Share your stories please, Bass Straight

I've sailed PPB to Stanley, King Island and Flinders Island direct or via Deal and Refuge Cove on various occasions. With the quality of forecasts these days, you have very little chance of being "hammered" unless you are being foolish. Take an SSB receiver (if you don't already have a HF set), an external 4G antenna and induction cradle for your mobile, as well as your VHF. With this set-up, I could get forecasts via VHF, SSB or internet almost everywhere in BS (caveat: I did it pre-5G so mobile coverage might be less).

My worst was Flinders to Deal in a 25 - 30 knot SW. It was pretty stirring, with the occasional wave of 4 or 5m, a few breaking but nothing the boat couldn't cope with with 1/3 furled jib and 3rd reefed main.. But I could easily have sat it out somewhere in the Furneaux group.

Do yourself a favour and buy the CYAV's fabulous "Cruising Victoria" cruising guide. Every Victorian (and those passing through) sailor should have this book. It covers all of Bass Strait plus the islands and Tassie north coast. Then you'll have a good understanding of weather patterns, tidal flows, passage times and hidey-holes, which you can factor into your planning together with the forecasts. The RYCT cruising guide also covers the northern coast well.

Obviously time of year is a huge factor. February - April is best.

Cheers, Graeme

Only crossed it twice but I had no issues with the forecasts I got. I worry about the anchorages on Flinders with their weed but I reckon you should be fine if you have time to spare and you watch the forecasts.

Have only had 2 gales, some calm weather and the last time I had 2 days of 10 knot winds, yet there were albatrosses flying in such light winds.
My first sail was out of Lakes Entrance, a 3 mile tack to the SE, then it was about 60 miles toward the Prom, parallel to the coast, with the (pendulum) wind vane steering all the way. Then we had calm for a few hours, then a wind to Refuge except for the last hour, which was hand steered.
First gale was after departing LE, heading east. We got to about 12 miles offshore, and had the genoa half furled and the main was double reefed, before heaving to all night. In heaving to we drifted NE toward the coast, and by dawn we had to then steer, (i.e. not HT). I found the boat handled the weather and 3m waves well. We sheltered behind Gabo, but the swell coming around the island was then beam-on and terrible for the stomach.
2nd time was we sheltered a day in Inner Sister island, waiting for the 30kt forecast to pass, then we set out in the last of the 30kts. Ten miles out, heading N, we got some thunderstorms for half an hour. The windvane steered, the GPS's were in saucepans (Faraday cage), then we carried on. Ten hours later we packed up the sails and motored for about 30 hours to LE because there was zero wind.

In summary, no "hammering in the paddock" and once you're out at sea you usually cannot get to shelter in time or against the weather. Running to shelter can be more dangerous, as the seas get shallower - read some storm tactic books.
And if you're planning on a coastal/ Bass Strait cruise - get a minimum of 2 anchors with plenty of chain and rode, reliable self-steering, 2 pairs of binoculars, and at least one GPS, depth sounder and compass, and paper charts (better overview than a small screen).
You can also practice heaving-to and strong winds in your usual sailing of the Gippsland Lakes, WP or PPB. We all get caught out at times, and that is valuable practice.

PS, I've also anchored twice at Morgan's Beach, 3 miles north of Liptrap, but I don't recommend it.

Suggest you join Tas maritime radio group - tasmaritime.au It's only $45 - it's run by volunteers. Even if you don't join, file your transit plan with them. They cover the Tassie coast on VHF, including a station on Flinders ls and they cover the open ocean on HF if you've got one. They run three skids a day and weather updates. Once a day, let them know your position, POB, COG and SOG. They'll also monitor your AIS if you have one.

A few other things to consider, speaking from experience :
1. There seems to be more and more sunfish, make sure you have a really good emergency rudder and can can use it in all seas. Skeg or full keel wont necessarily avoid loss of rudder.
2. A helicopter rescue from Victoria is billed and its not a small amount. Safest way to avoid it is to have your Ambulance Victoria membership paid up or have specific rescue insurance.