aussi1947

[BUDGIE SMUGGLER]

hi everyone, i`m very new to sailing & in my sixties.. this is also my first forum. due to circumstances beyond my control !!, i have just purchased an adams 24 with the intention of living aboard and sailing up & down the east coast of australia following the weather. a small yacht i know, but it`s within my limited budget. i cant find info on this boat anywhere but after reading some of your posts, i thought maybe i could get some help. the yacht has a fin keel with a seperate skeg behind and a seperate transom rudder. the outboard motor sits in a well in the cockpit with the leg behind the skeg. i havnt seen any references to this setup anywhere and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this design. i thought i`d spend several months in inside waters to get to know the boat before even attempting to sail outside waters. i`m also having problems with doing more than 2 to 3 knots with the 8hp mariner sailpower 1998 model fitted with a 10 inch prop and 8 inch pitch. i dont know the weight of the yacht but it is a small 24 footer, more like the size of a hood 23..... happy new year to all

[St Anna]

Gooday Aussie,
I've done a bit of cruising up and down the east coast. I may be able to answer some of your questions.
Where are you located?

[BUDGIE SMUGGLER]

hi st anna, i`m located in broken bay,just north of sydney.... came down from far north queensland by bus to pick up the boat..... it` freezing down here!!

[St Anna]

Yeah, I understand that.

It might be easier and safer to put it on the back of a truck - up to Hervey Bay at least.

But , if you want to sail her up, at least its downhill. After you get into Southport, its pretty much daysailing all the way up.

What gear has she got - what do you need?

[BUDGIE SMUGGLER]

she`s got a few torn sails that i will put my hand stitching talents to use! she is as basic as can be... i had 10 boxes of personal gear posted down to me and as there is not one single cupboard or draw on the boat, i have stuff EVERYWHERE..... big problem that...... i have another 30 boxes plus solar panels & batteries in storage in tin can bay waiting my arrival... IT WILL NEVER FIT!!!!! there sure was a lot more space in my motorhome...but needed the lifestyle change. luckily i`m good at fitting out things and it sure is in need of a total refit.would like to get her on a hardstand in tin can bay

[chall03]

Hey Aussie...Welcome to Sailnet!!!!

We are also in the process of planning a cruise up the east coast from Broken Bay.

I am also happy to help with any questions you may have. What you are considering is fairly ambitious but to add to what St Anna said you can actually day sail all the way up the NSW coast with some planning......

A possible itinerary follows, this would only work for day sailing if you could average 5 knots with some early starts....there are other ports you could pull into to shorten the passage lengths if necessary.

Broken Bay - Port Stephens
75nm

Pt Stephens - Tuncurry
45nm

Tunc- Pt Macquarie
58 nm

Pt Macquarie-Coffs Harbour
68 nm

Coffs -Yamba
60nm

Yamba - Southport
96nm

Southport to Moololaba
85nm

Moololoba -Garrys Anchroage

Garrys - sth white cliffs
12nm

Sth White- Urangan
25 nm

Urangan - Rooney Pt

Rooney Pt -Bundaberg

Bunda -Lady Musgrave

Lady Musgrave -Pancake Creek
39nm

Panacake - Gladstone
31nm

Glad -Gr Keppel
63nm

Gr Keppel-Pt Clinton

Pt Clinton -Percy
61nm

Percy - Digby Is
26nm

Digby - Curlew Is
10nm

Curlew Is - Mackay
44nm

From Mackay I'm assuming you could figure it out pretty easily to wherever you call home!
Would be good to get the know the boat around Broken Bay/Pittwater.

[BUDGIE SMUGGLER]

hi chall03.... was`nt sure if sailnet was worldwide orientated so was surprised to get two replies already from people who know australia... that`s nice. funny, as i`ve already done a basic coastal navigation course and also have been filling my gps with routes and waypoints all the way up the coast to the daintree..... does that make me an armchair sailor? !! especially as i dont know my foresail from my main sail and as much as i adore being on the water..... I HATE THE SEA !! my route is similar to your suggestions but hops are a lot shorter...i`m chicken!! lake macq---pt.stephens---forster---crowdy heads---camden haven---pt.macq---trial bay---coffs---yamba---ballina---tweed heads---gold coast---then inside to bribie isl (draught too much at 1.2 metres to go inside bribie across "the skids")----mooloolaba---wide bay---urangan---bundaberg---1770---pancake crk---gladstone---rosslyn bay---port clinton---isl head crk---then the scary one, bypassing shoalwater bay via percy isls to mackay---seaforth---airlie---bowen---townsville---hinchinbrooke---mourilyan---cairns---pt douglas--- and my beloved daintree. i went from broken bay to tin can bay in a small power boat that i built about 8 years ago but then i cruised at 12 knots and even then i waited in each port for 5 knot winds and less than a metre swell b4 heading off again.... those conditions wont get me very far with a yacht and i`m very nervous about the whole thing... but i will do it

[chall03]

There are a few Aussies on Sailnet, One of them is a marsupial of dubious hippy persuasions that one should be a little wary of

Now I would hate to give other boards a plug but if you also try cruisers forum there is a large Aussie sailing contingent there.

Best of luck to you......it sounds like you have some understanding of navigation and the sea, with just the sailing to master. Like I said anything we can do to help please let us know. Heading north from down here it's best practice to wait for a southerly change and once the strength of the southerly is determined and it has subdued to a reasonable level depart for your next northerly port on the back of it and keep going until the north easterlies typical of this time of year begin again...then once again it is a waiting game for the southerly...with mild north easterlies and minimal swell one can also make some ground north motoring where possible.

Meanwhile enjoy Broken Bay. It is my local cruising ground, and although busy this time of year there are some nice little spots, although of course no comparison to your part of the world!

The mouth of Broken Bay past Lion Island is basically ocean conditions. Might be worth your while sailing around out there in different conditions and getting a feel for the boat. On the north side, in the Bouddi National Park is Maitland Bay, it is a beautiful beach that would require you to cross the mouth of Broken Bay to access it and might also make a good little test sail, with the promise of a pretty little anchorage at the end.

Also of some use to you might be the following east coast passage planning tool.
Passage Planner : Skipr.net

[BUDGIE SMUGGLER]

thanks for the very detailed replies chall03, they are of great help to me. you mentioned some ports of call that i did`nt know about... a great help. i have yet to get any safety gear...epirb..radio etc. so cant venture far as yet. also my very slow 2 to 3 knots motoring ( read 1 knot and almost going backwards under the rip bridge against the tide!!!) doesnt inspire me to leave woy woy too far behind me again. i will probably have to wait for april/may b4 i can afford all the gear i need to leave on such a trip (good thing really as it forces me to get the boat up to a reasonably safe standard and will coincide with the south easterleys too. as soon as i start getting out and about we may meet up in broken bay......gotta stitch these sails up first!!!

[chall03]

Sounds like you have a fairly realistic plan. If your not off until April/May then yes you will have a more beneficial weather pattern generally speaking. We get some lovely westerlies in winter here.

Downside of that is of course that it is winter

I previously owned a Hutton 24 yacht with 6HP Outboard, and now own a Supersonic 27 with 8HP diesel Inboard. Both vessels have been around Broken Bay extensively as well as up to Lake Macquarie and down to the Harbour etc.

As someone well experienced in small boats with shite engines can I offer you one simple piece of advice.......where possible sail

With favourable conditions, you will be surprised how well your boat will perform. I have great respect for Adams designs. I don't think he ever designed a Slouch. So consider your auxiliary engine as just that - Auxiliary. With that in mind, you shouldn't be surprised to see your boat reach 6-7 knots in the right conditions.

Now if you were to acquire a spinnaker.......