Yacht Delivery Blog

We value keeping you updated on our deliveries but as you may have noticed, there's been a slight delay in our daily posts. This is due to a minor setback we're currently addressing as our focus remains on ensuring the yacht is in top condition.  Here at Yacht Delivery Solutions , we take pride in our ability to deliver yachts safely and efficiently across the globe. Our current delivery from Singapore to Fiji is a fantastic example of this, filled with unexpected challenges, and the triumph of resourcefulness! As you might expect, moving a yacht a quarter of the way around the world requires meticulous planning and a bit of luck. While this presents unique circumstances, it also highlights the incredible adaptability of our crew. Sometimes things don't run as smooth as we hope, and there are a few issues to work out. On any boat trip, you can expect a few bumps along the way. We had a minor delay in the Singapore Strait due to a fuel tank issue. We quickly diag...

Last night went pretty smoothly, mainly due to the absence of rain, giving us visibility. The familiar display of flashing green and blinking red lights – the local interpretation of navigation lights – filled the night sky. Interestingly, the number of flashing lights often hints at the size of the fishing boat. Vessels with three or more lights might even boast an AIS (Automatic Identification System). One encounter particularly raised our interest. A massive bulk carrier shared our course, with four fishing boats ahead. Two of them, thankfully, had AIS. The situation became a tense game of "chicken." The ship steadily approached the cluster, its bearing line seemingly targeted right through one of the smaller boats. We anticipated the AIS signal to vanish at any moment.  Surprisingly, none of the parties flinched. The fishermen continued their activities seemingly oblivious to the approaching doom. With the ship's deep draft hovering around 10 meters, we made a calcula...

This morning, a sliver of clear sky broke through the persistent clouds, a welcome sight after days of poor weather. This glimpse of sky, coupled with the first sighting of stars in ages, fueled a bold decision: we're skipping the planned anchorage and heading straight for Lombok! Currently, we're 17 nautical miles from last night's anchorage heading straight to sea, still cruising in shallow waters of only 13 meters. Interestingly, we've found ourselves leading an unexpected social media dance.  As we approach fishing boats, the scene unfolds through our binoculars. Half the crew frantically pulls in their nets, while the other half, well, let's just say their phones seem far more captivating. Capturing a video of a gleaming white 50-foot yacht for Facebook clearly takes precedence over the day's catch!  Honestly, can we blame them? To an average Indonesian fisherman, this must be a sight unlike any other – a UFO (unidentified floating object) slic...

Today's passage continued the unusual theme of our journey down the south coast of Borneo. With a menacing weather forecast, heavy traffic, and a malfunctioning radar, we've been forced to employ strategic "hops" to navigate this peculiar stretch. The flatness of the coastline here is quite bizarre. Unlike most coastlines, there isn't a single hill in sight. The sea bed is the same as the land and completely flat which has led to some rather unorthodox anchoring situations. At times, we've found ourselves over 3 nautical miles offshore, dropping anchor in just 4 meters of water. Needless to say, this wasn't the most comfortable scenario, especially considering the shallow depth. Nighttime brought its own set of challenges while we are anchored. With so much traffic and being so far off the coast, we've resorted to keeping all exterior lights blazing, including deck and cockpit lights. During periods of heavy rain, implementing an anchor wa...

 I know this blog has been gathering dust faster than a barnacle on a rusty anchor. Normally, I update it every day when we're sailing. Sailing life (and the occasional rogue wave in the Java Sea) has a way of throwing you off course sometimes. Between battling some seriously grumpy weather and tackling a few unexpected boat projects, let's just say my blogging time got a little overrun.  I'm back, drier (hopefully!), and ready to share some stories. Get ready for tales of high seas adventures and a peek into the not-so-glamorous world of boat repairs.  As some of you know, the glamorous life of sailing isn't always sunshine and dolphins. Sometimes, it's a battle against the elements, the gremlins that lurk within your engine, and the occasional batch of bad fuel.  This past week has been a doozy. We were motoring along, minding our own business, when the port engine decided to sputter and cough to a stop right in the middle of the Singapore Strait. The culprit? Con...

Despite now being south of the equator, the weather remained unchanged even though we are several miles into the southern hemisphere! It's still very calm and the lack of wind made for a sweltering day. One moment, we were gliding through the water at a pretty respectable 7.5 knots, thanks to a helpful push from the current. We were cruising along nicely and then, just like that, our familiar foe returned – the primary filter housing clogged with debris from the tank. Thankfully, we've gotten used to this little dance, and it was fixed within the hour. My feeling is that we will eventually suck up all the debris from the bottom and this will happen less and less. Unfortunately, my hope of getting a mesh strainer in Singapore on one of Rhona's missions didn't pan out – they didn't have anything that would fit our 9mm hose. We also fired up the water maker today for the first time, and it functioned perfectly. We couldn't test it in Singapore because the water the...

We finally left Nongsa behind us this morning, setting sail at first light. Our recent "sea trial" threw a wrench in the plans, requiring Rhona's swift return twice to Singapore for essential spares.  Thankfully, the final stretch through the Singapore Strait was smooth sailing. Ample navigable water allowed us to maintain a safe distance from the main channel traffic. And with a full fuel tank and four additional 200-liter fuel drums securely fastened in the cockpit, we're making our way south. However, the weather forecast isn't exactly sunshine and rainbows. Early predictions reveal a couple of lows forming southwest of Jakarta, forcing us to hug the Java Sea to avoid them. My initial plan was to bypass the Java Sea and head "outside," which would entail a longer journey but significantly less traffic. Unfortunately, Mother Nature seems to have other plans. Speaking of dodging, keeping a watchful eye is crucial right now. While cargo ships, thankfully...