Hasta la vista Jumbo!

Marina Del Ray was actually named after a guy called Ray who is the owner. Yes, that's right, it's literally Marina of Ray. How hilarious is that?

Anyway, we had a nice time there catching up on some sleep. You know how it is when you sail for a long time, you get used to the watch cycles and you wake up every few hours. It was great to have a few uninterrupted night's but after sailing for long the watch cycles have become a habit so we'd still wake up occasionally.

We also managed to get some projects done on the boat, like fixing the rudder that was giving us some trouble. I came up with a very high tech solution involving 2 blocks of wood. Don't worry, it's totally safe and reliable. Trust me, I'm a professional.

Besides the rudder, we also worked on some other things, like changing the oil in the engines, changing the filters, checking the rigging, and topping up the water tanks. Nothing too exciting, but necessary to keep the boat in good shape. Like we say - if the boat is OK we are OK. Talking of maintenance - there was a Bavaria 55 there that even from the dock looked a bit of a worry.

We left Marina del Ray yesterday morning and headed towards Sabang. The weather was nice and we had a good breeze for the first part of the day. We had to go past about 100 fishing boats and cross a TSS that had a lot of current and shipping to get to sea. Unfortunately, the wind died down in the evening and we had to switch to motoring on one engine.

We are hoping to get some more wind today to make some good progress. We are looking forward to arriving in Sabang - so we can do more sailing and get to Phuket.

Arrival in Sydney: Delivery Complete!

This morning, the Excess 14 slid gracefully into her new berth at Middle Harbour Marina, marking the successful completion of her delivery from the Gold Coast. The final approach into Sydney Harbour is always a great sight, a fitting end to a coastal voyage. This passage was a comprehensive real-world test of the boat's capabilities. She proved to be a joy in light airs, demonstrated strength and stability in heavy weather, and showed impressive maneuverability during a tricky docking. It’s clear that the Excess 14 is a versatile and robust catamaran, perfectly suited for everything the Australian coast can throw at it. The final tasks onboard are ones of quiet satisfaction: coiling the lines perfectly, writing up the final log entry, and giving the boat a last clean and polish. For Yacht Delivery Solutions, it's a pleasure and a privilege to deliver a vessel of this quality. Handing her over to the brokers at Flagstaff Marine clean, secure, and ready for her new owners is t...

Done and Dusted in Brisbane!

We are done! The boat's tied up safe and sound in the marina, the crew has packed their bags and headed off, and I'm here doing the final clean-up before I leave at 6 am tomorrow morning. I have to admit, I was pretty anxious for the last 24 hours. I was on the edge of my seat, hoping those saildrives would hold out for the final stretch. I even changed the oil in both of them around 3 am, because we were going to make landfall around 5 am and its quite a way up the river, and the tide was going to be dropping as we went up, meaning they'd have a bit more work to do. And the final approach was definitely… engaging. There was a fair bit of tide coming out of the river, which dropped our boat speed down to around 4 knots. We also had the added obstacle of river traffic to contend with, and the channel margins were tight – about half a meter on either side. It was one of those situations where you're constantly running through scenarios in your head. I was thinking things ...

About Yacht Delivery Solutions: Professionalism on the Water

A successful yacht delivery is more than just moving a boat from Point A to Point B. It’s about professionalism, trust, and a deep respect for the vessel and the owner’s investment. At Yacht Delivery Solutions, these principles form the core of every passage we undertake. Our Expertise We specialize in the delivery of new and brokerage yachts, both sail and power, monohulls and catamarans. Our operational area spans the vast waters of Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, and Southeast Asia. Our skippers are not just sailors; they are qualified and highly experienced professionals with thousands of offshore miles and an intimate knowledge of the regions we service. Our Services Yacht Delivery: Safe, efficient, and professional delivery of your vessel to any destination in our region. New Yacht Commissioning: We manage the comprehensive process of preparing a brand-new yacht for sea, testing every system to ensure it is ready for its owner. Owner-Assisted Passages: We prov...

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