Smallest Boat in Hobart race heading Home

by Fiona Harper on 20 Dec 2008 The smallest and oldest boat in the 2008 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race is heading home. Last year Sean Langman's Maluka of Kermandie left behind the Kermandie Marina at Port Huon and the sheltered water cruising just a whisper away in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and headed north to the bright lights of the Big Smoke. But she's homesick and is now in Sydney preparing to head south back to the Kermandie.

Fioner Harper tell us us about Maluka of Kermandie's home port.

'Being a boatie who spends a lot of time exploring our coastline and enjoying dropping into marinas regularly, it’s easy to become blasé about the fabulous cruising grounds that exist in Australia as I watch another sunset from the comfort and safety of my berth.

We are indeed blessed with great marinas located amid breathtakingly beautiful cruising grounds. And for sheltered water, cool climate cruising just a whisper away from the southern Tasmania wilderness, the D’Entrecasteaux Channel is one of the best.

Think raw, wild peaks of the Hartz Mountains National Park towering over lush apple orchards (from which the 'Apple Isle’ nickname originated) that tumble down into the Huon River. Wind-less days offer idyllic seascapes as the mist hovers above the water before it climbs up the valley where it seemingly blends into the hovering cloud that conceals the mountaintops.

Kermandie Marina Port Huon, south of Huonville, and north of Dover, is ideally placed for boaties to take advantage of this very special cruising ground. A small, intimate marina, Kermandie Marina is the kind of old fashioned place where everybody knows each other and keeps an eye on each other’s boats.

Don’t expect swanky docks with high tech swipe cards here, with silver service restaurants and valet parking. It’s simple, it’s secure and it’s very, very friendly in this picturesque 80-berth marina. Plus there’s the added bonus of the Kermandie Hotel right across the road, which boasts traditional country hospitality, with a terrific restaurant that specialises in local seafood and produce.

Navigating your way into Kermandie Marina is fairly straightforward, though it never hurts to ask a local, just to be sure you have up to date information. Head northwest into the Huon River from the D’Entrecasteaux Channel at Huon Point, leaving the curiously named Eggs and Bacon Bay to starboard. Follow the buoyed channel past Shipwrights Point and into Hospital Bay, just west from the Port Huon Wharf. Kermandie Marina is positioned at the junction of the Kermandie River.

Fuel is available by prior arrangement via a refuelling truck. Or, alternatively, the closest fuel dock is located at Oyster Cove Marina at nearby Kettering. A new amenities block has recently been installed, as previously marina guests used the facilities at the adjacent Huon Valley Sports Centre.

Marina guests are still welcome here, particularly if you want to use the indoor heated swimming pool. Haul-out facilities are currently not available, though this will change as the marina undergoes an upgrade. There is, however, plenty of hardstand space for trailer boats.

Contact Kelly at the Kermandie Hotel to recommend local tradesmen, to deal with any maintenance or repair issues. While the marina is undergoing an upgrade, the Kermandie Hotel currently handles all berthing enquiries. The region has a long and intriguing shipbuilding history, so it’s not hard to find quality tradesmen who really know boats.

Indeed the Wooden Boat Centre is a ‘must do’ for anyone with an interest in boat building. Located just upstream at Franklin, the Wooden Boat Centre welcomes visitors to watch craftsmen and students create handcrafted vessels using traditional methods, predominantly out of shipwrights’ gold- Huon pine. There is a navigable channel up the Huon River from the Kermandie Marina, but check with the locals for the latest conditions before heading out.

Or, if you want to travel by land, just catch one of the buses that run regularly between Geeveston and Hobart. In fact, if you wanted to leave your vessel long-term at Port Huon, Hobart is just under an hour away by road. Though once you start cruising the southern Tasmania wilderness, you’ll feel a million miles away from any civilisation.

For a Complete Guide to marinas visit the Australian Marinas Guide www.marinasguide.com.au

Essentials
Kermandie Marina
LAT 43°09.5S LONG 146°57.5E

Huon Highway Port Huon
Tasmania 7116
Ph 03 6297 1052 Fax 03 6297 0064
www.kermandie.com.au


Events
Taste of the Huon Festival 8-9 March 2009
Huon Tasmanian Salmon Port Esperance Regatta 10-12 April 2009