We intend taking our 50′ traditional timber ketch from Singapore to Cairns, and then on further south, in November/December this year. There seems to be varying opinions of best routing. Would love to hear from anyone who has done it.

Your best bet is to head SE across Indonesia then make your way east through the Timor and Arafura Seas to the Torres Strait. However, the best time to do this in is not later than early November, just before the onset of the new cyclone season. So my advice is to try and sail to, say, Bali, (or further east if possible) in October, and do the critical bit by late October/early November.

Jimmy Cornell, noonsite