Getting Started

Hello and welcome to my running account of a circumnavigation of Australia in the cruising yacht  Mirrool.

About Me

My name is Russ Swan and I'm 62 years old. Some might say I'm a little old to be attempting this but I'm a believer in the adage - Use It Or Lose It.  And sailing is a great way of keeping active and mentally alert. Even the emotions get exercise - from exhilaration through to fear induced sphincter exercises, but mostly it's just good to be out on the water and meeting the various challenges that get thrown your way.

So far I have sailed on different voyages from Fremantle WA to Mackay QLD across the top end.  My previous boat Lowana IV took me several times to the Kimberley Coast of WA, the eastern regions of Indonesia and across the top end of the NT.

About the Boat

 

The boat is a 30ft Clansman sloop powered by sails and a 20hp Yanmar engine. It's quite solid with 24mm of solid glass on the hull and 2 bulkheads. I had to get the boat surveyed for insurance purposes and the bloke told me it's the best Clansman he's seen.  He gave me an excellent survey report.

At dockside in Cairns Qld

On the hardstand

The inventory is everything I could wish for with heaps of available power, including 5 x batteries, 3 x solar panels, a wind turbine generator, 2 x engine alternators (one above engine rating). For steering there's a tiller, a Fleming wind-vane and 2 x autopilots. There's even an electric anchoring winch. She's a bit short on sails with just the mainsail and genoa, but at least the genoa is on a furler. All sheets/ropes lead back to the cockpit for safe night handling.

Last but by no means least is one of the things that I really wanted, a RIB - rigid inflatable boat.  The one fault was that the depth sounder didn't work, so I've had to buy a new one. Unfortunately there's been a delay waiting for a thru-hull transducer to be delivered, but I'm hoping that will come today.  In the meantime have been going through all the interior lockers cleaning and checking everything, so that I'll know where an item is if I need it quickly. Also checked the hull. Removed some paint blisters, checked and replaced anodes, and applied antifoul to the hull. It's been a busy week.



Fwd berth

Looking aft.
Galley sink, metho stove and Engle
fridge at left. Dinette table
and quarter berth behind that.