Hey guys,

I am probing at the idea of attempting to cross Bass Strait this summer, or maybe next. If anyone knows of s1 with a big and fast boat that could work as support then I would be forever indebted. Nothing is formal yet I am just probing around to see what sort of obstacles I must face to get such an adventure underway and much it would cost to charter a boat. Has anyone done it before? what did they or should I do to seek sponsorship ect? Which Route did they take? I was thinking of maybe leaving Port Campbell tracking to King Is (77nm) Then King Is to Wiltshire (95nm). What are the condition similarities between Vic and North Tas? All advice is appreciated.

From http://www.nickmoloney.com/?s=1533

Guinness World Record holder for first and still the only person to Windsurf non-stop and un-assisted across Bass Strait from mainland Australia to the Island State Tasmania. 22 hours 11 minutes.

With a kite I'd imagine you'd be slower, so I'd think it would take more like 25-30 hours, depending on conditions of course. Can you kite for that long on the one tack?

Your back leg will be stuffed after 20-30 hours on one tack. hope that helps.

some kind of lockable extension brace on the knee would be the go, the front leg should be okay but you might want the same as well.

get in touch with sailors/yacht clubs who have done the melbourne to devenport or sydney to hobart

Advice?!? See a shrink! Heck, he'll probably give ya a probe too!!!

i dont think the nor-westers are as consistent or reliable as the sou-westers/southerlies. south to north is a much better idea.

we looked into doing it years ago on hobie cats, island hopping down the east side from the prom, but couldnt think of a support boat that would have enough range or be able to keep up in the windy stuff.

Yeeehaaaaaa!!! you gotta do it.

beat ya to it Echo,I booked into the Syd to Hobart yacth race next year,been practicing my long distance skills across the river mouth,complete with my survival pack....1 slab of extra dry,6 premade egg and bacon roll's,sea sickness tablet's,change of boardshort's and an inflatable zodiac just incase of the unexpected

Try getting intough with this las. She crossed the irish sea and did a distance of 70nm by kite see the link news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/2238076.stm

Also Brady i am serious. It has been on my mind for a while. So I would be keen to meet up. At least then we can split the cost of a boat.

122 nautical miles, 225 kms, wilsons prom to george town (down the river) or other way around, only difference is there are no islands to hop along the way.

The chick that Intheozone is talking about...

A Pembrokeshire extreme sports enthusiast has become the first person to kitesurf 70 miles across the Irish Sea.

Kirsty Jones, 24 from Marloes arrived at Martin's Haven, a short distance from her home, just over five hours after leaving Rosslare in the Irish Republic.

.....70 miles in 5 hours should only take you 10 hours or so, in the right wind of course.

quote:

---

Originally posted by KiteDevil

I know of another windsurfers who just rocked up at Boat Harbour. A mate is in the surf club there and in came this guy, mid life crisis kind of thing, he just told his wife he's going windsurfing and then decided he'd point south! Freaking MENTAL [}:)][}:)][/size=1]

---

That is a deadset classic.

Its just finding wind averages, perhaps I could source out a lighthouse keeper on one of the islands in the strait. They do daily observations and are pretty in tune to the local conditions. The suggestion of having a trawler as a backup boat is a good idea. Its all about timing though (finding a day when the wind starts blowing at sunrise and continues to blow all day until sunset). Syncing that up with hiring a boat will be the difficult part, unless we can get one for a week, but getting that and a skipper for that much time will be expensive. Plus it will be windy so conditions for many boats will be treacherous. My idea maybe would be to go at the time the Sydney to Hobart is on. There will be lots of traffic in the water hence more rescue craft both air and waterborn. Safety wise it shouldnt cost too much money and most stuff can either be resold or brought second hand. Fluro helmets with beacons, lifejackets, serious wetties, a camel sack and an EPIRB. Plus where the board handle is I'd insert containers for a few mars bars and extra water to reduce body weight and save the legs. I think mixing it up between toeside and heelside would be a saviour. Possibly going half an hour at a time on each. My number 1 concern is if I can do it in daylight hours cause I dont wanna be in Bass Strait in the dark. I know Nick Moloney took 22hrs but I can average a solid 20knots and if you can get the line right the distance is only 170nm.

MAD, must be an entertaining thought though.

also.... saw an article on a guy who did a long distance crossing in europe and he used 3 "boards"- a small board, a long (9 foot) windsurfer board, and then an inflatable zodiac tender. he used the boat tender to sit down for rest, and also to eat and rehydrate, while still flying the kite. he had a support boat carry the boards, (towed the tender), he wasn't using.

Another warm up would be Freo to Rottnest Island in WA, probably a little shorter than the bass strait, and when the freo doctor kicks in it wouldn't be all that that bad. I haven't heard of anyone doing it on a kiteboard. Plenty of windsurfers have done it, but the WA boys could correct me on that !!