Yacht Delivery Blog

We had a good trip sailing from Port Vila to Port Moresby, averaging about 7 knots for the 1500nm passage. Now we're taking a break and doing some repairs and maintenance to get ready for the next part of our journey to Kupang. The check-in process was super easy. We just dropped anchor outside the marina and the officials came to us. They filled out most of the forms for us and didn't ask us any silly questions like "did anyone catch the plague on board?" or "how many stowaways are you hiding?". They were friendly and professional, and even gave us some tips on where to go and what to see in port Moresby. Which is "nothing or you'll get your head smashed in and robbed". Port Moresby is probably a bit like Chicago of the south pacific and I was a little concerned about coming here. I've just seen a headline;  " The Gangs of Papua New Guinea We explore the violent underbelly of Port Moresby, one of the most dangerous cities in the worl...

This second leg of the trip from NZ to Thailand is nearly done now and we can see land. But amazingly as we came down the coast last night there was not a single sign of land - no lights ashore, planes, boats, or any other indication. It was only as we got to within 10nm of Port Moresby we saw a cluster of lights.  We have been sailing with a steady breeze for most of the trip, but as we approached the final 100 nautical miles, the wind died off and we had to switch on the engine. It was a bit disappointing, as we had hoped to sail all the way to Port Moresby , but we had no choice. We wanted to arrive early morning to get cleared in and get to the marina berth and apparently we have already lost a day somewhere along the way. I must have miscalculated because I was convinced that we would get in on Friday, but it turned out to be Thursday. I guess that's what happens when you are at sea and lose track of the days.  Something I always enjoy after a passage is the ...

The wind has decreased in the past 24 hours, so we are using one engine to maintain our speed. Our 24hr run was 173nm yesterday which is not too shabby. We have approximately 200 nautical miles remaining, and we expect to arrive in Port Moresby on Thursday morning.  We have encountered the first long lines and fishing boats in this region, and we have to exercise caution to avoid them. We have to keep a vigilant watch at all times, especially at night. Fortunately, it is almost full moon, which will facilitate our navigation through Torres Strait. We are pleased that our visas for Papua New Guinea were issued today, after completing a lot of documentation and communication with the authorities. The Royal Papua Yacht Club in Port Moresby have been very helpful in organizing everything for us. They have assured us that we will be cleared in immediately by the health department upon our arrival, and that we can then proceed to our berth in the yacht club. This would have been next to ...

Just a quick update - We're almost there! We've been on the water for nearly a week now, and we can almost see Port Moresby on the horizon.  The wind has been pretty strong lately, but it's calmed down a bit today. We were dealing with 30 knots of wind for a while, which made the boat go fast, but also made it harder to do anything. Now it's around 20 knots, which is still nice and breezy, but more manageable. We've spotted a lot of shipping today, all going around PNG. I guess there's a shortcut that they use to get to and from Asia.  All on board is good. We have our routine, and we enjoy the simple things.  We hope to arrive in Port Moresby by Friday, weather permitting.  But for now, we're still sailing. The photo is a ship at a mile away. 

The wind has been unpredictable, ranging from 2 to 32 knots and shifting around during the day and it's been sitting at 30 most of the night. The weather has been a mix of sunshine and rain, making for an interesting 24hrs. Despite being only 16 degrees south of the equator, it's still not as warm as I expected.  At one point, a ship came within half a mile of us. Before AIS, a ship heading towards us would have meant a lot of drama. We would have to estimate its course with binoculars , and to constantly check the bearings and decide if we should change course to avoid a collision. Now, we have all that information displayed on the chart plotter from 20 nautical miles away. Half a mile might not seem like much, but at sea it's considered a very close encounter.  Before we had chart plotters "back in the day" we occasionally had to navigate with charts which were photocopies of photocopies and were so degraded that they had holes in them. We had no idea what was ...

We have been sailing for 5 - or 6? - days now from Port Vila to Port Moresby, and today was the most challenging one so far. The wind has been blowing at 30 knots all day, creating a couple of huge waves. Around noon, a massive wave picked up the boat and spun it around like a toy. Everything flew across the cabin, and all the alarms went off for bilge pumps, off course alarm and auto pilot off course. Luckily, nothing was broken, and no one was hurt. It's hard to believe that a mere 30 knots could create such mayhem. The wind and waves have eased off now, and we are back on track. Our daily run was 164 nautical miles, which is great considering the conditions. We are making good progress and hope to reach Port Moresby in a few more days.  We even saw about a hundred birds circling around which is reassuring as presumably they were hunting fish. Though I am going to guess the fish are not in commercial quantities which is why we don't see fishing boats.   

A common topic I keep bringing up on these blogs when we are sailing is the significant decline in the amount of sea life we see in the last 20yrs. We haven't seen a bird for days, and there have been no flying fish on deck since we left New Zealand. If there is one thing I hate, it's fish. I don't harbor a grudge or have a petty personal vendetta against them, but they are just so unpredictable, especially out of the water. They are slimy, so I don't like to touch them, and they stink. So how is it that in a few million square miles of ocean where I haven't seen a flying fish in weeks, the only one around can land within an inch of me? And not only that, but the entire cockpit is screened off with clear vinyl around the sides and back, and the front has glass windows. One of the windows was open just enough for a flying fish, after having calculated trajectory, wind resistance, and the optimum time to instill the maximum amount of shock, to slip through and land di...

We had a good day today, sailing along with a steady breeze. The wind shifted in our favor around noon, and we were able to set our course directly to our destination. We have not seen any other vessels since we left Port Vila, and we enjoy the solitude and tranquility of the sea. The boat is performing well, with no major surprises. We are averaging slightly over 160 nautical miles a day, which is a good pace on the open sea. We are monitoring our water consumption, and we have plenty for the rest of the trip. We also have plenty of food and supplies on board, so we are not worried about running out. The wind is blowing at 15 around knots, and we are keeping it at 150 degrees to the boat. This gives us a comfortable angle of sail. The waves are moderate, and the boat handles them well. We have the main sail and a genoa up, and we are making good speed. We take turns on watch, and we have an autopilot that steers the boat. We check the instruments regularly, and we also keep an eye on ...

I am pleased to report that we have made excellent progress in the last 24 hours. We covered a distance of 172 nautical miles and the current weather and longer term  forecast all look good.  We still have favorable winds and seas. The wind has been blowing at around 25 knots from the south east, with 2 to 3 meter seas pushing us in the right direction. This has helped us make good progress and we are grateful for the favorable conditions. We spend a lot of time on watch when sailing downwind regularly checking the auto pilot and the wind direction, giving tweaks here and there to keep the apparent wind direction at a safe angle. Plus, I have the ultimate peace of mind knowing the most qualified Filipina sailor on the planet is keeping watch. Life on board is a world away from the daily grind. Days slip by in a peaceful rhythm of watchkeeping, catching up on sleep, and maintaining the boat. It's easy to lose track of time out here, surrounded by nothing but sky and sea. All ...

The first 24 hours of a passage are always an exciting time. It's good to finally be on the way, with the wind at our backs and the boat going very well at 7+ knots. The wind is blowing at a steady 25 - 30 knts from behind, pushing us along at a good pace. It's always hard to arrive somewhere and try to jump the queue to get things fixed, but that's just part of the job. We made good progress in Port Vila and managed to tick off our job list pretty quickly. Being a delivery skipper means you have to be ready for anything that comes your way, and that means being able to adapt quickly and efficiently. Getting fuel in Port Vila was quite an adventure. The fuel dock is a mere 50 meters away from our berth, but a pesky set of power lines stretches across the bay. This meant we had to navigate a tricky route, exiting through a reef pass, circling an island, and then re-entering through another pass. Meanwhile, most other boats enjoyed the luxury of a direct route to the fuel d...

As a yacht delivery skipper, preparing for the next leg of the trip from Vanuatu is an important task. The first step is to ensure that the boat is in good condition and ready for the journey. This involves checking the rigging, sails, and engine, as well as making sure that all safety equipment is in place and functioning properly. Next, it’s important to plan the route and make sure that we have provisions on board for the journey. This includes food, water, and fuel. We will need to carefully calculate our fuel consumption to ensure that we have enough.  In addition to fuel, water is also a critical resource on a long voyage. We will need to make sure that our water tanks are full before we set off, and we will also need to monitor our water usage carefully during the trip. If necessary, we can stop in PNG to refill our water tanks. Finally, it’s important to make sure that crew members are prepared for the journey. This includes making sure they have the necessary equipment...

The last 24 hours of our delivery to Vanuatu from New Zealand have been eventful. The weather has been cloudy and rainy, not the tropical paradise we were expecting. Despite the less than ideal conditions, we’ve been making good progress. There has been plenty of traffic on the AIS, and we’ve had to keep a close eye on our surroundings. At one point, we had to dodge a LPG carrier and its tugs in the channel as they appeared out of the gloom.  Overall, it’s been a challenging but rewarding journey. We’re happy to have arrived in Vanuatu and enjoyed a night's sleep.  Clearance into Vanuatu was an absolute pleasure, the officials were diligent and courteous and can all be found centrally located in the port .  Today we start a couple of projects in preparation for departure.  I probably won't be updating the blog until we leave on the next leg of the delivery . 

We finally made it to Port Vila this morning after a 1150-nautical-mile journey. Averaging just over six knots was impressive, considering the incredibly calm conditions. Clear skies and a flat sea made for a smooth and relaxing passage, except for the last 24 hours. After days at sea, it’s always a shock to the system to dive back into the hustle and bustle of port life. We'll be diving straight into maintenance mode now we're in Port Vila . Essential tasks include changing the engine oil and tackling the temperamental water maker. We're hoping to nurse it back to health. With a bit of luck, we’ll have the boat shipshape in no time. We're also excited to welcome Rhona aboard. She's already in port, ready to join the crew and help us get ready for the next leg of the journey. It was interesting to cross paths with a sailing rally from Island Cruising NZ yesterday. Three yachts were heading west, right across our track. It’s a shame we didn’t get to do more sailing ...

The last 24 hours have been the most exciting on our trip. We’ve been motoring for days, but the wind finally picked up at 15 - 18 knots, and the boat is going very well at over 8 knots. The islands of South Vanuatu came into view on the horizon which was a welcome sight. To top it off, we had two rare sightings: another yacht, a distant spec on the horizon, and a large ship that passed within a nautical mile of us. It's a reminder of just how vast and lonely the ocean can be. We had hoped to make it into Port Vila by Tuesday night, but the weather had other plans. So we gave up trying and decided to arrive on Wednesday morning instead.  A minor setback, but it's all part of the adventure.  The stars shine bright above us as we ride the waves, with Sirius - the dog star - twinkling to the south, and it's nice to be out on the open sea.  

My efforts at a wind dance failed and the wind is not dancing around the sails. But we have not despaired! We have the arrival in Vanuatu to look forward to, arriving on Tuesday. Which I just found out is a local holiday so we will be stuck on the boat until the next day.  Harmony is going well, despite the lack of wind. We busy ourselves with little jobs on board while it is so calm. We got the drone out and flew it over the water, capturing great footage of the yacht and the surrounding sea. Our fuel consumption is brilliant, thanks to the calm conditions. We are making good progress towards our destination at about 6knts using around 2.5 - 3 liters an hour. As we continue on, we look forward to our arrival in Vanuatu , even as the wind continues to elude us, with the possibility of a cleansing ale after we finally get cleared in.  We will not let a failed wind dance ruin our trip. On a side note I've also discovered blogs can be a good way to promote a website s...

The sea is like a giant, oily mirror today and there is no wind at all. There’s a strange kind of beauty to it, though. Although this is exactly what was forecast, it's a shame that we have to burn diesel instead of sailing but instead of reefing sails we change the engines over every 6 hours. That said, there’s something undeniably peaceful about these calm conditions. It's also the first morning I haven't needed to wear socks, so the temperature is definitely on the rise. The tasks for the day will be testing the water maker and pumping fuel from the spare tank to the main tank.  We still have 425 nautical miles to go to Port Vila and we're hoping to get there on Tuesday afternoon. Once we arrive, we can get cleared in and go straight to the dock and start preparing to leave which is the general status of delivery crew. 

The last 24 hours have seen us chasing the wind. If our tracker looks as though I’ve been trying to write my name in the water, now you know why. Typically, a few knots of wind from behind gradually pick up to almost a sailing breeze so we get the sails up. Then the breeze will either drop off or even worse start shifting further south. For us to keep the apparent wind speed up, we have to follow it around until we are so far off course it’s quicker to motor the right way. According to the GRIBs , we will be moving into pretty much zero wind and then we will carry on to Port Vila with the area of no wind following us for the last few hundred nautical miles. Of course, it’s definitely better than too much breeze or headwinds. All is well on board and even though there are only 39 cheese burgers left moral remains high. 

The past 24 hours have been a bit slow. The wind has been practically nonexistent, and what little breeze there was came from directly behind us, so it was useless for sailing. I've been keeping an eye on the GRIBs, hoping to catch a break from a low-pressure system forming to the east. Last night, we got the occasional gust, but nothing strong enough to justify turning off the engine. This morning, there's finally a bit more wind—around 12 knots apparent—so we've hoisted the main and headsail and turned off the engine. We’re making about 6 knots, but we’re heading slightly west of our destination to keep the wind in our sails. And on a more serious note there are now only 39 cheeseburgers left. 

Looks like the weather is finally warming up as we head north! Either that or I’m becoming acclimatized to the cold. The wind died off yesterday afternoon and we’ve been motoring on one engine since then. Checking the GRIB s, it looks like we might get a decent southerly push tomorrow as we’ll be on the west side of a low-pressure system. After that, it’s looking like light southerlies or even calm conditions for the next few days. Looks like that duty-free fuel is going to come in handy! And Starlink is a fantastic addition to any yacht delivery .

With a great-looking weather forecast, we were up at 6 AM and headed to the fuel dock to take on about 1000 liters of duty-free diesel. After that, we moved to a different berth while waiting for customs to clear us out. It was a pleasure dealing with NZCS , and we were finally on our way at 12:30 PM. The main sail we bought specifically for the delivery must have a flux capacitor or something! We've been flying along, making much better time than expected. We're averaging a little over 7 knots with around 15-18 knots just aft of the beam and seas of about a meter (happy now, Gary?). The St Francis 50 is proving to be incredibly comfortable. It's still pretty chilly and I have been thinking about sewing some of the blankets we bought to protect the interior and making them into pyjamas. All is well on board.