SUNDOWNER Y86 east coast Australia

[rob.lovelace]

well it's been an interesting trip so far. Ive been hammered more than once. Coming up from lakes I was in a storm at 3am pit h black lightening striking the water and 30+kts of wind for a couple of hours. These offshore trips I'm having are sure testing me. After the Tassie trip I thought the east coast would be a breeze. Well people have been saying to me that the bit up to Eden is the hardest. I hope they're right. I'll wait for this front to pass then make another hop.

[di_namic42]

This is good info, and sure does sound testing.
This confirmed my thoughts .....
If i buy a top hat i will ship her back to Morton bay and gain experience up there, before attempting anything like this.

More details please!!

I Looked at Malacor 27 today and 2 other 25's

I'm going to look at Peppercorn tomorrow.

[Miker]

Well done Rob, we've been having a good calm week or two up around Sydney, light south nd westerlies easing around to south east in the later part of the day.

Check the Seabreeze graphs for this weekend though! http://www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/nsw.asp

Safe travels.

[rob.lovelace]

everywhere I go people know the top hat as a good sea boat, whatever that means. They seem to have a solid reputation that's for sure. Ive put sundowner through some pretty testing times and being a novice at sailing haven't found it to much to handle and have always felt safe ( maybe ignorance is bliss ) The top hat wasn't my first choice of boat and at first I bought her just to get started, but I have found I need no more than this boat and more importantly I can afford to maintain her. I'm sure I'll get a few years cruising out of her and hopefully she'll teach me to be a good sailor.

As for the weather, I am told I have to watch east coast lows. along the NSW coast. I'm sitting in Exen watching low after low appear on the forecast map. 30-40kts predicted for the next few days with dangerous seas and large swell. In the back of my mind I remember that guy attempting to circumnavigate Australia in the traer sailor gave up after waiting for a couple of weeks for some lighter conditions. I hope that's not me destiny.

[storm petrel]

I think you may have also been a bit unlucky Rob because the wind is probably less than 20 knots, 90% of the time on the East coast. You seem to pick the 10% to make your passages.

Top hats were designed to cope with choppy seas and this together with the amount of boat that is underwater makes them good sea boats for their size. I have also never felt worried about the ability of my Top Hat to work through big swells and windy conditions, but the fatigue of the crew in such a small boat is another matter. I suspect if you can cope with the motion and sail sensibly, the Top Hat will get you there safely - eventually.

I also agree that Top Hats are comparatively cheap to own. I think a 30-32 ft yacht of the same age would cost twice as much per year to keep in seaworthy shape.

Good luck with the rest of your voyage - keep us posted.

Cheers,
Mark

[Phillip]

Rob,
If you get a weather window, use it for at least 24 hours straight if you can. [That's two hops in one.]

This is the real secret of sailing distance on the NSW coast.

But you must be prepared for it and I think you are by now.

Others have mention the upcoming weather this weekend so I hope you have some good music and a book or two!
Having got to Eden you have done the hard yards as you can now sail slowly along the NSW coast in day hops until you get to
the Clarence River where you will have to do a 24 hour hop [who wants to go into Ballina, NOT ME!] up to the Seaway.

Oh, and you can expect that sort of weather you have been having all the way up to the Seaway.
Like Mike said the weather here has been good, but I have noticed that north of Coffs have been getting
NE'ers of late, hopfully they should be finished by the time you get north of Sydney.

[bornfreee]

Rob don't be afraid to go out in a strong wind warning (not Gale) if the wind is behind you. You will be battling the current all the way and you are way better off with wind than trying to motor your way through, at one stage i was doing 6knts across the surface but only 2 over the bottom it is a real pain in the ass , in a few weeks time you will start getting those SE winds as you get further up .

[bornfreee]

Hey Rob was Sundowner for sale at Hastings Marina? and is she shoal draft if so i remember her down there she was a exceptional condition Tophat

[rob.lovelace]

bought her 3 years ago at Yaringa, and she was in good nick. Unfortunatly she cost me an arm and a leg
not a shoal draft though. btw how much does a shoal draw?
mines about four foot,

[Phillip]

Rob,

Shoal draft Top Hats draw about 12 inches less than a normal Top Hat.

The amount of the reduction depended on the foam plug that was inserted in the mould to reduce the draft.