We are looking to sail a catamaran around from Brisbane to WA around the top of Australia. Whilst I understand the weather can be unpredictable, are there times when it's relatively calm and swell relatively quiet? We have all the time in the world to do so.
I did this trip about 6 years ago.
Make sure you are coming down the WA coast no later than September.
For the WA section of the trip, you'll find the WA Cruising Guide to be invaluable:
fsc.com.au/cruising-section/wa-cruising-guide/
There is a whole section on cyclones and how to avoid them.
We did the trip in our 38' Cat in 2023, up the QLD coast arrived Cooktown area mid may, Cape York & Thursday Island mid June,
Arrived in Darwin first week of July, restocked and headed to the Kimberley explored rivers and bays and arrived in Broome end of August.
Dampier/ Montebello islands then the hard slog into the predominant Southerly winds all the way to Perth. and got to Busselton in November.
Sailing across to Broome was no problems just tides & current to plan for you will motor a lot. We carried 6 jerry cans of Diesel. You can get fuel at Dog leg creek $4 litre 2023, getting fuel in Broome is painful (we didn't) we filled up in Dampier.
Sailing from Montebello's we used the morning Easterlies and tried to do day hops as much as possible.
Steep Point to Geraldton was overnight,
Jurien Bay to Perth overnight.
We also cruised back to Montebello's from Busselton for a few months and sailed down in August 2024 using NW winds in front of weather changes and did no sailing into headwinds.
A few people stay in Darwin over the wet season or leave boats in the marina's but that was not an option for us.
Go soon and do the boat trip through Horizontal Falls before it is banned , 2026 is the last year I think.
Select to expand quoteSeadevil said..
We did the trip in our 38' Cat in 2023, up the QLD coast arrived Cooktown area mid may, Cape York & Thursday Island mid June,
Arrived in Darwin first week of July, restocked and headed to the Kimberley explored rivers and bays and arrived in Broome end of August.
Dampier/ Montebello islands then the hard slog into the predominant Southerly winds all the way to Perth. and got to Busselton in November.
Sailing across to Broome was no problems just tides & current to plan for you will motor a lot. We carried 6 jerry cans of Diesel. You can get fuel at Dog leg creek $4 litre 2023, getting fuel in Broome is painful (we didn't) we filled up in Dampier.
Sailing from Montebello's we used the morning Easterlies and tried to do day hops as much as possible.
Steep Point to Geraldton was overnight,
Jurien Bay to Perth overnight.
We also cruised back to Montebello's from Busselton for a few months and sailed down in August 2024 using NW winds in front of weather changes and did no sailing into headwinds.
A few people stay in Darwin over the wet season or leave boats in the marina's but that was not an option for us.
Go soon and do the boat trip through Horizontal Falls before it is banned , 2026 is the last year I think.
We are contemplating just from Cairns around to Broome with an extended exploration of The Kimberley's versus just 3/4 months in The Kimberley's in a 28 foot trailer sailer. Thoughts? We have been semi invited to join a couple of other maxi trailer sailers on this adventure in 2026 instead of just our planned Kimberley's adventure.
We have equipped our unusual crossover yacht with 250 litres of fuel and 250 litres of drinking water along with 12v desalination. We have adequate solar (1400w) with all the extra folding panels deployed ( over 1000w fixed) and over 800ah of lithium battery storage which allow also using our electric outboard auxiliary which can move the yacht at around 3 knots in doldrums with no fuel use. These also power all our 240v induction cooking, hotwater, desalination, outboard battery charging, compressor refrigeration and separate freezer and many other power uses.
Our yacht is briefly capable of 15knots under its main outboard but this ability is very rarely used (eats fuel) but has come in handy in the past running over adverse currents or quickly exiting brewing bad weather. What was the maximum time between anchorages? Just being a couple we have no love of really long passages especially on short watch change overs at night. We have however lived for months onboard out sailing so are no strangers to fairly extended cruising on our Imexus 28.
Grith,
The only overnight sail we did between Darwin and Broome was to cross Bonaparte Gulf to the entrance of the Berkeley River.
Tides and current will rule the distance you travel each day. Exploring the rivers you will mostly motor as the wind always seems to be
a headwind as it funnels down the cliffs.
Also be aware that you may need to get Permits from various Land Councils if you want to go ashore anywhere. This is a time consuming and confusing process and can take weeks to get reply (if at all).
Lots of useful information on the Kimberley Coast Cruising Yacht Club Forum.
