Christmas Sailaway - calling all Tophatters!

[curlytops]

Greetings Sailors

I'm planning to take a cruise up to Port Stephens from Sydney over Christmas / New Years.
Keen to have a little convoy of Tophats so just putting it out there

The outline plan is to break to coastal trip with a stopover in Newcastle and then on to PM. Hoping to also stop off at Broughton Island before heading back down the coast.

Would love to hear from any other Tophatters that may be keen to join.

Curly Tops

[Shaun]

Ahoy Skipper,
The barnacles on Blue Moon are nearly down to the river-bed!, I probably wouldn't be able to make it because busy at work too, sounds like a good trip though, excellent part of the NSW coast. How far nth are you planning on going? Port stephans or PM (Port Macquarie)?
cheers

[woodsy]

Curlytops.
I am envious. I gotta work or I'd be in it.
For those who have not been there, Esmerelda bay on the Eastern side of Broughton island is a well protected mooring in most weather. The western side is your backup anchorage.
Take your snorkelling gear & swim through the channel. Great site for grey nurse shark spotting. ( LOOKING GLASS is its name I think).

Merry Xmas.
Woodsy.

[storm petrel]

Culytops,

I have a prospective buyer coming up from Melbourne to look at my boat after Christmas so I am not able to head North at that time. If Storm Petrel doesn't sell, I hope to a take run North early next year but will have to wait for a weather window to coincide with my breaks from work. Hope you have a great trip.

Mark
Storm Petrel

PS Tried out my new Mastmate yesterday. A bit more setting up than a boson's chair, but I was able to get up the stick on my own and feel moderately secure while doing so. I will leave boson's chairs for the younger folk.

[Ianb]

Mark,
The Mastmate I know is a spring loading device for raising and lowering the mast on trailer/sailers. Do you have something different?

[storm petrel]

I bought one of these: http://www.mastmate.com/

I got the 35ft version as I am sharing it with a friend with a bigger yacht. Works well.