3:15 AM Wed 30 Sep 2009 GMT 'Better them wet than you - Noakes Youth sailors Andrew Woodwood and Angus McKay delivering Allira to Kermandie - Kermandie Marina' Cathy Titmarsh Click Here to view large photo Just 45 minutes drive south from Hobart, Tasmania, along the shores of the picturesque Huon River at Kermandie, a new state-of-the-art floating marina has become the perfect launch pad for those wishing to explore the magnificent waterways of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Huon River and Bruny Island. If the prospect of a tough Bass Strait crossing is making these legendary waterways seem out of reach then Noakes has the solution. Utilising its established Noakes Youth program and a master class 5 skipper, young sailors looking to get their sea miles up are now available to deliver yachts from mainland Australia to the Kermandie Marina, which offers permanent and casual berthing and boat storage for a fraction of the cost of marina berthing in the major ports. The service has been successfully trialled with two Noakes Youth sailors delivering Allira, a Hallberg-Rassy 43, from Sydney to Kermandie on behalf of owner Peter Tomasetti. 'We were looking for alternate ways to provide offshore experience to our Noakes Youth sailors and a convenient and inexpensive way to deliver boats to Kermandie Marina,' said Noakes Group managing director Sean Langman. 'Owners have the option of casual holiday berthing or leaving their boat on the marina year-round and flying down to cruise the magnificent local waters.' Kermandie Marina was added to the expanding Noakes Group business in 2005, Sean Langman's passion for the Huon area of Tasmania truly fulfilled in 2007 when he and business partner Chris Stannard purchased the adjoining Kermandie Hotel, a beautiful 1932-built waterfront hotel offering sailors comfortable accommodation without the swaying. Kermandie Marina on the shores of the Huon River - Kermandie Marina - Cathy Titmarsh Click Here to view large photo For skippers seeking a different pace after this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the Kermandie Marina offers sanctuary with all the modern facilities. Car parking is just 20 feet from the marina and a live-in caretaker can assist with berthing arrangements and special requests. With five other Noakes ship yards stretching along the Australian east coast, and being an avid sailor and boat owner, enhancing Kermandie Marina was a priority for Langman. Using local products and tradespeople he and Stannard have upgraded the original jetty and expanded the marina to a world class facility built to Australian standards. Proposed developments within the next two years include a travel lift, thereby turning the site into a working yard for boat maintenance and repairs. Clients will have the choice of either utilising Noakes' professional team of skilled shipwrights and boat builders, or do-it-yourself. To book a casual or permanent marina berth on the new Kermandie floating marina contact 03 6297 1052, mobile 0409 499 545 or email kermandie@kermandie.com.au To enquire about the yacht delivery service to Kermandie please email sean@noakes.net.au www.kermandie.com.au by Lisa Ratcliff Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:

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