MIRRABOOKA B429, A SUNFAST JEANNEAU 42 By Lyn and David Bingham
Mirrabooka is a Jeanneau Sunfast 42 built in 1997 and was purchased from the Jeanneau agent in Burnham on Crouch {where member Dave Spencer learned to sail} by a Sydney syndicate who raced her out of the CYC for some time. She was then chartered to Sunsail who used her for offshore charters for people seeking sailing qualifications, regularly sailing between Sydney and Brisbane. She was in survey for commercial use in both NSW & Queensland when we purchased her from Performance Boating in Pittwater in July 2005. David and several crew delivered her to RBYC – it was an uneventful trip.
We commenced racing her at RBYC in Saturday afternoon with a crew of eight and Wednesday twilight races when possible. We had some success in bay racing and the skipper was keen to continue ocean racing with the ORCV as he had done with our previous boat, Amaya II. Between 2005 and 2012 Mirrabooka competed in 21 ORCV races ranging from Flinders to Vanuatu including the 100th Anniversary Rudder Cup and won the PH Division of the Offshore Championship in the 2008/2009 season. The only ORCV race never competed in was the Apollo Bay race as the only time competing in this race was “critical” a big storm had blown up and the Heads were closed and so the race abandoned.
Apart from some success as a racing yacht, she is a comfortable cruising boat and usually with a crew of four we enjoyed many cruises with the RBYC cruising group. It was always exciting to have the opportunity to live on board Mirrabooka for a couple of weeks as she was very comfortable and spacious below. There are two double aft cabins with a head/ shower portside. Forward a v-berth with another head/shower to starboard. We usually used this forward part of the boat for storing sails and other necessities like a generator and some food items. There are plenty of cupboards port and starboard and everything had it’s place. The comfortable and roomy saloon can seat eight or more and the cockpit is roomy for fine weather .
There is a very workable galley with frig, two burner gas stove and oven with everything within easy reach. We also found our Cobb oven/barbecue useful for roast dinners and sausages….setting it up in the cockpit whilst we enjoyed drinks and nibbles. There is a drop down platform at the transom where the swimming ladder can be attached for easy access into the water.
Assembling at QCYC over the last weekend in February the weather would be keenly observed and when a weather window appeared we would depart QCYC in company on a slack tide at the heads. Depending on wind direction we could head east to Refuge Cove and from there Port Albert, Hogan Islands, Kent group including Deal Island and Flinders Island were possible destinations. We used an inflatable dinghy with a reliable Seagull (circa 1967) outboard motor for going ashore.
If the wind was from the east, Apollo Bay, King Island and Port Fairy were destinations.
These cruises were on average for two weeks so plenty of provisioning was required pre departure. Depending on the destination it was possible to shop for supplies but we always had two weeks supplies of food on board just in case.
These cruises were also great social events. There was frequent VHF radio chatter at certain times of the day and night during a long passage. Once boats had arrived and were at anchor or tied up to a wharf it was time for a gathering ashore to enjoy pre-dinner nibbles together and a game of Klop or Petanque on the sand or lawn – usually sand. Then it was back to the boats for dinner and a restful night’s sleep.
A restful night’s sleep was not always on the agenda as there are tales big and small of various anchorages where it was far from restful….. with anchors dragging forcing boats to move to calmer waters.
We enjoyed the cruising group’s company for many years and are fortunate to have visited and explored destinations
such as: Refuge Cove, Corner Inlet, Port Welshpool, Hogan Island, Flinders Island, Lady Barron. Also Georgetown, Beauty Point and Launceston whilst cruising the Tamar River. Three Hummock Island, Stanley, on Tasmania’s north west coast.
Lyn has enjoyed flying to Hobart to meet up after an ocean race and cruised back along both the east and west coasts of Tasmania which included anchorages in Bathurst Harbour and Macquarie Harbour, cruising the Gordon River and wandering around Strahan.
Favourite destinations would be cruising the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, with a good supply of collected oysters and mussels on board with Recherche Bay (mind the mozzies at the Coal Bins) and Cole Creek as highlights.
Mirrabooka has participated in many of the progressive dinners on the marina held annually by the Cruising group providing a main course for up to eight including the host and hostess. This was an opportunity to have a clean and tidy up on board and to set the table nicely with candles and flowers.
Photos show Mirrabooka at the wharf at Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club, the crew taken after the 2008 Melbourne to Launceston race, and Mirrabooka flying a spinnaker whilst competing in the King of the Derwent race after the 2007 Melbourne to Devonport Centenary/Eastcoaster.
