In November 2024, we purchased a 2022 model Island Gypsy 400 through Boats International in Hope Harbour. The Island Gypsy is our second boat. Previously, we had an older, 36 foot, flybridge cruiser, which we had purchased 3 hand and owned for 3 years. Whilst we both had some history with boating prior to that, it was predominantly on dinghies and smallish yachts, including crewing for friends. Having the flybridge cruiser taught us a lot: most importantly, that we liked boating enough to commit to it further in our retirement. It also taught us, that it was not the ideal boat for our intended use. In fact, we scarcely took it out of Port Philip Bay in Victoria, but the urge to go further was certainly there and we wanted a boat that could safely and comfortably take us there.
We started to list the criteria that we were looking for to enable us to go further. After viewing a variety of boats online and at boat shows these included:
- A sedan style boat with less windage than the flybridge style
- An enclosed helm, with glass and windscreen wipers
- A more seaworthy and sea kindly hull shape, with a keel
- An economical engine – accepting the trade off, of a reliable single engine vs twin engine configuration
- Walk around decks, with high, trawler style sides for security in rougher seas
- A side door at the helm
- Sufficient space for 2 people to live comfortably for weeks on end, but not so big that manoeuvring and docking was too challenging.
- A high quality fitout with flexible entertaining area
Side opening doors to the dock on each side became a desirable, but not deal breaking feature.
These criteria shortened the short list considerably! Having seen an Island Gypsy in Victoria, it became our number one choice and we kept a look out for one with recent build date and low engine hours. This led us to find what is now the beautiful “Eileen 3”, for sale in Queensland. Whilst we had always thought about heading to Queensland from Victoria, finding the boat on the Gold Coast switched that around, so the challenge became one of being sufficiently prepared and confident to reverse the process.
Paul, from Boats International was extremely helpful during the sales process and whilst we familiarised ourselves with the boat. He answered multiple questions, both before and after the sale. Brett Flanagan, the owner of the Island Gypsy company, also took a keen interest in the process and answered some additional questions.
Initially, we just went back and forth between the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay a couple of times, as we have relatives in both places. Paul assisted us in obtaining the help of a marine electrician to add AIS, which we consider essential safety equipment. As we started to plan our trip, it became apparent to us that the key was to arrive in the various unfamiliar harbours during daylight hours and on the right tide. This meant we needed to be prepared from some pre-dawn departures. We consequently decided to also install a FLIR (forward looking infrared camera). This turned out to be tremendously reassuring, when leaving marinas or moorings in places like Southport, Macquarie Harbour and Eden, well before dawn. Being able to see boats at anchor and on swing moorings, cray and crab pots and other miscellaneous hazards, vindicated this purchase. Once at sea, we could relax and wait for the sun to come up over the Tasman.
We also added an EPIRB, liferaft and drogue/sea anchor to the list of safety equipment: all stuff we hope never to use.
After a few trips in Moreton Bay and a night at anchor off Peel Island, we felt ready to head off.
The weather was variable, and we realised that if we waited for perfect conditions (millpond seas), we were likely to never leave, so the question was, just what sort of seas could this boat (and the two of us) comfortably handle? Well along the way, we found that the answer was ‘quite a lot’. The offshore swell was rarely less than a metre and sometimes more like 2.5m with higher waves intermittently. We had it on the beam, the quarter and following at various times. Leaving Sydney Harbour, a couple of days after a major storm, we were confronted with a couple of 4m waves and rounding Cape Howe, transitioning from the NSW East Coast to Bass Strait, the waves were very messy – coming from all directions, it seemed. Nonetheless, the boat handled it all very well and we steadily grew in confidence. One broken coffee cup seemed like an acceptable casualty list.
We learned that, when cruising along rivers, like the Hawkesbury, the boat is very comfortable and very economical at 6 knots. When the seas pick up to 1.5m or more, we needed to up this to 9.5 to 10 knots, which is where she felt optimal. On one occasion, we responded to a Mayday call, when a RIB with 9 people on board was taking on water. Unbelievably, (at least to us), the skipper had no EPIRB, no AIS and was unable to tell Marine Rescue their latitude and longitude! We headed towards their probable location at a full throttle 14 knots into a beam sea, which the boat seemed to quite enjoy. Fortunately, the Marine Rescue service managed to get them all to safety shortly before we arrived, but it was a good drill for us and again impressed us with the boat’s handling ability. Whilst this was the most extreme example, we saw countless acts of stupidity on the water, both in terms of boat handling and small craft miles offshore without AIS and only visible on radar intermittently between waves, and don’t get us started on Jet Skis!
We logged in and out with Marine Rescue Queensland and NSW each day. What a fabulous service they provide, handing over to each other. It would be great if the Victorian Volunteer Coastguard was also integrated into this service.
At night we stayed in marinas or on courtesy swing moorings. We were prepared to anchor if necessary, but with some forward planning and the availability of the NSW swing moorings, we didn’t need to use that option. We ran into Blake, a marine mechanic and former member of the Island Gypsy team, working at Akuna Bay marina. He provided us with some additional helpful advice about how to best use the autopilot – and when not to use it (following seas). As time went by, we actually used it less and less as we became more skilled at reading the seas. Everyone we met, from other boaties to marina staff and chandlers, were invariably helpful and happy to share knowledge. Sharing a drink in the cockpit with some fellow travellers at the end of the day was special. We even met a lovely couple in an original Island Gyspsy from the turn of the century.
The NSW coast is especially beautiful with its sandstone bluffs, lighthouses and Norfolk Island Pines. The Hawkesbury has its own scenery with rocky cliffs, thick bush and multiple coves and inlets. Coming into Sydney Harbour was special. For a week in Sydney, surrounded by Sydney to Hobart yachts (including the recent winner), we waited out some violent electrical storms – reassuringly dry and secure on board. After the weather cleared, we did a celebratory lap under the bridge before heading out to sea again. Along the way we saw countless dolphins: some enjoying surfing our bow wave and others in Nelson Bay, laughed at our early attempts to hook up to the swing mooring. As we came into Lakes Entrance, what looked initially like logs floating between the breakwaters were in fact, multiple seals relaxing on their backs, waving their flippers as we gently slalomed around them.
We are now back in Victoria. When we departed, we were determined to only get as far south as was safe and comfortable in the time we had available. “There is nothing more dangerous on a boat than a schedule”. We were quite prepared to only get to Coffs Harbour and come back another time to complete the trip, so to bring it back to Victoria on our first attempt, well and truly exceeded our expectations. We have spent 3 weeks living on Eileen 3 and have come to appreciate what a fantastic boat it is. Not only can it handle the seas well, but it was comfortable, well designed and fitted out. The master cabin is comfortable: we would take it in turns at times to have a rest, whilst the other was at the helm. The roomy bathroom and separate shower was welcome at the end of the day and the well designed galley, with double fridges, meant we had plenty of fresh food and plentiful space to prepare it at the start and end of a day at sea.
More adventures beckon. Tasmania, Bass Strait Islands and Port Fairy – then back up the East Coast again. Lord Howe Island??
Kathryn and Simon Woods
Itinerary: total distance 861 nM
Raby Bay
Southport
Yamba
Coffs Harbour
Port Macquarie
Nelson Bay: Port Stephens (which other marina delivers free beer or wine to its guests each evening??)
Akuna Bay: Hawkesbury River
Rushcutters Bay: Sydney Harbour
Shellharbour (fabulous new marina)
Batemans Bay
Eden
Lakes Entrance
