Allison Shreeve's attempt to cross Bass Strait a while ago got me thinking it would be fun to cross something as well. Bass Strait is a bit too ambitious for me, but the bay should be doable (at least where it is a bit narrower though ).

Anybody here who has done it before and lives to tell the tale ? Or somebody who knows somebody...

What time of year did you do it? What where the wind conditions? On what type of gear did you do it? From where to where did you go? How long did it take? Any issues crossing the shipping channel? Any support boats? Did you cross twice or just one-way? What gear other than windsurfing did you take with you (e.g. drinking water)?

Anybody else interested?

Cheers,

Seb

Myself and a group of 3 others once sailed from Aspendale (Gnotuk to those in the know) out to the fawkner beacon and back...It took us over two hours return trip, and at one stage it looked like we were not going to make it because the wind dropped out...right near ricketts on the return trip, luckily it came back enough for us to make it home.

You will DEFINATELY want a friend with a boat....I started getting quite sore and stiff sailing on the same tack for over an hour. We were on slalom 100+ liter boards and 6.0+ meter sails.

I would imagine it would take you quite a few hours to cross the bay, but have never done it myself.

Some people launch from Elwood, then head on over to Williamstown.

Alternatively, the "Breakwater to Beacon" race is coming up in December - give that a try... lots of guys, and a support boat.

Yep, Elwood to Willy (and on towards Altona) is pretty easy, but it's only about 10kms. Doesn't take that long, but I've never really timed myself. That's on bump&jump gear, good solid seabreeze.

I think actual sailing time across the bay wouldn't be much more than an hour. You're looking at about 40kms, say Frankston to Werribee, and at a sailing speed of just over 20kts, that's 1 hour. Plus a break , etc.

The shipping channel is only a few hundred metres wide, if that. The only issue is that power won't give way to sail- cargo ships have the "might is right" rule in their favor. Some ships moor in the outer anchorage. Those suckers cast a big wind shadow, as does anything moving, so you'd just want to stay upwind of them.

I went for a spin from St Kilda down to Werribee last Saturday in the boat (just to get rid of some old fuel) Would be a different story in a 15-20kt seabreeze but no major drama. You do feel along way from land though out in the middle of the bay. Probably because you are.

regularly sail through the channel down McCrae/Rosebud way... no big ssue see them coming a mile away and keep distance. Only one to be careful of is the Spirit of Tasmania as it does not seem to have the same speed limit as the others and probalbly approaches at about 25knts.

Would be keen to join in someday but would like weather to be warmer.

Would also suggest support boat and a zip lock dry bag for mobiles. Want a solid breeze and not just a local seabreeze.

I,m keen. Did many years ago Sth Melb to Frankston, took a few hours and had a mate drive me back to the start. 15-20k SW ,5.8 on a big slalom board. No real danger as the shoreline was quite close and an onshore wind. Just took a bottle of water. Much easier now with Aqua packs, gps and mobiles. Found it very hard to find the right spot in Frankston to meet the car. Sth Melb to Williamstown in a NW is also a good training run,but don,t break anything its a very long swim back in and not something i want to do twice Try and sail your distance with a square or onshore wind,it makes it easier to keep your speed down and the pressure on your legs even or do lots of static leg exercises,(the ones that HURT) The biggest danger is if the wind drops out,its a long way to sail not planning.

Thanks to all of you for the good tips!

kato: S-Melbourne to Frankston on your own is quite impressive!

I only sailed from Hampton close to the channel once (ended up north of Fawkner cause was too much W and I was too lazy to go upwind). Was no problem to get out and back, but I got scared for a second after turning around cause shore looked far far away and I couldn't quite figure out where I came from. Thankfully the Sandringham marina is big .

I was also thinking about going from Hampton or Elwood to Williamstown and maybe further to Altona in 15-20kn S-SW for a start. Definitely only when it is bit warmer (I guess from mid/late October onwards). But I probably should start doing some longer runs from tomorrow on...

kato, h20 if your interested then maybe we can do it together. I have two friends who are also keen. Would be more fun as a little fleet .

Y i've done St Kilda to Willamstown and back before. N-NW modern 6.6 on big old longboard (is useful for pointing upwind).

I've also done from Hampton beach around the beacon and back, slogged it all the way out slowly. On the return leg the wind turned behind me and picked up giving me a tottery overpowered run home.

I didnt do any special preparation or equipment beyong telling my wife were i was going.

Im up for journeying across the bay in a fleet but i think our directions & speeds could diverge quickly.

elwood to willy and back

sw

it starts to get a bit boring half way across and your feet hurt.

Having seen some of the western side of the bay, it would be much better to land on the eastern side. There isn't the same access to much of the shoreline on the west, and much of it is rocky, reefy or sludgy. And there are less features to navigate towards. On the other hand, except for a few spots, the eastern shore is sandy beach with close road access.

My suggestion is to work west to east, starting from somewhere like Werribee. I'd be keen to participate, either sailing or support boat.

Back in the early 80's we had the " Marathon" Mentone to Mt Martha. About 30km I think, took an hour or so on a Mistral Pan Am with a 6.8m sail in 15-20 kt conditions. Over 150 people entered the race on everything from raceboards to wallys and waylers. 29 of the 30km was on the same tack...
Can't remember who won, Mike English was 2nd or 3rd, Phil Lynch and myself equal 4th.

Also sailed from Merricks to Cowes(Phillip Island) a number of times. 30-40 mins in decent SW breeze accompanied by one of the Yacht Club patrol boats.

That would be fun doing the phillip island crossing....

Most I've done is Mt. Martha to Frankston and back on a mostly offshore seabreeze on my formula and 8.5m sail. With the offshore wind it was mostly flat, so pretty smooth sailing.

Organise something in spring/summer with a support boat and I'll be definately up for it. Some lunch in the middle of the bay would be awesome. Or we could meet the west coast sailors half way.

What about sailing out to the south channel island and back? Not sure where would be ideal to launch from though? Maybe on a NW wind?

South Channel sounds like a good idea...

It might be possible to do it in a true westerly -> its 5km from Rye...

Great idea. Is it possible to land there or even get your boards up on those rocks while waves are smashing us?

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Merricks said...
Also sailed from Merricks to Cowes(Phillip Island) a number of times. 30-40 mins in decent SW breeze accompanied by one of the Yacht Club patrol boats.

I've often thought about sailing from Cowes back to Pt Leo in a South Westerly. Reckon it would be a good feeling of adventure, and not too long and drawn out.
Would want a few people and a few boats maybe.

Tell us more about that one...
How did you go with the bombora waves in the middle??
Was big? (sometimes they look big, looking from the Pt Leo side)
Is it shallow/rocky??

I've done Cowes to Somers, and halfway back... the Phillip Island ferry decided to pick me up, as they had seen me "fall in" and was taking too long to get going again... I was 17 at the time - on a Bombora X-it + 6m sail.

Would do it again, but only with another sailor or two.

Here are the aerial views:




Pt Leo to the island looks to be a slightly longer distance...I'd be up for a cruise to Sth channel and back. Google earth doesn't seem to have a close up of sth channel island as I can't really zoom in on it to get close up aerial of it.

I just learn't you can accurately measure distances on google earth using the built in ruler. Here are some distances from the runs mentioned above, note these distances are one way..

Sorrento to Sth Channel island is ~6 kms
Elwood to Willy ~7
Sth Melb to Frankston ~37
Aspendale Gnotuk Ave to fawkner beacon ~17
Mentone to Mt Martha ~30
Mt Martha to Frankston ~17
Pt leo to Cowes ~14.2
Sommers to Cowes ~8.7
Sandringham Breakwater to Beacon ~5.5

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Bondalucci said...


I've often thought about sailing from Cowes back to Pt Leo in a South Westerly. Reckon it would be a good feeling of adventure, and not too long and drawn out.
Would want a few people and a few boats maybe.

Tell us more about that one...
How did you go with the bombora waves in the middle??
Was big? (sometimes they look big, looking from the Pt Leo side)
Is it shallow/rocky??

On a SSW wind (prevailing summer wind) it's a reach across to Middle Bank, crossing the bank quite far down the bay nearer to Sandy Point. The days I sailed across it was mid-tide crossing the bank, with some rough chop around 3-4 feet, once over the bank into the channel it smooths out again for the run into Cowes, where you may have to tack into shore.

I wouldn't think about doing it with a large swell running down Westernport, or for that matter crossing up near Ventnor at McHaffie's reef. If the surf forecast for Gunnamatta is 2-3 ft then Westernport should have almost no swell running down the bay.

The return is a tight reach, on port tack back to Merricks, you could also sail from Balnarring or Somers YC's. Good to do on some bigger gear, Formula, 133lt Isonic, or raceboard as you need to have some ability to point high or sail deep off the wind.

At certain times of the year a sandbar rises completely out of the water at low tide in the middle of the bay (lowest tide of January in middle of the day). Back in the 80's Merricks Yacht Club along with Somers would cruise to sand bank, have lunch, play some beach cricket, and then as the rising tide swallowed the bank sail back home.

Would be good with a group of sailboarders and a support boat from a Yacht Club.

I think we need a bay crossing event. Fun style, open for anyone up to it. Just need a few support boats. I've done elwood to willy & back in northerly. Pretty fun but need guaranteed wind.

i think a bay crossing event would be good. Fun style event open for those up to it. Just need a few support boats. I've done elwood to willy in northerly. Pretty fun but need guaranteed wind. Sw cold front might be best.

I think if we pushed for a little sponsorship and support from the main windsurfing stores and held it in the spring or summer we could get a serious turn out, not to mention the greater chance of a good SW in the warmer season. Bit of publicity for the sport, especially in an event that is accessable to a greater level of windsurfers would be sweet. I could be just dreaming though.

surely if its going to be done need to be close to widest point.... or close to it

Bay crossing event sounds good . Needs more organisation though than a more informal crossing. To maximise publicity you would need start and end points where there are many people anyway like e.g. Elwood/St. Kilda to Williamstown.

I think doing the crossing at the widest point could be a bit too challeging for many. I suppose you could go from Frankston to Geelong or vice versa but that looks like 60-70km at least (guestimated, what is it according to google earth?).

I guess Frankton to Werribee (as suggested earlier) could work. Still maybe a bit too challenging?

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ddevil said...

Bay crossing event sounds good . Needs more organisation though than a more informal crossing. To maximise publicity you would need start and end points where there are many people anyway like e.g. Elwood/St. Kilda to Williamstown.

I think doing the crossing at the widest point could be a bit too challeging for many. I suppose you could go from Frankston to Geelong or vice versa but that looks like 60-70km at least (guestimated, what is it according to google earth?).

I guess Frankton to Werribee (as suggested earlier) could work. Still maybe a bit too challenging?

Good guess on Frankston to Geelong... its approx 68 Km's

Frankston to Weribee river is ~42kms.

I think it would be a lot to organise to make it bigger and get SHQ or RPS into it, they would need to consider things like liabilities on there behalf etc.....We should look at doing something amongst ourselves, and start off with something a little smaller, something < 10 kms to begin with, and then see how we go with that and from that experience we can organise something better...

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windaddict said...
[...]
I think it would be a lot to organise to make it bigger and get SHQ or RPS into it, they would need to consider things like liabilities on there behalf etc.....We should look at doing something amongst ourselves, and start off with something a little smaller, something < 10 kms to begin with, and then see how we go with that and from that experience we can organise something better...

You're right!

If we do it ourselves we only need to agree on a route and wind conditions. If the distance is not too far we probably wouldn't need a support bot/jetski; just take some extra rope. Although it would be nice to have one for safety as well as getting some great photos . GPS would be handy if there are no major landmarks or visibility is not that good.

For an event you'd have to involve VW, find sponsors, talk to councils, work on publicity (e.g. Leader, web site) and organise participant registration, safety boat, transport logistics if the crossing is one-way, social part of the event, liability insurance etc.

Also it's not quite clear if there would be a large enough number of people interested. Let's start with something little, tell other people about afterwards and then maybe it'll grow.