A: Firstly, you are traveling in the company of all other competitors and support craft, so help (including communication with your fellow competitors) is always nearby. In other words, these events provides safety in numbers.
Secondly, weather conditions are being monitored hourly by experts on your behalf and the day-plan will be adjusted accordingly.
Thirdly, traveling along with the rally will be fully equipped and crewed escort craft to render assistance in the shortest possible time if you find yourself in trouble.
A: Possibly. Send in your Application Form with details of your boat, its design and seaworthiness and describe its suitability to handle off-shore conditions. Also describe your own, and your crew's, experience in off-shore boating. Your Application will then be considered by the selection committee.
A: Yes. The organisers encourage family entries, but you should provide details of the boating experience of the skipper. Children under the age of 18 will require written consent of a parent or guardian in order to participate.
A: No. In an event of this nature, outright speed will not necessarily determine the fastest or most capable boat. A well designed, sea worthy boat skippered by a sensible and experienced seaman will prove more valuable at the end of the day.
A: The course instructions are contained in a day-book showing the exact course in relation to the coastline and including detailed instructions for every section. You will need to know how to use a GPS, a marine compass and marine charts. Other than that, no special training or skills are required. You will however, need some experience in seamanship and boat handling in offshore conditions. There are a number of marine navigation courses available from specialist training providers and you may like to enroll in one of these courses.
A: The event organisers will be arranging for pre-purchased lunch packs each day. In Tasmania, these will be provided by a local caterer in each town we stop at. Lunch packs will be picked up and delivered to your boat each morning by the organisers (if you elect to opt-in to this catering package plan). The cost of pre-purchased lunch packs will be approx $14 per person, per day.
Breakfast and dinner will be up to you. If you are staying at a motel, then you may purchase your meals there, or at any other place in the town. On occasions when we are staying overnight at a remote location, we may organise a group barbeque for everyone.
For The Kimberley Challenge, catering arrangements will centre around the expedition's escort ship.
A: If you have on-board sleeping accommodation then one or all of your crew may sleep on-board overnight. At most overnight stopovers in Tasmania there will be motel accommodation available and the event organisers will provide a shuttle bus to transport crews around town. For The Kimberley Challenge, overnight accommodation aboard the escort ship will be provided.
A: In the Bass Strait Rally, on all days except one, refueling distances are less than 120 NM. If required, additional fuel may be carried in jerry cans (or similar fuel containers) provided they are securely stowed.
For The Kimberley Challenge a completely different refueling arrangement will be made, based around the use of our escort ship. Details will be advised to entrants well in advance of the expedition.
Consider also the location of the fuel fillers on your boat. Most trailer boats are designed to be refueled at service stations (by standing on the ground). Bring along a jiggler to make refueling from on-board jerry cans safer and easier at sea or at a wharf.
A: As skipper, you always have the absolute responsibility to decide whether or not to proceed at sea or to return to port. The organisers require you to advise a rally official (by radio) if you are heading to a port away from the event schedule, or if you decide not to continue.
A: In the event of prolonged bad weather, the organisers may either divert the whole event from the planned course to a safer destination or they may be forced to call a halt to the remainder of the competition for the day, or even longer. Under no circumstances, will any stage of the event be run against the advice of relevant local experts.
A: Yes. Your entry fee includes tickets for your registered boat crew. If you wish to invite others then additional tickets may be purchased separately. The cost of these tickets will be advised in a newsletter closer to the date.
