Making Ex-Racer My Cruiser . . . Am I Mad ?

[Weyalan]

We had a lovely cruise. Hobart -> Lime Bay -> Dunalley -> Chinamans Bay -> Bryans Corner -> Reidle Bay -> Fortescue Bay -> Port Arthur -> Quarantine Bay -> Kettering -> Dover -> Hobart. 17 nights all up (our longest cruise to date). We caught plenty of fish, including 4 tuna (on a hand line, while under sail). Of course we couldn't help ourselves and ended up doing a race or two... heh

At least we still have the cruising sails on.

[Weyalan]

One more weekend away (this one coming) and then it time to get stuck into the winter projects... the main one being the galley refit

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

We had a lovely cruise. Hobart -> Lime Bay -> Dunalley -> Chinamans Bay -> Bryans Corner -> Reidle Bay -> Fortescue Bay -> Port Arthur -> Quarantine Bay -> Kettering -> Dover -> Hobart. 17 nights all up (our longest cruise to date). We caught plenty of fish, including 4 tuna (on a hand line, while under sail). Of course we couldn't help ourselves and ended up doing a race or two... heh

At least we still have the cruising sails on.

Lest you think Weyalan is jesting... we were at the Easter Regatta in Dover in the REAL Insatiable (II) and watched with some surprise as the imposter Insatiable held her own downwind with their cruising mainsail (about equal to a reefed full hoist sail) and poled out roller genoa. This was against similar sized race boats flying kites and full mainsails. They didn't win any of the races, but finished well up in the fleet. Oh... they also had a lamb-leg roasting in their oven whilst the other racers were having inferior sausages at the yacht club!

So, I'd have to say well done, mates, and yes, you may be mad to cruise in your (not) ex-racer, but you are doing a good job if it!

And I hate you for catching tuna down here!

Cheers,

Jim

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

So, I'd have to say well done, mates, and yes, you may be mad to cruise in your (not) ex-racer, but you are doing a good job if it!

And I hate you for catching tuna down here!

Cheers,

Jim

It seems we haven't quite got the racing bug out of our blood yet (Lisa moreso than I, in fact), but at least we are now racing with crusing sails, over 200' of anchor chain, 2 big anchors etc.

We have been discussing getting a dodger (oh the shame)

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

It seems we haven't quite got the racing bug out of our blood yet (Lisa moreso than I, in fact), but at least we are now racing with crusing sails, over 200' of anchor chain, 2 big anchors etc.

We have been discussing getting a dodger (oh the shame)

A dodger and bimini is one of the best choices I made. Although, I am going to change the design with a 1/2 meter hard dodger with a soft upper section. And move it forward a bit to accommodate some instruments up on the cabin top.

[daddle]

Sounds like you are doing it right. Congrats.

Took my dodger off for the Easter Regatta here. I don't think I'll put it back on anytime soon. So nice without it. There's a high canvas sun shade while at anchor. The dodger is just not that useful for the rare bad sailing weather around here ... would be indispensable back in California.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

We had a lovely cruise. Hobart -> Lime Bay -> Dunalley -> Chinamans Bay -> Bryans Corner -> Reidle Bay -> Fortescue Bay -> Port Arthur -> Quarantine Bay -> Kettering -> Dover -> Hobart. 17 nights all up (our longest cruise to date). We caught plenty of fish, including 4 tuna (on a hand line, while under sail). Of course we couldn't help ourselves and ended up doing a race or two... heh

At least we still have the cruising sails on.

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Lest you think Weyalan is jesting... we were at the Easter Regatta in Dover in the REAL Insatiable (II) and watched with some surprise as the imposter Insatiable held her own downwind with their cruising mainsail (about equal to a reefed full hoist sail) and poled out roller genoa. This was against similar sized race boats flying kites and full mainsails. They didn't win any of the races, but finished well up in the fleet. Oh... they also had a lamb-leg roasting in their oven whilst the other racers were having inferior sausages at the yacht club!

So, I'd have to say well done, mates, and yes, you may be mad to cruise in your (not) ex-racer, but you are doing a good job if it!

And I hate you for catching tuna down here!

Cheers,

Jim

I am quickly learning to hate both of you

[boatman61]

LOLOL... your time will come mate...
I had 7.5 kts outa Blue Moon on the way to Tasi... reefed main and full genny.. get a spinnaker up there and you may have them hating you....

[Weyalan]

[savoir]

The natives have told me that the best time to cruise Tassie is March and April.

True perhaps ?

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by savoir

The natives have told me that the best time to cruise Tassie is March and April.

True perhaps ?

Perhaps.
Personally I don't think that there is a "best" time per se. The weather here is relatively unpredictable. In theory, you can get weeks of stable high-pressure weather patterns in March / April, but on the othere hand you can get snow or rain or pretty much anything else. Sometimes we get fantastic sunny weather (albeit a little cold) in mid winter. I say come any time and enjoy it despite / because of the unpredictability of the weather!

[Jim Cate]

FWIW,

Weyalan is right... can't really generalize about wx in Tassie. This is our tenth trip down here, arriving in Pt Cygnet on Xmas eve. We've had the best weather this season that we've ever experienced here. On our next to last trip we hardly saw the sun.

That said, we usually arrive by mid January and find that it is getting too cold for our tender tropical selves by mid to late April. And it can blow like stink just about any time of year. We've clocked 90 plus knots twice here in Hobart over the years, and just a few weeks ago in Port Davey we had sustained 50's with gusts to nearly 70.

But, despite these factors, Tassie remains one of our all time favorite cruising grounds.

If only the winters were warmer...

Cheers,

Jim

[savoir]

My info was that March is warmer than December. I have seen snow on mount Wellington in December so maybe it is right. Never done a March to check.

[Weyalan]

There has been plenty of snow in Mt. Wellington in the last week! During our trip away (18 days up to and including Easter) we had mostly warm, mostly very sunny weather. But on the other hand, we also had lots of days where the wind didn't drop below 25 knots, so swings and roundabouts...

It is my impression (i.e. based on my personal recollections rather than hard meteorological facts) that the longest periods of stable high pressure tend to be in the middle of winter - bright and sunny for days on end, but not very warm (icy decks in the morning). If you don't fancy that, then come any time between early November and late April and take you chances!

[savoir]

You pays your money and you takes your chances.

Ha !