An Off-Grid New Year Adventure

UNDERWAY

“Our cruise to Tasmania’s Port Davey was my family’s final voyage in Australia, and it was fitting to end our time Down Under with a bushfire. I mean, why not? Our first taste of these Australian waters four years earlier was a shark attacking our boat. At night. A hundred miles offshore. What a continent.”

12/28/2023

In this year’s final edition of Underway, we venture way off-grid in Tasmania on a family cruise through the holidays, learn about the dos and don’ts of anchoring in a tidal zone, get raw-water plumbing tips to protect your boat from flooding (or worse!), ePropulsion launches its new electric outboard lineup, and we reveal what performance cruiser took top honors in this year’s Boat of the Year competition.

Tasmania: Saving the Best for Last

From the mountain summit we looked down at Galactic, the 45-foot cutter that is my family’s home, and at the 35-foot catamaran Take It Easy, our only neighbor in the anchorage far below amid the grand cruising destination of southwest Tasmania. It was a clear, windy day, and 40-something-knot gusts had the two boats dancing around the anchorage, when suddenly we shared an uneasy feeling—it was time to get back to the boat. We started down, and then things got weird. It began as a dark cloud, which was odd, as it was a clear day. The cloud got darker, and lower, and it was red-brown, not cloud-gray. Our friends confirmed what I’d started to suspect: “Bushfire.” We picked up speed. Whatever was about to happen would be best appreciated from our boats. Our cruise to Tasmania’s Port Davey was my family’s final voyage in Australia, and it was fitting to end our time Down Under with a bushfire. I mean, why not? Our first taste of these Australian waters four years earlier was a shark attacking our boat. At night. A hundred miles offshore. What a continent.

PARTNER CONTENT

New Year's Resolution: Sail Around the World

Don’t give up on your dreams of that long-distance sailing trip. Learn from those who have done it, and turn your dreams into reality!

The Dos and Don’ts of Anchoring in a Tidal Zone

Two days into my cruise along the New England coast, I came perilously close to destruction, courtesy of anchoring in a rocky tidal zone. Here’s what I learned.

Raw-Water Plumbing Tips

Having mismatched seacock threads, using the wrong type of hose, or choosing the wrong alloy can lead to disaster. Here’s what to look for.

ePropulsion Launches X Series Electric Outboard Motor Line-Up

Conceived to deliver more than electric propulsion, the X Series touts an intelligent and integrated platform to facilitate a quieter, cleaner boating experience.

2024 Boat of the Year: Best Performance Cruiser

A pair of sleek, fast, beautifully presented yachts from Italy were the nominees for the top Performance Cruiser. Find out who took home the hardware.

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