Yacht Delivery Blog

We are on the final stretch of our journey from NZ to Phuket. The wind has been teasing us for the last few days, sometimes giving us enough to sail, sometimes dying down and forcing us to use the engine. But at least it's been blowing from behind, so we've been making good progress towards our destination. The weather has been hot and calm, which has its pros and cons. On the plus side, we've been able to open the hatches and let some fresh air into the boat. On the minus side, we've also had some unwanted visitors. Last night, we woke up to a strange smell and a loud flapping noise. We discovered that four flying fish had somehow managed to jump through the hatches and land inside the boat. They were flopping around on the floor, making a mess and a racket. I was about to spring into action and save the day, but Rhona beat me to it. She bravely picked up the fish and threw them back into the sea. I'm sure they were grateful for her mercy. I was grateful for her co...

I think this is the fourth day since we left Marina del Rey. The days tied to the dock and sleeping all night seem like a hazy dream. Now, we are fully immersed in the rhythm of the sea and the sky, sailing towards our next destination: Sabang. The wind picked up at sunset to a very appreciated 16 - 21 knots and I guess you can see the bump in the boat speed - the extra couple of knots of breeze makes a huge difference. We are making good progress, averaging about 7 knots over the ground. The boat is handling well, with a reefed main and a full genoa. The autopilot is doing the steering, and we take turns to keep an eye on the instruments and the horizon. We have around 1200 nautical miles until we get to Sabang, which is located on the northern tip of Sumatra. It is one of the main ports of entry for Indonesia, or in our case exit, and a popular stopover for yachts cruising in Southeast Asia.  We have settled into our watch system of 3 hours on and 3 hours off, with some flexibili...

It's been a calm 24 hours on the high seas. We've managed to do a bit of sailing despite the light and at times no wind. The moon is gradually illuminating our path like a silver highway.  The fishing boat scenario has taken a turn for the better as we are now farther offshore. I suspect the commercial shipping is also hugging the coast to save time. An interesting phenomenon we've observed is the reception of AIS signals from over 90 nautical miles away. This is quite unusual and likely due to atmospheric conditions causing signal reflections. We even received a return signal from the other side of an island, defying the typical line-of-sight range. Apart from these intriguing developments, life on board has been relatively quiet. However, I've established a bread making department in the cockpit, and I must say, the results have been nothing short of spectacular! The tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through the air, ensuring Rhona is up on time for her w...

I'm happy to report that we've had a reasonably relaxing time at Marina del Ray in Lombok, where we've been resting and getting ready for the next leg of our yacht delivery to Thailand. We've changed the engine oil, filters, topped up with diesel and water, and enjoyed some well-deserved sleep. The marina staff have been very friendly and helpful, and the scenery is stunning. We're about to set sail for Sabang and will leave first thing tomorrow morning. Sabang is about 1800nm away. We're hoping for a smooth and uneventful journey, with less or no fishing boats to dodge. They can be quite a nuisance, especially at night, when they don't always show their lights. I've decided to try heading further offshore, where there might be less traffic. If that doesn't work, we might have to stop for a night or two somewhere along the way. I'll keep you posted on our progress and any interesting sights we see. We should have fair winds and following seas! ...

We are now looking forward to reaching our destination which is in sight. We expect to arrive at the west tip of Lombok around 9 am, and then it's just a few hours further to a secure mooring. We can't wait to get some rest and relaxation after this trip. The wind has been light and variable for the last few days, which means sailing was slow and frustrating so we've done a fair bit of motoring. One of the most curious things we have encountered is the mysterious appearance and disappearance of fishing boats in this area. Yesterday, during the day, we sailed for hours without seeing a single vessel on the horizon. We thought we had the sea to ourselves, enjoying the calm and quiet. But as soon as the sun set, things changed dramatically. Within minutes, we spotted seven fishing boats around us, all with bright lights and presumably nets or lines. We wondered where they came from and what they were doing. We tried to keep a safe distance from them, but they seemed to multipl...

A few days ago we arrived in Kupang, Indonesia, where we cleared in to Indonesia and planned to stop for a night or two to rest. Kupang is a bustling city on the island of Timor, and a popular destination for sailors crossing from Australia to Asia. But what I thought was going to be a peaceful nights rest or 2 in Kupang was exhausting. I quickly realized that Kupang was not a place for relaxation. We decided leave as soon as possible. I had enough of Kupang and we wanted to get back on the water and continue our journey. The next morning, I went to do my routine deck walk to inspect all the sails, lines, blocks, pins, clips and look for anything else out of place. Everything looked good. The yacht was ready to sail again. We weighed anchor and set sail for Marina Del Ray where we could fill up with water and fuel before heading to Sabang on the last long leg of the trip before hopping over to Phuket, Thailand. Sabang is about 450 nautical miles away, which will take about three and a...

Today was a slow day, as we had to sail in zig zags. You see, heading directly to our destination would have the wind at 180 degrees, which is inefficient and dangerous. That's when the wind is blowing straight from behind, and the sail can flop from one side to the other without warning. This is called an accidental gybe, and it can damage the rigging or injure someone.  So, we kept the wind at 150 degrees, which means the apparent wind is higher and there is less chance of an accidental gybe. The apparent wind is the wind that we feel on board, which is a combination of the true wind and the boat speed. The faster we go, the more wind we create, and the more power we get from the sail. Unfortunately, this also means that we are not sailing in a straight line to our destination, but rather in a zig zag pattern.  It's almost flat calm now, and we have been motoring for the last few hours. The engine is humming along, and we are hoping for some breeze to fill our sails again. T...

Today was a great day for sailing. We had lighter winds in the morning, and we were cruising along at a steady 5 knots. The boat was handling well.  Around noon, the wind picked up a few knots. The extra apparent wind made such a difference, and we've been doing 7s since then. It makes the boat come alive.  We have been sailing with the saloon doors open, so we can hear the sound of water rushing past the hull. It is a soothing and constant noise, like a river flowing. Every now and then, we hear the wake and waves breaking behind the boat, as if we are leaving a trail of bubbles.  One of the things I love about sailing is the *ahem* harmony between the boat and the elements. Sometimes, everything is in tune, and the boat becomes an orchestra. If the boat makes a big movement, we hear a symphony of sounds: the cutlery in the drawers, the batteries in the cupboard, the tools, the loose cups, all move in unison with a 'clunk'. It is like music to my ears. The sound of the ...

We are going well as we cross above the Gulf of Carpentaria and today marks a month since we left Marsden Cove and we approach the half-way point of our trip. We have sailed around 3000 nautical miles from NZ so far. The total passage is approximately 6000nm - That's around a quarter of the way around the world! We are hoping to maintain our current pace and reach our destination in a few more weeks.  Currently we have 11 to 15 knots of breeze on the beam, which is enough to push us along at over 6 knots, which is a good speed. We are hoping to maintain these conditions for the majority of the trip, other than potentially a few days of motoring around the equator. Harmony is performing well even with the 'pre-reefed' main sail that we have set up and is comfortable.  With 2 people onboard we do watches of 3hrs off and 3hrs on, which takes a bit of getting used to. Sure, it's nice to sleep longer, but we feel 4 hours is too long to be on watch. We prefer to have shorter...