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We are planning to sail 40ft catamaran,  down from Auckland to Wellington via the East coast this weekend, leaving sunday morning Does anyone have some useful advice or tips from those that have done this before. 

 

 

thank you

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avoid southerlies down the Wairarapa coast and strong NW once around Cape Palliser.  If its strong NW when you get to Palliser consider if you need to get to Wellington or you could have a night (or two) in Port Underwood waiting for better conditions.  A strong NW will give you a hiding trying to get to Wellington. Underwood is a close reach across the Strait. 

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Hmm, 1st for this voyage would be - be flexible.

A trip to Wellington down either coast at this time of year is not easy. Be prepared to stop, and even leave the boat somewhere if the weather is not looking good.

Current forecast is fwd of the beam down to E.Cape friday - thru about Monday, and medium to strong S sector after east cape, until maybe Monday afternoon when it slowly drops off and comes to NE, strengthening (Strong, possibly gale) over the next few days - but behind you if your around E Cape.  There will be NW gales in Cook Strait next week. 

This voyage may only be 550 odd NM, but it deserves respect - remember you are going into the southern ocean - Wellington is at 41deg20 south. It will be very cold on night watch! 

Take care, and put in a TR with maritime radio.

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29 minutes ago, Island Time said:

Hmm, 1st for this voyage would be - be flexible.

A trip to Wellington down either coast at this time of year is not easy. Be prepared to stop, and even leave the boat somewhere if the weather is not looking good.

Current forecast is fwd of the beam down to E.Cape friday - thru about Monday, and medium to strong S sector after east cape, until maybe Monday afternoon when it slowly drops off and comes to NE, strengthening (Strong, possibly gale) over the next few days - but behind you if your around E Cape.  There will be NW gales in Cook Strait next week. 

This voyage may only be 550 odd NM, but it deserves respect - remember you are going into the southern ocean - Wellington is at 41deg20 south. It will be very cold on night watch! 

Take care, and put in a TR with maritime radio.

thank you very much,

Napier is the last port if i need to stop before wellintong right ? im checking wind ,looks good all the way to east cape untill tuesday morning ?? then looks like strong NE for the rest of the week...

 

 

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34 minutes ago, Island Time said:

Hmm, 1st for this voyage would be - be flexible.

A trip to Wellington down either coast at this time of year is not easy. Be prepared to stop, and even leave the boat somewhere if the weather is not looking good.

Current forecast is fwd of the beam down to E.Cape friday - thru about Monday, and medium to strong S sector after east cape, until maybe Monday afternoon when it slowly drops off and comes to NE, strengthening (Strong, possibly gale) over the next few days - but behind you if your around E Cape.  There will be NW gales in Cook Strait next week. 

This voyage may only be 550 odd NM, but it deserves respect - remember you are going into the southern ocean - Wellington is at 41deg20 south. It will be very cold on night watch! 

Take care, and put in a TR with maritime radio.

looks like strong NW in cook strait untill friday  ornming.

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1 hour ago, grant said:

avoid southerlies down the Wairarapa coast and strong NW once around Cape Palliser.  If its strong NW when you get to Palliser consider if you need to get to Wellington or you could have a night (or two) in Port Underwood waiting for better conditions.  A strong NW will give you a hiding trying to get to Wellington. Underwood is a close reach across the Strait. 

thank you Grant, is ok to cross to Port Underwood with strong NW in the Cook strait?

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8 hours ago, Pedro said:

thank you Grant, is ok to cross to Port Underwood with strong NW in the Cook strait?

its better than trying to get to Wellington...It a greater distance however should be an easier course. 

the wind shoots out of Palliser Bay, it has been find stronger close to shore than further out (counter intuitive), further offshore the hills are less of an influence.  I have seen the Police carry out several rescues of boats that have done the same trip and been hammered getting upwind to Wellington, they boats were often ok but they just beaten back by the weather. 

Saying that, this is a view based on watching what has happened to others and observed conditions, I personally haven't done it.

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36 minutes ago, grant said:

its better than trying to get to Wellington...It a greater distance however should be an easier course. 

the wind shoots out of Palliser Bay, it has been find stronger close to shore than further out (counter intuitive), further offshore the hills are less of an influence.  I have seen the Police carry out several rescues of boats that have done the same trip and been hammered getting upwind to Wellington, they boats were often ok but they just beaten back by the weather. 

Saying that, this is a view based on watching what has happened to others and observed conditions, I personally haven't done it.

Palliser bay is a natural wind funnel. You can get out of the waves close in, but in most of the bay the wind will be stronger there than further out - sometimes 2x the real wind speed. The Ngawi fishermen will tell you that in extreme conditions its known to have stones 10mm across hitting the boat up to 10Nm out! This section of the coasts should be avoided in heavy conditions, N or S. If, when you get to Napier, you dont have 2 days of reasonable conditions forecast (for S coast and Cook Strait), my advice would be to stop, and wait until you do. Then leave, and go as fast as you can!

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25 minutes ago, grant said:
21 minutes ago, Island Time said:

Palliser bay is a natural wind funnel. You can get out of the waves close in, but in most of the bay the wind will be stronger there than further out - sometimes 2x the real wind speed. The Ngawi fishermen will tell you that in extreme conditions its known to have stones 10mm across hitting the boat up to 10Nm out! This section of the coasts should be avoided in heavy conditions, N or S. If, when you get to Napier, you dont have 2 days of reasonable conditions forecast (for S coast and Cook Strait), my advice would be to stop, and wait until you do. Then leave, and go as fast as you can!

you're coming to Wellington, only need to practice putting reefs in :-)

 

thanks, I'm checking all the options and best days to navigate, what do you think about going up to cape rianga and going down west?
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13 hours ago, Pedro said:

thanks, I'm checking all the options and best days to navigate, what do you think about going up to cape rianga and going down west?

At this time of year the weather windows don't last long. It's further round the top, and the only real harbour that's accessible is New Plymouth. It has limited shelter and is designed for ships, with little yachting infrastructure. In w/NW conditions its rolly, even behind the breakwater. The west coast is pretty rugged, and more so the further south you get. Remember that that is (mostly) the prevailing weather side of the island. 

If, for some reason, I had to do this passage at this time of year, from Auckland, I'd go E coast, no schedule, stop if needed, leave the boat if needed. But ideally if it was my boat, I'd leave her in Auckland until summer, do some cruising in the Hauraki Gulf, then in Feb I'd head south with a good 5 day forecast, and have a nice passage without being bashed (or much less likely) or frozen. :-)

That is also the advice I'd give to anyone wanting me to skipper a delivery to Wgtn. Oh, and you may not be aware, but Wellington/Mana/Cook Strait was my home territory - I sailed there for 40 years.

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1 hour ago, Island Time said:

At this time of year the weather windows don't last long. It's further round the top, and the only real harbour that's accessible is New Plymouth. It has limited shelter and is designed for ships, with little yachting infrastructure. In w/NW conditions its rolly, even behind the breakwater. The west coast is pretty rugged, and more so the further south you get. Remember that that is (mostly) the prevailing weather side of the island. 

If, for some reason, I had to do this passage at this time of year, from Auckland, I'd go E coast, no schedule, stop if needed, leave the boat if needed. But ideally if it was my boat, I'd leave her in Auckland until summer, do some cruising in the Hauraki Gulf, then in Feb I'd head south with a good 5 day forecast, and have a nice passage without being bashed (or much less likely) or frozen. :-)

That is also the advice I'd give to anyone wanting me to skipper a delivery to Wgtn. Oh, and you may not be aware, but Wellington/Mana/Cook Strait was my home territory - I sailed there for 40 years.

Thank you very much for the information, I have never sailed to Wellington from Auckland,  I have made some deliveries to the North from Auckland but no to the south. On the other hand, I have done boat transportation in the Mediterranean, Spain, Italy, France... and the Canary Islands... but here in NZ I have little knowledge of the area.  thank you very much for all the information Island Time.

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No Problem. Southern NZ is not an easy place to sail. These Pics are in Cook Strait in summer, same day, about an hour or so apart,  in pretty good weather - but a bit fresh!

P1000585.thumb.JPG.9d0f245122b848cdb17e99abe6bd2e22.JPGP1000584.thumb.JPG.9e4bf90e8d83ff71533df2d977b2c532.JPG

On a bad day, no place for a Yacht!

Strait Shipping - New Zealand - Postcards & Photographs

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Sorry if all this sounds too negative. It can be done, and the area can have fantastic sailing and good weather. You just have to choose you time carefully, and be prepared to change your plans according to conditions...

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20 minutes ago, Island Time said:

Sorry if all this sounds too negative. It can be done, and the area can have fantastic sailing and good weather. You just have to choose you time carefully, and be prepared to change your plans according to conditions...

No , is all good thank you.....

I think the best thing to do will be to go to Napier or Gisborne leaving early morning on Sunday, "looks good for now" then arrive on Tuesday throughout the day and wait there until
 the strong wind that comes from NNE dies down, probably by saturday...good fotos by the way. thank you.

 

 

 

 


 
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My added advice to the preceding is check the tidal flows around all the major capes (East, Te Reinga and / or Palliser) and try to time your passage around them with a favourable set accordingly. Avoid a strong wind against spring tide flow or else you will be in a world of pain!

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I have done twice via the east coast in a catamaran. We stopped at both Gisborne and Napier. Then continuously with hour on, 2 off watches to Wellington (3 of us). 

We waited in Napier for at least two days of favourable forecast, then went for it. We motored whenever our speed dropped below 5knots.

 

 

Below. Us in Gisborne, and friendly locals escort us out of Hawke Bay. They stayed with us for over 2 hours.

20220428_093829.jpg

20220425_115922.jpg

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