Hi from Oz

[our doug]

Hi Guys, a quick hello to introduce ourselves.......
live in suburb of Melbourne Australia ( called Black Rock and yes you can see it on Google Earth)
Partner Kate and I about to act on our dream and buy a cruising yacht and follow the path of Mathew Flinders around Australia, starting at the beautiful Whitsunday Islands North Queensland.
We look forward to lots of chats and tips from those with much more experience than us! Possibly beginning with ideas on what to look for in our purchase!!!
Doug and Kate

[Johnathon123]

Hi Doug and Kate

Welcome from one Aussie to another.

Really depends, what sort of boat are you looking for, mono, cat, steel, wood, glass, full/fin keel, cent/aft cockpit, length etc etc etc.

One things for sure, you will have fun.

[maxingout]

That trip sounds like a job for a steel monohull. Of course, if I tried to do it in a steel monohull, it would be a singlehanded adventure since my wife only sails with yachts that are flat 100% of the time.

[Factor]

Got a 60 year old mate currently singlehanding it around in a 35 ft cat. Also - see one of the many families doing it and blogging about it at :

Scarlett does the lap

[our doug]

Yes I will be posting a request for comments re steel v GRP, look forward to the comments

[our doug]

thanks for the link....maybe I shouldn't limit my thoughts to monohull?

[noelex 77]

Welcome to the forum Doug and Kate.
My wife and I are also from Black Rock. Small world.
We have been full time cruising in Europe for the last 4 years. We sailed the Whitsunday islands every year for all of June before that in our Noelex 25.
PM me if you want any specific advice.
Make sure you consider all the options buying a boat OS and slowly sailing it back to Australia has been fantastic for us.

[stillbuilding]

Well if you are able to accomplish half of what Matthew Flinders did you are destined to be one of the elders of this site. What a navigator and seaman he was! Just reading his diary of sailing around Wilsons Prom is enough to throw the frights onto me and he just had an open boat. Good luck in following that dream.

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by our doug

Hi Guys, a quick hello to introduce ourselves.......
live in suburb of Melbourne Australia ( called Black Rock and yes you can see it on Google Earth)
Partner Kate and I about to act on our dream and buy a cruising yacht and follow the path of Mathew Flinders around Australia, starting at the beautiful Whitsunday Islands North Queensland.
We look forward to lots of chats and tips from those with much more experience than us! Possibly beginning with ideas on what to look for in our purchase!!!
Doug and Kate

Welcome to the forum Doug! I've just got off the plane from Melbourne 2 hours ago and am back in Lake Macquarie. No wonder you want to head north. I'm still thoring out. Make sure to call in on your way past.

Greg

[timjf]

Hi Doug & Kate welcome to the forum here ..I have sailed my boat to the Whitsundays from Sydney and back ...I have a very lovely cruising boat a Beneteau Oceanis 390 and it gave me no problems at all I live in Melbourne but moor my boat in Sydney ..always welcome like minded people to chat about all things sailing Take care and sail safe
Cheers abd best regards Tim

[hoppy]

Welcome Doug and Kate! I'm from Albert Park but somehow ended up living in Sweden with my boat in Greece

In spite of what some people may try to say here () you probably can do what you want to do in any boat and long as you know the boat and your limits.

Personally I think you should not let yourself get caught up in the GRP v Steel, Mono v Multi etc.. discussions. Instead look for boats that grab your attention whether it be because of it's pretty lines or because it has a fridge that can hold 10 slabs of VB and then worry about the other stuff and ask the important questions then.

Anyway, good luck

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum Doug & Kate

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Doug and Kate,

I'll add my welcome to the CF group and hope that you don't get too upset when the folks here passionately tell you to buy their own pet type of boat... each one different from the last post.

Enjoy!

Cheers,

[our doug]

Originally Posted by hoppy

Welcome Doug and Kate! I'm from Albert Park but somehow ended up living in Sweden with my boat in Greece

In spite of what some people may try to say here () you probably can do what you want to do in any boat and long as you know the boat and your limits.

Personally I think you should not let yourself get caught up in the GRP v Steel, Mono v Multi etc.. discussions. Instead look for boats that grab your attention whether it be because of it's pretty lines or because it has a fridge that can hold 10 slabs of VB and then worry about the other stuff and ask the important questions then.

Anyway, good luck

Hi Hoppy, sage advice! I'll add it to my list of features and benefits!
thanks for the thoughts
Doug

[our doug]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Welcome to the forum Doug and Kate.
My wife and I are also from Black Rock. Small world.
We have been full time cruising in Europe for the last 4 years. We sailed the Whitsunday islands every year for all of June before that in our Noelex 25.
PM me if you want any specific advice.
Make sure you consider all the options buying a boat OS and slowly sailing it back to Australia has been fantastic for us.

Hi Mark, I think wher you are is an improvement on Black Rock!
thanks for the welcome and love to have a cofee if/when you get back here.