With a recent purchase of a new tub and the subsequent desire to bring her home (Perth), I have started to make a plan.

I am a paper chart person and don't wish to get into a paper versus electronic debate, although the new boat has plenty in the way of electronic charts (digital chart plotter at the helm, a chart plotter at the navstation as well as a computer with openCPN -I think... I forgot to ask if the lappy stays).

Havig a look at the charts available to bring the boat from Brisbane to Perth is extensive and expensive. I am thinking of just getting the larger scale charts and the approach charts for the areas I intend on visiting only. Surely if I also intend on using publications such as Robs Passage Plan, Cruising the Curtis Coast, 100 magic miles, the WA equivalent and the likes I would be in a good enough position to rely on the modern electronic maps in the event of having to run/hide from weather and any other unforeseen diversion..

What are your thoughts? Does anyone have any no longer needed charts they which to offload (happy to purchase)?

The big question
which way you going.
Almost Feb-March so only one way.

Fair question Lydia

I am planning on bring it over the top. Spend some time in the Whitsundays and the Kimberly's. I am planning on May through to October next year.

FreeRadical I think did that trip recently. Maybe he would loan you his charts and have some advice for you.

Yep, we have all the paper charts from Whitsundays over, happy to lend you them as well as all the books. Also got a good route planning spreadsheet.

Need crew? Let me know.

You are a champion FreeRad.

Hey FreeRad ,
Any chance of having a look at your route planning spreadsheet.. ?

This was the initial plan we based the trip on.

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FreeRadical said..
Yep, we have all the paper charts from Whitsundays over, happy to lend you them as well as all the books. Also got a good route planning spreadsheet.

Need crew? Let me know.

Thanks mate. I was going to give a call sometime soon to pick your brains. The beers will be on me
The wife and I are taking long service leave and our employers have been generous enough to let us take it over 6 months. We will be taking the kids out of school and home school. We will be taking our time, but if we fall short ad need to do a quick trip home, I might ly the family home and see who's available to help deliver it then. Of course if you just want a break yourself, then your more then welcome.

If any Seabreezeer is up north of the WA coast late September, it would be awesome if I could time a rendezvous for the trip home.

FreeRad, to answer your Q on southaces post, it is a 2003 Beneteau Ocreanis.. Happy days again.. No more stink boat (actually there is.. Does anybody know somebody that wants to by one?).

Wow
what a great forum/people

Hey FreeRadical,
Did you sail past Gnaraloo last week when we had those unusual NW winds? (I think it was about the 21st)




I was sitting at the camp spewing that we didn't have the normal 25+ knot SWers and then I saw I yacht heading south and thought "I bet they are loving this wind direction for a change"

FreeRadical, nice route planning spreadsheet. I know you made no allowance for bad weather, but how close did you come in to your estimated number of days?

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Dunedinite said..
Hey FreeRadical,
Did you sail past Gnaraloo last week when we had those unusual NW winds? (I think it was about the 21st)




I was sitting at the camp spewing that we didn't have the normal 25+ knot SWers and then I saw I yacht heading south and thought "I bet they are loving this wind direction for a change"

Wasn't us dunedinite, but it would be a nice wind for those a bit late coming down the coast. As you said, pretty much consistent SWer this time of year. I do know a few boats copped a flogging in the Dirk Hartog races.

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scruzin said..
FreeRadical, nice route planning spreadsheet. I know you made no allowance for bad weather, but how close did you come in to your estimated number of days?

Got it to Perth within a couple of days of the estimate. A few of the reef stops were bypassed and also went straight Broome to Dampier to Exmouth as they guys were running out of time. Weather was pretty good all the way until down from Exmouth from where it was into the strong SWly that slowed things down. It would be better to be probably a month or two earlier down the west coast before the consistent SWers kick in. Would love to do it all again with no time limit.

Loving that spreadsheet, cheers Freerad

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scaramouche said..
Wow
what a great forum/people

Yep, In many ways a better thing than Cruisers Forum. CF has plenty of kind and helpful people but also seems to be about 10% smart a...s with some of the 10% apparently legless most of the time
This is only my second day on SB and I feel already like I've won the lottery.

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brianlara3 said..

scaramouche said..
Wow
what a great forum/people

Yep, In many ways a better thing than Cruisers Forum. CF has plenty of kind and helpful people but also seems to be about 10% smart a...s with some of the 10% apparently legless most of the time
This is only my second day on SB and I feel already like I've won the lottery.

Welcome to the forum.

I tend to agree with your observations re CF. While there is some gold to be found, the amount of crud you have to sift through first can at time be too much. The Seabreeze community doesn't compare in numbers, but they are just as knowledgeable.. Maybe... Well some of them...

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brianlara3 said..

scaramouche said..
Wow
what a great forum/people

Yep, In many ways a better thing than Cruisers Forum. CF has plenty of kind and helpful people but also seems to be about 10% smart a...s with some of the 10% apparently legless most of the time
This is only my second day on SB and I feel already like I've won the lottery.

So it is like a "breath of fresh air" or even a "Seabreeze" for you then??

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cisco said...

brianlara3 said..

scaramouche said..
Wow
what a great forum/people

Yep, In many ways a better thing than Cruisers Forum. CF has plenty of kind and helpful people but also seems to be about 10% smart a...s with some of the 10% apparently legless most of the time
This is only my second day on SB and I feel already like I've won the lottery.

So it is like a "breath of fresh air" or even a "Seabreeze" for you then??

Cisco, apart from "Cisco", do you use others pseudonyms eg Shelley, Keats, Shakespeare......are you real Cisco or actually history? Missed your calling.....youre right Mate, its a REAL break from CF which I've rarely visited in the last week....all because of the wonderful assistance and reception at SB ....just lovin' it.
Thanks for bothering to reply CK (kid).
This is so hard on a 4.5" screen.
Ain't it nice that, relatively speaking, we have good pollies? Makes Keating look like a real sweetie. And I'm a liberal John Howard man who also loved Hawkie.

Best thing I done 6 years ago was purchased a IPad 64gb . Navigated Whitsundays,townsville,Cairns,port Douglass,Cooktown,,lizard island,Ribbon reefs, thursday island,Weipa,Adelaide to Batemans bay passages all using the navionics App. As well as navigation I have marine shipping App , weather, Seabreeze , google earth , banking , emails, friends , Facebook , photos .....and a big easy to read screen.

Last st time I pulled my laptop out was when my mates Open cpn went down so I thought I would give mine a run....mine also failed so I put it back in the laptop bag and we contained on the IPad.

i have the gpsmap 76cs for total system failure also is good in a storm as you can have in your pocket and put in quick go too way points.

as well as the ships raymarine C80 C70 chart ploters which I hardly turn on anymore!

Does anyone know if Cisco carries a side arm.....and what is his boat....curious about both.

He always holds a pistol when aboard his lotus so I have heard!

Thanks, Lotus 9.2. (45 cal.).