Dear family and friends,

planing the trip to Pittwater with family for a week. Trying to create some memories with kids and significant other and the aim is to spend smoothies travel from heads to heads (20nm). According to my app called wind PredictWind Thursday, 04/01/24 looks the best day for the trip. Almost no wind in the morning. Can any of you suggest any other better day according to your apps and your experience? I know it's not all about the wind. Current, swell and 10 other factors can determine level of my wife's creaming voice her pitch, panic and so on. ??

Boat is solid, (36 f) cruising speed 5 knots on 2500 rpm. I can push 3000 rpm to get 6.2 knots to shorten the time out on the open ocean but will maybe damage the engine.
Any suggestions are welcome to get back home with my ears drums functional and kids full of excitement. I promised dolphins and god knows what!

Thanks

Hi Serb, its a nice trip. Just remember short though it is it's the real ocean and if you have nervous people and kids on board pay attention to predicted seas and swell so they don't get scared. Make the kids wear their lifejackets. Check in with Marine Rescue as you leave. And watch out for Long Reef, it sticks out a long way!

windy.com looks good for Thursday am but southerly due later !
? Plan B for them to meet you at Brooklyn,off the Train ?
If you frighten them,it will be hard to find smiles .
Mason

4/1/24 is too far away to provide a reliable forecast. 48 hours out is the reliable maximum.
factor in time it takes to get outside Sydney Heads, depending on the location of your mooring.
Its a great sail Sydney to Pittwater so don't plan around motoring.
where in Pittwater? At 36ft you might find going up to Brooklyn a bit squeezy. Southern Pittwater area has Morning Bay, Coaster's Retreat and The Basin (great for kids) as well as America/Refuge Bays (stunning) and Cottage Point plus lots more.
You could consider family driving up to Bayview which gives flexibility to go food shopping if needed and frees up arrival and departure flexibility.
I'm presuming you have a dinghy/inflatable, plus maybe SUP for kids.
Enjoy it!

Thanks all. Yes dinghy is ready. It will be The Basin, Hungry beach, Resolute beach, Hallets beach, Pattonga.. It looks like the engine will be working no sails this trip (hoping to keep my ear drums intact).
Today is an anchoring day. I have realised that chain has red and green lines paint on it so I want to check Length of the markings. System on my boat is a bit strange. Button near the anchor should be pushed by foot (just the same for winches) is only to drag the anchor up (but special switch must be on it is located under the main switch)and to realise it I need to use a which handle. Wednesday 3/1/24 will try to pick some pink mooring near the heads sleep overnight there and than 8 am on 04/1/24 run up to minimise sea sickness.

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Serb1980 said..
Thanks all. Yes dinghy is ready. It will be The Basin, Hungry beach, Resolute beach, Hallets beach, Pattonga.. It looks like the engine will be working no sails this trip (hoping to keep my ear drums intact).
Today is an anchoring day. I have realised that chain has red and green lines paint on it so I want to check Length of the markings. System on my boat is a bit strange. Button near the anchor should be pushed by foot (just the same for winches) is only to drag the anchor up (but special switch must be on it is located under the main switch)and to realise it I need to use a which handle. Wednesday 3/1/24 will try to pick some pink mooring near the heads sleep overnight there and than 8 am on 04/1/24 run up to minimise sea sickness.

Why no sails? Boat rolls around way more with no sails so more likely to make family sick.

Don't do it yet. Get experience in the harbour, anchor somewhere and go swimming.
If you rush it before they are ready your boat will be for sale in a month.
Sydney to Pittwater is a great first offshore trip but based on this post I don't think you're ready for it. Do it in a month.
My wife had a poor experience on a similar voyage. She never went offshore again.

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MorningBird said..
Don't do it yet. Get experience in the harbour, anchor somewhere and go swimming.
If you rush it before they are ready your boat will be for sale in a month.
Sydney to Pittwater is a great first offshore trip but based on this post I don't think you're ready for it. Do it in a month.
My wife had a poor experience on a similar voyage. She never went offshore again.

+1 I've wished I had listened to MorningBird (and others on this forum) on more than one occasion ...

Family to Pittwater by land and owner plus at least 1 experienced person by boat, hopefully with sails up, followed by gentle cruising for a week and then reverse for the return. This would increase the chances of everyone having a good time. Pick up a guest berth at either RMYC or RPAYC every few nights for showers, laundry and a nice meal cooked for you and with dishes done by someone else. Basin first few nights (onshore toilets) , Refuge when everyone is happy and then Cottage Point.

If you do this right, your family will love sailing with you for the rest of your lives. If you push them too hard, they won't sail with you again. No pressure ...

K.

Good points there,
we are currently on the courtesy mooring near the spit bridge, staying overnight. Had cool time on the nearest beach (Shell Cove Beach and it's windy but so far everyone is happy. Wife even picked up mooring without too much drama. I will give a try on Thursday it looks like I may be lucky. Discovered a small diesel leak accumulating under the engine. Must investigate that to stop that diesel smell in the boat. When filled up at Birkenhead marina I did top it up to the maximum. Maybe that is the reason. I will keep posting.
Happy new 2024 my dear tigers.

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Serb1980 said..
Good points there,
we are currently on the courtesy mooring near the spit bridge, staying overnight. Had cool time on the nearest beach (Shell Cove Beach and it's windy but so far everyone is happy. Wife even picked up mooring without too much drama. I will give a try on Thursday it looks like I may be lucky. Discovered a small diesel leak accumulating under the engine. Must investigate that to stop that diesel smell in the boat. When filled up at Birkenhead marina I did top it up to the maximum. Maybe that is the reason. I will keep posting.
Happy new 2024 my dear tigers.

As I mentioned earlier I think there will be too much rolling around without the sails up.

I think it would be best to have a plan B and not get everyone's expectations too high. That way you can go out the heads and if it is not comfortable after a half an hour you can just come back and explore some other places including middle harbour both sides of the bridge. You can do this three times or more until you get a really good day with just the right amount of wind and a good sea state.

It's a very long way if everyone is already not feeling great after a half hour. Even the half hour back to calm water will seem like ages!
Like Trek says give long reef a wide berth.

Keep us posted. Might have been able to say hi at the basin as I have a 7yo son (not sure how old your kids are) but I'm off to explore Gippsland lakes tomorrow with a Victorian trailer sailer friend with the TS as mine. Hope it goes well.

PS. Whilst in middle harbour don't forget it's very shallow just inside Grotto Point (INNER North head) although only sandy and also a sometimes nasty Bombora just North and outside (east of) Grotto Point .

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julesmoto said..

Serb1980 said..
Good points there,
we are currently on the courtesy mooring near the spit bridge, staying overnight. Had cool time on the nearest beach (Shell Cove Beach and it's windy but so far everyone is happy. Wife even picked up mooring without too much drama. I will give a try on Thursday it looks like I may be lucky. Discovered a small diesel leak accumulating under the engine. Must investigate that to stop that diesel smell in the boat. When filled up at Birkenhead marina I did top it up to the maximum. Maybe that is the reason. I will keep posting.
Happy new 2024 my dear tigers.

As I mentioned earlier I think there will be too much rolling around without the sails up.

I think it would be best to have a plan B and not get everyone's expectations too high. That way you can go out the heads and if it is not comfortable after a half an hour you can just come back and explore some other places including middle harbour both sides of the bridge. You can do this three times or more until you get a really good day with just the right amount of wind and a good sea state.

It's a very long way if everyone is already not feeling great after a half hour. Even the half hour back to calm water will seem like ages!
Like Trek says give long reef a wide berth.

Keep us posted. Might have been able to say hi at the basin as I have a 7yo son (not sure how old your kids are) but I'm off to explore Gippsland lakes tomorrow with a Victorian trailer sailer friend with the TS as mine. Hope it goes well.

PS. Whilst in middle harbour don't forget it's very shallow just inside Grotto Point (INNER North head) although only sandy and also a sometimes nasty Bombora just North and outside (east of) Grotto Point .

Cool,

kids are 6 and 8. Will text you when I get there.

Hey Doc
Did u get to Pitwater ?

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Craig66 said..
Hey Doc
Did u get to Pitwater ?

Only by car. ????????
Currently spending time around Sydney Heads (Quarantine and Store beaches). Practicing anchoring and making wife and kids use to sea..
In the meantime, working towards Hallberg Rassy Scandinavia 53 (bloody expensive)..

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Serb1980 said..

Craig66 said..
Hey Doc
Did u get to Pitwater ?

Only by car. ????????
Currently spending time around Sydney Heads (Quarantine and Store beaches). Practicing anchoring and making wife and kids use to sea..
In the meantime, working towards Hallberg Rassy Scandinavia 53 (bloody expensive)..

But the Hallberg Rassy is just so beautiful. Just do it!

Serb let me know when you are ready to head out the heads a few days in advance. I'm in Pittwater and we can sail down and meet you then do the trip back to Pittwater with you. Sailing in company is fun and makes being out there not so scary. (It usually turns into a race )

Fantastic support. Trek

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Trek said..
Serb let me know when you are ready to head out the heads a few days in advance. I'm in Pittwater and we can sail down and meet you then do the trip back to Pittwater with you. Sailing in company is fun and makes being out there not so scary. (It usually turns into a race )

Might be able to make that three

Thanks Julesmoto and Gary, it would be fun We went out for a sail yesterday (Sunday) off Pittwater. Great day, good 10kt breeze, occasional white caps, 1m swell. The rain bucketed down in the afternoon so the boat even got a wash and we did too. Totally!