Thinking of Sailing to Tasmania for AWBF 2019?

With about six months to go before the next festival, we have started receiving enquiries from mainland boat owners about sailing to Tasmania.

“Where can I berth my boat after the festival?” is a common question.

“What else is on in Tassie after the festival?” is another.

Yes, with boat registrations open for AWBF 2019, some boat owners will now be planning ahead. Interestingly, some enquirers are not even planning to display their boats in the festival, but they plan to sail down anyway and want to know more about the Island State.

Fortunately, Tasmania has plenty to offer visiting boat owners:

• wonderful scenery
• great sailing
• awesome food and wine
• friendly yacht clubs with great facilities, and
• quality marine services to look after your boat

With Tasmania’s attractions and its well known boating opportunities, several ‘mainland’ boats which came south for previous festivals are still here! 

Some are floating homes away from home for retirees on the big adventure while others are a floating shack for owners still in the rat race. Either way, the attractions of the Apple Isle have won again.

With frequent and inexpensive airfares from most mainland capitals, the idea of having a yacht here has caught on.

For more advice on planning your voyage see this article by Laurence Burgin.

More information is available from the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania’s excellent guides here.

New marina berths

Visitors will see new or extended marinas at several locations. The Derwent Sailing Squadron  can now accommodate  vessels up to 30m and the Triabunna marina which has now been completed, offers more room for visiting boats and a fuel dock.

In addition, several new marinas are under construction, expansion or on the drawing board in 2018. Boat owners will benefit from new facilities in great locations such Margate, Dunalley, Prince of Wales Bay, Triabunna and even Flinders Island in varying stages of design, approval and construction. As they are completed, these marinas will provide even more boat hotels, and we’ll bring you more information when known.

Post festival activities

Visiting and local boaties alike will be able to enjoy some great post festival activities, which are currently being planned.  Watch for a cruise organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania and activities at Franklin on the beautiful Huon River.

Festival co-founder Ian Johnston has been discovering some special places on Tasmania’s West Coast. Here’s one of his drone images of his boat Juliene at Ketchum Bay Cove. Watch for more from Ian  – maybe a book ?

So while it’s absolutely worth the effort of Sailing to Tasmania for the festival, staying on for more sailing fun makes a lot of sense as well.

To save you searching for Marinas Tasmania here’s more information for you on yacht clubs and marinas around Tasmania .

Click on the marker to display details about each facility.

Marina managers: If your marina or yacht club is missing from this map, please leave a comment and we’ll add it in.

Tim Oxley manages the festival’s Maritime Marketplace and contributes articles for AWBF and Review Marine Products