Magnetic Island
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2025 6:14 am
Gidday everyone, Finally went for a mid-week 2 day solo sail, checked out the southern coastline of Magnetic Island.
The weather conditions were Easterly 15-20knots, tropical hot 31C air, and 26C sea temps. Also Super fullmoon and big spring tides (0.6m to 3.9m). It was the first outing in over a year (allot of "land stuff" and boat maintenance)
Launched Ross River boat Park but the afternoons had strong ebb tide against wind/sea was a challenge to deal with, not the usual experience. Also a protective sand bank (for rigging up at anchor, after bridge) was gone, it was washed away by floods and a cyclone last wet season.
Anchored overnight in the "Duckpond" at Townsville port, it's calm for a good sleep (even tho the wind kept going at East 10 kts). Had to remove the transducer from the bow locker in forecabin as the F'finder/depth sounder didn't work. Jury rigger transducer back on transom to get it going again ( vital gear for spring tides!)
Next morning the Easterly increased strength, sailed starboard reach/broad reach at 5knots, 7.5 nautical miles to west point, (along the more sheltered lee coast of Magnetic island.) (West point has a good swimming beach and some off-grid beach houses, 4wd road from Picnic Bay, so a small tourist presence, a couple of "tinnie" fishos' there ) The forest covered steep bouldery hills shelter this side of the Island from tradewinds.
The return trip was on port tack beating into it at 4 knots, spray flying. The sail pro 6 hp has allot of push-power to motor or motor/sail into headwinds and chop when needed. Only ran at about 1/2 -1/3 throttle, to get a sea-kindly hull speed. Burnt about 2 litres 91 petrol on the trip, its so economical/quiet so it's used a bit more than the old 2 stroke.
The tillerpilot did most of the steering in the open areas, great for fatigue management. and for things like dealing with cabin windows mighty leak, onto my bunk, so folded the bunkswab away and bucket on wet rags sorted it out.
Motored back into Ross River at 4 knots, a good dry speed in the ebb tide against wind/sea.
Good thing about mid-week trips with allot of wind up, hardly any boats using the boat ramps. (but drove back thru peak hour 3pm school zone traffic)
The weather conditions were Easterly 15-20knots, tropical hot 31C air, and 26C sea temps. Also Super fullmoon and big spring tides (0.6m to 3.9m). It was the first outing in over a year (allot of "land stuff" and boat maintenance)
Launched Ross River boat Park but the afternoons had strong ebb tide against wind/sea was a challenge to deal with, not the usual experience. Also a protective sand bank (for rigging up at anchor, after bridge) was gone, it was washed away by floods and a cyclone last wet season.
Anchored overnight in the "Duckpond" at Townsville port, it's calm for a good sleep (even tho the wind kept going at East 10 kts). Had to remove the transducer from the bow locker in forecabin as the F'finder/depth sounder didn't work. Jury rigger transducer back on transom to get it going again ( vital gear for spring tides!)
Next morning the Easterly increased strength, sailed starboard reach/broad reach at 5knots, 7.5 nautical miles to west point, (along the more sheltered lee coast of Magnetic island.) (West point has a good swimming beach and some off-grid beach houses, 4wd road from Picnic Bay, so a small tourist presence, a couple of "tinnie" fishos' there ) The forest covered steep bouldery hills shelter this side of the Island from tradewinds.
The return trip was on port tack beating into it at 4 knots, spray flying. The sail pro 6 hp has allot of push-power to motor or motor/sail into headwinds and chop when needed. Only ran at about 1/2 -1/3 throttle, to get a sea-kindly hull speed. Burnt about 2 litres 91 petrol on the trip, its so economical/quiet so it's used a bit more than the old 2 stroke.
The tillerpilot did most of the steering in the open areas, great for fatigue management. and for things like dealing with cabin windows mighty leak, onto my bunk, so folded the bunkswab away and bucket on wet rags sorted it out.
Motored back into Ross River at 4 knots, a good dry speed in the ebb tide against wind/sea.
Good thing about mid-week trips with allot of wind up, hardly any boats using the boat ramps. (but drove back thru peak hour 3pm school zone traffic)
I fall down often with this.