Boating weekend pics......

[AndieMac]

Last weekend our trailer-boat club did a trip out to the islands off north-west Tasmania. The area is well known for its great scenery and fishing, but also the harsh sea conditions caused by big blows and big tidal variations. Rarely visited by anyone but locals, we enjoy the quiet anchorages, and sometimes challenging conditions to get out there.

Our boats are only 23' feet long, but during our boating season we cover a pretty vast area.

The group anchored in Shepherds Bay on Hunter Island, looking east towards Three Hummock Island:

The following three were taken in our favourite anchorage, which all but dries at low tide. The kids go off and catch fish and explore, while the adults do some serious relaxing!

Back at the ramp, ready for the tow home:

 

[oceanfroggie]

Nice post. Summer time down there

 

[jfm]

Thanks, great pictures. I hadn't realised you ran a Bertie. Respect! Lovely boat. (I'll have to make a post of Bertram pics soon!)

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Thanks! I'm homesick for a place that isn't even my home.

 

[FunkyMonkey]

lovely pics, im sitting here looking out the window at a dull grey sky feeling totally envious of that first picture....

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Your Bertram is sweet Andie. Nice pics

 

[Divemaster1]

Great pictures ... and nice Bertram !!

Thanks..

 

[Scubadoo]

Great pictures and makes another dull day just that bit brighter.

 

[AndieMac]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen.........


As you can see by the wetsuits on the kids, the water isn't exactly tropical (around 18 C), but my son (Andie) takes every opportunity to go for a dive.
The air temp. averages between 21 and 25 deg. C (this time of year), with very little, if any rain.

The top photo, although looking peaceful, was us pretty much licking our wounds after spending the day running about 50 miles in a wind over tide (30 knots). A case of "the anchorage should be better around the next headland", sort of thing.
The islands are just north of Cape Grim, where it is apparently the cleanest air in the world (thats what they tell us).

The little 'Bertie' is the baby of the range, the pocket game fisher has been converted into a trailable family cruiser that we feel safe in, not as flash as others, but we have been customising her to suit us.

 

[epervier]

Thank you for sharing, here it's currently +3, grey, and a promise of more rain.

Very nice looking set up.

 

[AndieMac]

Here is a link to some (phone quality) video footage taken just prior to anchoring in the first photo. We were running under the lee of an island (Hunter)
after getting flogged out further.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEJ_eK8oyt4

 

[BartW]

Hey Callum,
why did you wait such a long time to disclose such a nice boat ? and trailable ;-)
more of that pls.
can you share some more info and pics on your Bertram ? There are a few on here who love to see them.

a trailable boat club, thats something we really miss over here
(unless you count rib's and ski boats)
thank you for sharing

 

[AndieMac]

The old Raymond Hunt designed hulls were built under license in Melbourne, by International Marine (Caribbean), since the very early 1970's.
I think the 25' Bertram could well have been the smallest mould in the very early days, but being 10' wide and very weighty, caused trailable issues even for large 4x4's.
I ran a 25' version on a tri-axle trailer for a couple of years, but having to own a small truck just to tow the outfit, became a hassle. I do miss the boat though, especially when being beaten up in head seas!

The club is great, besides being great mates, they keep pressure on the group to attend the various trips. Sometimes it gets very easy to put off going away on the boat........and before you know it, the season has finished.