Sail to Australia in 2010

 

Upwind

Downwind under Twistle Rig

Éowyn is a 2004 Hallberg Rassy 40 specifically set up for Ocean sailing. As well as modern electronics and communications, she carries more traditional Bluewater equipment such as windvane self steering, sextant & tables, etc. She carries a full suit of 6 sails. For a full description of Éowyn's equipment and voyages to date, visit our website

Éowyn is presently based in the Windward Isles and cruises the Caribbean. There may be opportunities to sail in the Caribbean to get to know the yacht and other crew.

Downwind Asymmetric

The skipper, Graham Payne, an Ocean Yachtmaster, has been a Little Ship Club member for more than 20 years and has completed 9 Ocean passages but never in the Pacific.

Starting in January 2010, we plan to pass through the Panama Canal and cruise to Australia. This will be a 7 month cruise and crew are required for the various legs. Windwards to Panama - Panama Canal - Panama to Galapagos - Galapagos to Marquesas - Marquesas to French Polynesia - French Polynesia to Australia. We will have 3 or 4 on board for each leg. The leg to the Marquesas is long so would only suit those with at least a couple of months to spare. We are now entered in the "World ARC" further details can be found on their website.

2010 is some way off, but if you feel this may be the cruise for you and you can offer some skills to the yacht, please contact me by Email initially, eowyn(at)mailasail.com or by telephone +44 1245 399969 (I may be away sailing!) Alternatively contact Mike Birch on 0795 8200726

Proposed Itinerary
Wed 6 Jan - St Lucia - San Blas Islands 1100 miles 6-9 days
San Blas - Cristobal(Panama) 80 miles 1 day
21-27 Jan - Transit Panama Canal
Sun 31 Jan - Panama - La Libertad/Salinas (Ecuador) 725 miles 5-6 days
Thu 18 Feb - La Libertad - Baquerizo Moreno (Galapagos) 530 miles 4-5 days
Cruise independently to Puerto Ayora 45 miles
Sun 7 Mar - Puerto Ayora (Galapagos) - Hiva Oa (Marquesas) 2980 miles 15-22 days
Cruise Marquesas and Tuamotus to Tahiti 830 mies
Wed 28 Apr - Tahiti rendezvous
Cruise Society Islands 170 miles
Thu 13 May - Bora Bora rendezvous
Sun 16 May - Bora Bora - Suwarrow (Cooks) 690 miles 4-5 days
Wed 26 May - Suwarrow-Niue-Vava'u (Tonga ) (pursuit) 540 miles 8-10 days
(72 hour stop in Niue) 230 miles
Cruise Tonga and Fiji 580 miles
Wed 30 June - Musket Cove rendezvous
Sat 3 July - Musket Cove (Fiji) - Tanna (Vanuatu) 450 miles 3-4 days
Cruise Vanuatu 210 miles
Sun 11 July - Rendezvous Port Vila (Vanuatu)
Sun 18 July - Rendezvous Porto Santo
Tue 20 July - Porto Santo (Vanuatu) - Cairns (Australia) 1260 miles 7-9 days
Cruise inside Great Barrier Reef to Thursday Island 500 miles

Interested crew should obviously have some experience, be physically fit but most importantly have a love for long distance cruising. You must also be able to take a flexible time as wind and weather considerations mean that our timetable will not be exact. I estimate that the onboard shared costs will be about £15 per person per day plus ARC costs of £75 per crew member per leg. Of course there will be flights; other travel; insurance and eating out to budget for too.