A group of 12 boats departed Sydney at various times during January, on a cruise south to visit the Hobart Wooden Boat Festival. Five boats will be participating in the Festival, including Anitra V, Smoky Cape, Lyndenne, Flemingo, Kintail.

All boats except Nike (Sam Hunt) have reached Tasmania, which retired with a broken rudder.

There were challenging weather conditions experienced on the cruise, with forecasts daily from Clouds assisting all to find those very short windows. Some boats reported “boisterous” conditions whilst crossing Bass Strait, but they became far more manageable as they travelled down the east coast of Tasmania.

The boats and their crews are now enjoying the many cruising destinations in the south east of Tasmania, prior to coming into Hobart for the Wooden Boat Festival and the Spirit of Cruising Dinner at Shipwrights Arms, Thursday 9 February.

There will be more updates on the Hobart cruise following Spirit of Cruising Dinner.

Denis Doyle & Lynne Smith
SV ARIKI TAI