Cruising Wild: Bass Strait, Capsizes & a Dinghy Around Tasmania

 Some adventures begin with a chart, some with a dream — and some with a 13-foot dinghy and a willingness to face the wild edges of the world. In this episode, I sit down with Geoff Macqueen, the author of the newly released book Cruising Wild, to talk about his remarkable small-boat journeys, including his piecemeal but determined circumnavigation of Tasmania in his home-built Welsford Houdini.

If you've ever wondered what it’s like to cross the Bass Strait in a tiny dinghy, capsize mid-crossing, or pick a weather window on one of the most rugged coasts on earth, this is an interview you won’t want to miss.

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Building the Boat: The Houdini That Started It All

Geoff begins by sharing the origins of his Houdini — why he chose the design, what drew him to an open dinghy as his cruising platform, and what it was actually like to build a boat capable of taking on conditions that many sailors wouldn’t approach in much larger craft.

His Houdini wasn’t just a boat; it became the vehicle that taught him self-reliance, seamanship, and the realities of adventuring on a human scale.

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Crossing the Bass Strait — and the Capsize That Became a Turning Point

One of the most gripping parts of our conversation is Geoff’s detailed retelling of his first major crossing, the notoriously difficult Bass Strait.

He takes us through:

• The preparation and mindset leading up to the crossing

• The conditions he faced

• The moment everything went wrong

• The capsize, what caused it, and his painstaking recovery

• What the experience taught him about the limits — and strengths — of a sailing dinghy

This is seamanship at its rawest level. Geoff doesn’t dramatize; he simply tells the truth — and the truth is riveting.

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Circumnavigating Tasmania: The Wild West Coast

The idea to circumnavigate Tasmania didn’t come all at once. It grew from curiosity, unfinished business, and the realization that dinghy cruising offers a unique freedom: you can explore slowly, intimately, and at the mercy of nature.

The West Coast of Tasmania is almost mythic among Australian sailors:
remote, barely charted in places, exposed to the Southern Ocean, and famously unforgiving.

Geoff shares:

• Why the West Coast challenged him more mentally than physically

• How he learned patience — sometimes waiting days for a decent weather window

• What it’s like to navigate coastlines where charts are vague suggestions

• The solitude, the fear, and the sense of accomplishment that came with piecing the journey together over many years

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Sharing the Sea: Why He Now Enjoys Sailing in Company

After years of solo exploration, Geoff has found a new appreciation for sailing with others. We talk about:

• The balance between solitude and camaraderie

• How shared experiences can enrich even the smallest voyages

• Why small boats — despite their limitations — often offer more joy, not less

It’s a perspective that resonates deeply with the heart of NanoCruising.

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Why Cruising Wild Matters

Geoff’s book doesn’t just recount a journey. It documents:

• The psychology of small-boat adventuring

• The incremental nature of big goals

• The discipline of weather-watching, decision-making, and humility

• The ways tiny boats can take us deep into ourselves as much as into remote coastlines

For anyone who dreams of small-boat voyaging — or who simply wants to understand why people push tiny craft into big water — Cruising Wild is an important addition to the genre.