot. the sleeve was a bit too tight, so it was so hard to get in, but once rivetted on its pretty solid... i might just rivett some alluminium strips on each side on the outside, but then again, is that gonna weaken the boom? (too many rivett holes in boom?)
The weather is looking awesome now, and possibly friday should be pretty nice.
Will i just radio marine sydney on channel 16 before departure?
Foot of sleeve should be ample on a Bluebird. Boom probably broke in the first place at the hangers from corrosion from interaction with the rivets and alloy.
You can call the rescue association and have them follow your progress or text message an adult on the hour your current position.
Got your charts?
If the sleeve was tight to get in thats a good thing.
Dont rivet on the top or bottom faces of the boom if possible - i.e the side facing the sky and the side facing the deck
Steve, I had a Bluebird for 20+ years and did the trip Sydney-Broken Bay many times. Only trouble is if you are sailing into headwinds it can take too long for the daylight hours, especially right now.
My boat was called Kudu, and had a light blue deck and dark blue hull. I added a bulkhead at the stern to isolate the lazarette locker from the rest of the boat, and keep the petrol fumes out. She was one of the Form-it built. They are excellent sea boats.
Well, when l saw you last time - in the middle of the race - you might remember the turquoise Adams and me shouting at you, l thought you are staying up there.
Drop me a line, how is it? Soon back from Briso if you still need a hand.
Well, when l saw you last time - in the middle of the race - you might remember the turquoise Adams and me shouting at you, l thought you are staying up there.
Drop me a line, how is it? Soon back from Briso if you still need a hand.
Well I'm taking my Bluebird up the other way this weekend.
Traveling up from Abbottsford to my new mooring at St Hubert's island in Brisbane waters.
Thinking of leaving early AM Saturday morning for the trip up the coast and am happy for any advise.
Chris
Select to expand quoteducrider said..
Well I'm taking my Bluebird up the other way this weekend.
Traveling up from Abbottsford to my new mooring at St Hubert's island in Brisbane waters.
Thinking of leaving early AM Saturday morning for the trip up the coast and am happy for any advise.
Chris
check the weather...sort out a self steering thingo, take a mate. a beer for entry into closed waters.
Check some of the comments further back in this thread, they will all be useful to your trip.
Enjoy
Plan your arrival at Box Head and the half tide rocks channel for an incoming tide. The current in the channel there is very strong, so if your engine isn't up to it, you don't want to be pushing against it. Same for the passage under the Rip Bridge, apart from that, it's an easy trip.
Select to expand quoteMichaelR said..
Plan your arrival at Box Head and the half tide rocks channel for an incoming tide. The current in the channel there is very strong, so if your engine isn't up to it, you don't want to be pushing against it. Same for the passage under the Rip Bridge, apart from that, it's an easy trip.
Actually that Rip bridge can stuff you up if youre not careful. i was just having a look around there at Xmas when i first got the boat. ive only got a 6 hp. was a bit scary but got through it. +1 for all the comments above(except mine!)
