E113 - A Breakdown Going Through The Rip, Port Fairy, Apollo Bay to Port Phillip Bay

[@peterpuplett539]

Well done.

[@markandmellwhiteley7995]

awesome adventure

[@SailingNoRegrets]

Our circumnavigation has been our most awesome trip, unforgettable

[@markandmellwhiteley7995]

@@SailingNoRegrets and thankyou very much for sharing with us 😀

[@hughmadey9659]

Nice job

[@SailingNoRegrets]

Thanks!

[@chippyjohn1]

How do you find having a Cat around south Australia? non bias opinion preferred. Thanks for the video.

[@SailingNoRegrets]

I sail raced for a couple of years in Adelaide and now own a catamaran living aboard full time almost 5 years . Each have their own benefits. For me I like the space and minimal heeling, never really understood the appeal of walking on the walls! Other aspect, do you like sitting in the basement (down in your hull below water level looking out tiny portholes), or on the patio (through our big opening windows and trifold lift up doors with 360 views) when you are at anchor? That said, not all catamarans offer the same benefits. Cats with high helms (up on the roof) may be good at looking down on reef, but you wouldn't like the ride halfway up your mast as the movement is greater and more uncomfortable, therefore sitting 2-3 metres off the water in several brands of cats isn't for me either. It also greatly reduces your mainsail area and they are generally much slower. In the colder climates (Tasmania) our big windows with lots of glass was less favourable, it was more difficult to heat and excessive condensation on the windows inside was an issue. Cost is a deterrent for a cat for sure, but I certainly would not want to live aboard a mono if money wasn't a factor.

[@chippyjohn1]

@@SailingNoRegrets Thanks mate. Dream to build a mono, but motor powered with a kite. Comfort comes down to design. I was wondering more about rough weather, how do you find the cat?

[@SailingNoRegrets]

Bashing into the wind is crappy on either, but I would think a mono is smoother as it is heavier and cuts through nicer with smoother slower motion. That said, heading down the west coast out of the 4 boats, we were the only ones sailing with our lovely self tacking jib. Holding at 30 degrees AWA we sail like a mono, but all of us thought the passage was terrible. Going downwind in stronger conditions we are MUCH more stable, the mono had to watch for rounding up and powering up across the wind and waves, so always at the ready to let the main sheet out, we just sat inside with the autopilot holding course with us all nice and dry, catching the waves and surfing along just flying away. Really, unless your going to Antarctica or the Arctic then I'd be worried about a knockdown, but really who sails there unless your name is Lisa Blair! Marinas in Vic and WA are certainly harder with a cat, but we got in everywhere around Australia, but certainly 40-45 foot is a max otherwise you are VERY limited to options.

[@chippyjohn1]

@@SailingNoRegretsThanks for all your replies. Hope all is going well for you. I look forward to time on the ocean, tired of being surrounded by people.