First Time On The Water!

For MacGregor/Venture owners in Australia and discussions about country-specific sailing-related topics.
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Fresh Breeze
Chief Steward
Posts: 68
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:51 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Fraser Coast Qld Australia

First Time On The Water!

Post by Fresh Breeze »

Well the time is here, Just after new year we decided to go for a sail for a couple of days, so we rang our local V.M.R and looked up the weather on the net, they both predicted about 10 knot winds, so all systems go. We decided to put in at Hervey Bay at the Urangang Boat Harbour witch is about an hour and half drive. When we got there, there was about 7-10 knot wind just right so up goes the mast. While we were loading our stuff onto the boat including the cat , a :macx: owner came over to have a chat, he gave us a few tips. We had a bit of trouble at the ramp, by now the wind had picked up bit coming from the north, side on to our :macm: when she backed off the trailer the wind took her for a ride pushing her further away from the pontoon, with one of us at the helm (with the motor running) the only way to get back to the pontoon to get the ballast in, was to reverse back into the wind. With the car and trailer parked, off we go, there were a few other motor boats going out in front of us, when we got to the entrance to the marina we were meet with 15-20 knot winds and 2-3' white caps, the other boats in front of us only got to the first marker, turn around and headed back. We went out only a few boat lengths and about turned, for our first time out we weren't going risk it. We booked a berth at the marina for the night, thinking the next day might be better. That afternoon around 4 the winds picked up while we were talking to the marina's manager on the gang way where a rocking boat nearly hit him, no joke there was 2-3' swells inside the marina. From then on he was busy going around checking boats that were working themselves loose. We did not have a good night, so in the morning out of the water we go, and while we were de rigging another Mac owner come over and introduced himself, so we had another chat. I must say it was an experience, but we will do it again and lets hope the weather is better, but how do you get a reliable weather report?! It's hard when we are not close to the coast, we are about an hour to the closest port.

Cheers All :D
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sunshinecoasting
First Officer
Posts: 402
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Sunshine Coast Queensland Australia - "Entropy" Nissan 50 CDI Furling Jib

Re: First Time On The Water!

Post by sunshinecoasting »

I'll be watching this post with interest, I have not got my X yet, it is on its way over from the States, I will typically be launching from Mooloolaba river which opens out to a reasonably protected small bay so in fair conditions we can get wet without committing to open waters, however I do intend to sail her from time to time to the sandy straits, crossing the double island point bar, Tin Can Bay and Urangan are both options so I look forward to hearing from anyone with experience in a Mac in the straits, particularly with experience crossing the bar and of course the weather for that area.

Sorry to hear you had a bad time first out, I hope mine at Easter will be more prosperous.
Cheers, Dennis.
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Mac26Mpaul
Admiral
Posts: 1066
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:36 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Gold Coast, Australia 26M "Little Annie" Etec 50

Re: First Time On The Water!

Post by Mac26Mpaul »

I start watching the weather a few days to a week before going out. Mainly I use
http://tides.willyweather.com.au/qld/wide-bay.html and make notes for the tides for everywhere I'm going and to check wind and weather. It has a 7 day forecast and is a very handy site)
I also then check http://www.seabreeze.com.au which generally seems to be more accurate for wind predictions. Usually between the two of them I get a reasonable idea of how things will be although sometimes its all out the door.....

You can also get some useful info from
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/qld/brisbane/brisbane
Scroll down to see wind etc.


and then theres the BOM

http://www.bom.gov.au/marine/
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Fresh Breeze
Chief Steward
Posts: 68
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:51 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Fraser Coast Qld Australia

Re: First Time On The Water!

Post by Fresh Breeze »

Hi Dennis
The Next time we launch it will be at Tin Can Bay, where we normally put in with our other boats we have owned (not sail) so we know the area well, made be in the next couple of weeks when the flood waters from x cyclone Oswald settle down a bit, with debris and the like.

The Wide Bay Bar can be quite treacherous, we have never crossed it ourselves, if we did we would ask the Coast Guard to escort us. We have used the Mooloolaba sea way quite a few times and gone out to the 5 mile marker due east for a spot of fishing. It can be quite interesting when coming in with the breakers breaking around the wall, when entering the sea way those waves are side on.

Dennis, I want to ask you a question. Why didn't you buy a Mac here in Australia? I know off two for sale in Hervey Bay

Cheers
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Fresh Breeze
Chief Steward
Posts: 68
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:51 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Fraser Coast Qld Australia

Re: First Time On The Water!

Post by Fresh Breeze »

Ahoy , Mac26paul

Thanks for all those web sits. We do use willy weather and also coastal watch so with all the others we should be able to gain enough info to make a forecast.

Thanks again
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sunshinecoasting
First Officer
Posts: 402
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Sunshine Coast Queensland Australia - "Entropy" Nissan 50 CDI Furling Jib

Re: First Time On The Water!

Post by sunshinecoasting »

Fresh Breeze wrote:Dennis, I want to ask you a question. Why didn't you buy a Mac here in Australia? I know off two for sale in Hervey Bay

Cheers
Purely based on price, even with the $10K import fee's the boat was only $25K landed, I was on a strict budget and simply couldnt find anything under $32K

The boat I bought has many options and is a 2000 model so I definately come out ahead. Yes it is a bit of a nuisance but I dont mind. Besides, Australia needs more Macs. :)
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