When To Cross "the Ditch' From Nz To Aus?

[egor]

If departing New Zealand in the mid 30's, 40`s (lat) and arriving in Australia up around the 20's with a 40 foot sloop cruising at 6-7 kt

When is the best time in a year to cross?

Roughly how long would it take?

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by egor' date='24 April 2010 - 11:50 PM

If departing New Zealand in the mid 30's, 40`s (lat) and arriving in Australia up around the 20's with a 40 foot sloop cruising at 6-7 kt

When is the best time in a year to cross?

Roughly how long would it take?

If you left tomorrow - you would encounter light winds. Using the coordinates :-

40º South - 175ºEast <> 20ºSouth - 150ºEast,, averaging 5 knots for the 1760nm, it would take you 2 weeks.

If you decide on another time here is the link to Passage Weather :- CLICK

[delatbabel]

Most times of the year are OK for this, the prevailing winds are nominally east to west except in the dead of winter when they go the other way, however they are always variable. I'd suggest out of the cyclone season too. So that leaves any time from about now, May or June, or September through to early December.

[egor]

thanks for the info, great link

[muz]

Originally Posted by egor' date='28 April 2010 - 07:19 PM

thanks for the info, great link

As mentioned before winter isn't the best time as there is a constant stream of cold fronts marching across the tasman with their associated strong westerlies. These diminish above 30 degrees but you would still have westerlies until firther north. Check Australian BOM website for archive weather charts these go back 10 years and have daily synoptic charts .

I think Jimmy Cornells "world cruising routes " advise april or may as being the best time . I crossed from Opua to Brisbane in November and had mostly good weather except for about 2 days of stong northwesterlies as I neared QLD. This was due to an inland low over SE QLD. I left as a high was moving into the tasman which meant southerly winds and a good run for the first week. . I headed NE towards Norfolk Is to try and dodge the light breezes in the middle of the high before setting a more ENE course at around 30 degrees. This route added a litle to the great circle route futher south but I think it paid off. The distance covered was roughly 1300nm and the trip took 14days.

It is probably ok anytime from November to May but the begining and end of this period is probably the best as the cyclone threat is minimised. Although a cyclone that gets that far south usually doesn't have much punch left in it . There is also the possibilty of and east coast low forming off nsw but I'm not sure what time of year these are most likely to occur.

Hope you have a great trip.