It was an excellent weekend.

I was also part of the Red group from Hillarys and enjoyed every minute. Navigating those bays and markers had me a bit dizzy after a while. I learnt heaps and look forward to lots more trips over there.

Well done to the organisers

Hey Escape,

Which number were you? I don't recognise the boat in the picture unless you were the Bertram I was impressed with. I put the track around the bays on my Lowrance for future reference. Did you stay on your boat or did you stay on the island?

We were Red 6.

(Unfortunately not a Bertram). Mine is a Penguin 32.

 I did the same as you, plotted everywhere we went.

Stayed on board the boat after doing the pub and food and had a great time

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150656854758303&set=a.10150595115108303.385028.715498302&type=1&ref=nf

with the penguin. Bloody nice boat. I take it she is penned at Hillarys. Obviously too big to trail. Had no problem manoevering through the bay channels?

 Most of the navigating through the channels was pretty good. Just needed to allow a bit of space to keep some speed up and a few times use the engines to steer. I must admit a few of the bays seemed like we were doing figure eights at times. It's only when the wind catches her at low speed it can be a problem but overall a very comfortable ride and had room to sleep 5.

Yes, penned at Hillary's. Good spot to be

Only issue I had with the convoy was that very few boats could not maintain a constant speed. This was constantly annoying as it meant you as the skipper couldn't relax more during the trip. But enough winging. Great weekend, great friends made and great island to visit again.

I agree with you on having to be concentrating 110% the whole time with speed variations.

It seems though that every time there is a small tweak here and there to the way the Convoy is organised to make it better each time. For example, I started in the November 2011 Convoy but had to withdraw with a motor glitch 1/3 of the way across. Before then two convoys set off parallel to one another from Hillarys causing all sorts of wash problems along with a few other issues that had boats bobbing around waiting in some fairly average conditions.

As you say it's a brilliant weekend, I am still recovering from having such a good time, (maybe too much of a good time). The whole thing is well worth it and has given me the confidence to head across safely and enjoy every bit that Rottnest has to offer.

Anybody want to add me to their Mooring list????

Cheers