Mooloolaba Introduction

[Moonfish]

Not necessarily related, but my good friend Eric Stone wrote a song about his time in Mooloolaba. It’s one of my favorite songs he ever made. Y’all might enjoy it, too…

https://youtu.be/puvAcFYbkWk

 

[Peter B]

Hey, I like it. Great song. Not enough songs based on Aussie places. That's one thing I admire about American songwriters. They are not backward at coming forward and featuring places in their country.

 

[Tidahapah]

Welcome on board.
The Bay, Queensland's best kept secret.
All the good information has been shared with you but also get on board the FB page Moreton Bay Cruisers. Broad selection of posters, lots of knowledge shared.
See you on the water.

 

[Serene]

Yes already onto Moreton Bay Cruisers FB. Has been very interesting reading.

BTW saw your old boat come through Mooloolaba a few weeks ago. She is up in Rosslyn Bay now.

 

[Serene]

[SNIP]

For you the biggest hassle is that its a number of hours to get to Moreton from your berth, and it can be a long trip punching into waves to get home if it turns to crap. Try to avoid wind against tide direction. Shallower areas of the Bay can become downright nasty at those times. If I have to go against strong wind I'll wait until i'm also pushing against the tide, if I can. Yes, much slower. But a lot less "excitement", pitching and spray. Your boat will be up for it, but it will not likely be called "pleasure boating" by your crew!

We had this exact situation back in early June leaving Tangalooma early on a Monday morning heading back to Mooloolaba.

The Sunday was perfect weather, but a number of squalls came through overnight. We checked forecasts for Monday morning and decided it looked OK to head home.

But once we got out the northern end of Moreton Island in the East Channel the waves were pretty nasty. Had to punch into it until we got into deep water north of the last red beacon.

The boat was OK but it was far from pleasant and I had to hand steer all the way home to adjust for each wave, so know exactly what you mean now.

I checked the North Moreton Bay waverider buoy when I got home and the wind observations at Cape Moreton and it was 29 knot gusts and around 2m metre max wave heights.

Won't be doing that again any time soon.

 

[Insequent]

Wind and tide running in the same direction makes it a lot better. I'm currently on hardstand at Coomera. But I had to head south in the Bay on the 25th with a strong wind warning for the south-easters. I timed it for an ebb tide and even though I had some gusts over 50.kn the wave heights were quite modest. Of course it was a bit of a slow trip as a result. Now, I did hide behind St Helena and Green Island for a lot of the way before a dash across to the Lazarette gutter to overnight, then pre-dawn start the next day in just 20 kn or so.

 

[Serene]

Wind and tide running in the same direction makes it a lot better. I'm currently on hardstand at Coomera. But I had to head south in the Bay on the 25th with a strong wind warning for the south-easters. I timed it for an ebb tide and even though I had some gusts over 50.kn the wave heights were quite modest. Of course it was a bit of a slow trip as a result. Now, I did hide behind St Helena and Green Island for a lot of the way before a dash across to the Lazarette gutter to overnight, then pre-dawn start the next day in just 20 kn or so.

Yeah sometimes you just have to go. We had to get back for a Dr appointment, and yes I know schedules and boating shouldn't mix, but sometimes life gets in the way!

What are you getting done on the hardstand?

 

[Insequent]

Mostly it was just for antifoul. It had been 2 years - too long. Propspeed held up not too bad. Last time I decided propspeed on the rudder was not very good. But I can now confirm that primer and antifoul on the rudders is even more poorly performed. AS pic demonstrates. Of course there were a few little jobs to do as well.....

 

[Serene]

Mostly it was just for antifoul. It had been 2 years - too long. Propspeed held up not too bad. Last time I decided propspeed on the rudder was not very good. But I can now confirm that primer and antifoul on the rudders is even more poorly performed. AS pic demonstrates. Of course there were a few little jobs to do as well.....

Looking at that pic, you should definitely go a bit faster on the trip home!

I have propspeed on my propellor and rudder which was done in October last year. Am just starting to think now about timing to do the bottom again.

Have always worked on 18months as about right, but am thinking I may need to do it closer to 12 months so I have it done before summer use. Or otherwise I do it early next year, closer to the 18months.

This photo was in January when I had the boat out of the water for pre-purchase survey.