Comby Point Bar Crossing

[Ariat Fishing]

Hi Guys,

New member, purchased first boat about 18 months ago, Cruise Craft 720 Explorer Hardtop and have been running out of Manly Trailer Boat Club up to Flinders, Hutchies, Deep Tempest and alike - I have no friends with boats so have been trying to learn and understand the idiosyncrasies of the Comby Bar to safely cross it and the decision making when looking at the weather on when to go or not go. Basically I have adopted the following rules that I work by - Wind less than 15 knts, Swell 1.5 mtrs or less and out of the East or South - no go on NE or North Swell direction, Point Lookout Wave Rider Bouy less than 1.5 > 1.6 mtrs indicating. Anything greater than this I don't normally go out and to be truthful I rarely go outside with winds above 10 knts.

To cross Comby Bar I have adopted these rules - if the above parameters have been met, wind, swell, tide all running the same direction then all good to cross. If any parameters are working against each other eg.. tide against wind and swell, I will only cross if wind is very light. If wind is up above 5 knots and opposite parameters exist I will normally play it safe and travel out between Venus Banks and Salamander Banks up the North East Channel to the Trench and then turn right and go across to Flinders from there.

Can you guys let me know if I'm on the right page with my thinking and what to watch for so as not to get caught out ?

I am doing a South Passage Bar Crossing Course with Bill Corten tomorrow just as a point of interest.

Thanks in advance

Terry

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi Ariat Fishing

First of all, welcome to the forum! I hope you like it on here. 

I am sure someone on here will be able to help  you on here with your question about the bar, but unfortunately as I am a boating novice I am clueless, sorry. 

Cheers Hamish  

[Ariat Fishing]

Hi AUS-BNE. 

Thanks mate hope you get some tight lines ( and not on snags  )

Terry

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

15 hours ago, Ariat Fishing said:

Hi AUS-BNE. 

Thanks mate hope you get some tight lines ( and not on snags  )

Terry

Hey Ariat Fishing

All good, haha, I hope they aren't on snags either. Same with you  

Cheers Hamish

[ellicat]

Welcome to the forum, Terry.

I would be interested in your Bill Corten feedback/opinion plus any tips apart from the ones you have stated.

[Ariat Fishing]

Will let you know ellicat, will most likely go out later this week coming when the Southerly brings the bigger swells, Bill is the only guy who looks forward to crap sea conditions

[Hweebe]

Same thing happened when I booked the course in with Bill. He said weather / swell was not big enough to learn effectively so pulled the pin. He wants you to learn in poor to rough conditions so you will be confident when you are back in your boat.
For me the course was expensive but a no brainer As I did not know anyone who owns a boat or with experience crossing bars.

If you have knowledgeable mates with experience crossing bars and you cross bars with them often that is probably a better way to learn through experience.

I found that the course in his big cruise craft (685 I think) and 250/300hp with fly by wire throttle it is a very different and stress free experience crossing bars in a boat that size/power compared to our smaller rec boats.

Having  that much boat and hp right at your hand made crossing bars a completely different experience. In saying that everything you learn from reading waves, sets and boat positioning crossing bars all applies in your smaller boat.

 

 

 

[Ariat Fishing]

Hi Hweebe

Thanks mate, good to know that bigger boats make it easier. I have the same boat as Bill a Cruise Craft 720 Explorer HT with a 300 hp Yamaha, he is actually going to do the course in my boat and also spend a few hours once we cross the bar setting up my Garmin Sounder correctly. 

The main issue I face probably like a lot of people is finding the time to get out whilst trying to balance work, home life, children etc... 

I have never stayed out on my boat overnight - so going to try that soon as well.

My boat pic attached.

[Hweebe]

Certainly I think you will benefit even more if you do the course in your own boat it will give you confidence when you can say you have done bar crossing in your own boat and know how it will handle.

Bill will get you on to some starter GPS tracks for crossing south passage and always extends a life time offer to update the points on request - so that is a real positive in itself.

BTW that is a very sweet first boat many of us can only dream of something like that but at that size you should be feeling pretty safe in typical boating conditions.

The only thing i would add to your top post is the typical rule of thumb for someone starting out is to avoid crossing at bottom of low tide regardless of other conditions. Not saying it can't be done, it just crossing at other time you have more margin over hitting random sandbars.

So in planning if the crossing will coincide with low low, you would just adjust your launch time ahead or after a couple of hours to give you some margin.

 

Cheers,

Hweebe

 

 

[Ariat Fishing]

Thanks Hweebe - appreciate all the advice - Thanks again - Terry