Yacht Delivery Blog

Well, we're back at sea. We decided to pop into Port Vila since it was so close and the forecast showed a few days of light winds ahead. Figured we might as well top off the fuel while we had the chance. Things have certainly changed here over the past few months! The Australian Border Force has been through and provided a bunch of new equipment and some basic training to the local authorities. However, let's just say there are still a few gaps to fill. Apparently, having a visible track history on the chart plotter is now a big deal, and no one seemed to grasp the concept that after a certain point, the oldest data gets deleted to make room for new data. Trying to explain it was like trying to teach Mr. Bean about quantum physics! We also had a whole saga with the AIS system and our lack of visibility. So, not exactly the warmest of welcomes. After being biometrically checked, we were finally free to grab some fuel and then head back to the office later for another round of bi...

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 .