White & McAllister Building Services

NOTICE OF CRUISE

If a challenging 800 nautical mile cruise-in-company around Tasmania with experienced, friendly people appeals to your sense of adventure, then don’t delay in registering your interest in this truly unique and unforgettable event. The cruise is gaining a considerable national and international reputation and a place in the 45-boat fleet may be hard to obtain closer to the start of the event.

The spectacular coastline of Tasmania is a superb natural environment for birds and sea-life, as well as for people who enjoy sailing or motor cruising! The Van Diemen’s Land Circumnavigation (VDL-C) cruise includes beach barbecues, visits to friendly fishing ports and yacht clubs along the way, with plenty of time to explore scenic inlets, rivers and harbours; and to relax in uncrowded anchorages in some of Tasmania’s most remote and beautiful national parks and world heritage areas.

Click here to see a map showing the route to be taken .

This will be the 10^th VDL-C cruise staged by the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and the 4^th run in conjunction with the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. The 5-week cruise  will start from Hobart on Wednesday 16^th February 2011 and follow a well-researched anticlockwise route around the island to return to Hobart on Tuesday 22^nd March 2011. This allows time for plenty of relaxation, social occasions, exploring ashore and sheltering from inclement weather.  Click on the 2011 Cruise Plan to see details of when it is proposed to be where. Please be aware this is only a plan; the precise timing or arrival and departure at each location will dependon the weather and the wishes of each individual boat.

A cruise commodore and radio officer will accompany the fleet to ensure your cruise is as safe and enjoyable as possible. Twice-daily radio scheds will keep you informed about forthcoming attractions, get-togethers and weather forecasts. Nothing is compulsory except reporting to the radio relay vessel each day at the evening sched.

The cruise is open to seaworthy vessels with an overall hull length exceeding 30 feet (9.15 metres) that meet cruise safety standards and crew experience requirements. The entry fee of $A495 includes a comprehensive cruise manual full of all kinds of useful cruising information, the latest edition of the Tasmanian Anchorage Guide, a Tasmanian national parks pass, a cruise flag and commemorative plaque, 2 complimentary tickets to the end-of-cruise dinner in Hobart, as well as fishing, tourism and victualling information.

Further background information   for the cruise and how to prepare for it is available as a download, as are the recommended equipment and safety requirements .

To register your interest in joining the cruise, send the completed Expression of Interest (EOI) form, together with a deposit of $100 and one or more photographs of your boat that clearly show her lines (for the provisional acceptance process), and that can be used for identification purposes in case of emergency, to the address given below. The EOI form can be downloaded as a printable document suitable for completion by hand, or is available as a MSWord document you can download should you wish to complete it using your computer.

The size of the 2011 VDL-C fleet is limited to 45 boats. Please be aware that the last couple of cruises have been over-subscribed by up to 20 boats; thus, it would be wise not to delay submitting your EOI once you have decided to give it a go. Your deposit will be refunded if you decide not to come after all – providing you make that decision before you are invoiced for the full entry fee (2 or 3 months before the start of the cruise). Click here for full details of the refund policy.

Please note your provisional place on the cruise (or in the queue) is not reserved until the $100 deposit has been received at the RYCT in Hobart. Click here for the current state of the queue. Just because there are more than 45 boats ahead of you in the queue, please don't lose heart. For one reason or another, many will drop out before the commencement of the cruise

There is a News and Notices for particpants that have already submitted an expression of interest.

Please address all correspondence to:

2011 VDL-C Cruise
Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania            Tel:        03 6223 4599
Marieville Esplanade                           Fax:      03 6223 1308
SANDY BAY   Tasmania 7005             Email:   donna@ryct.org.au
Australia