Yacht Delivery Blog

Well, we are almost over the line! It's taken a while to get this far, dodging cyclones, making boat repairs in remote locations, and dealing with all the hiccups and issues that inevitably pop their heads up on trips like this. It's a testament to the resilience of both the crew and the boat (and the skipper's ability to MacGyver solutions!). To give you an idea of how close we are to the end of our resources, I'm down to less than 10 cable ties and probably less than two meters of duct tape! So its pretty tight. And I've got just enough oil left for maybe one more gearbox oil change. I did the starboard one last night, and that gave me enough confidence to increase the RPMs by a few hundred. I'll do the port one shortly, top off the starboard one with the last of the heavy gear oil, and that should get us up the river. I'm no expert on emulsified oil or sail drives, but it seems like the oil still has a lot of its lubricating properties. The sail drives a...

The wind decided to take a break overnight, and we're now down to around 5 knots of breeze from the east with the main and headsail being stowed around midnight. So, we're gently motoring along on one engine, just cruising towards the finish line. Today's agenda includes an oil change on the gearboxes. I want to get that done in preparation for the final push tomorrow when we'll be heading up the Brisbane River . It's always good to have everything fresh and ready for those final maneuvers. I also took another look at the port saildrive this morning, after we'd been motoring all night. And it's not as bad as I feared! There doesn't seem to be a ton of water in there. The oil is definitely milky, which isn't ideal, but it still appears to be providing lubrication. And since I'm only motoring at around 1500 RPM, I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that we'll make it in without any horrible noises emanating from the engine room or, even worse...

Well, I had thought the chances of headwinds were diminishing, but it appears they actually minished (a nautical term, I'm sure). The breeze has kicked up quite a bit and is in the high 20s at the moment. The good news is that we can lay Brisbane at about 50 degrees off the wind, so at least we can still make progress and don't have to tack. I had been hoping to have a little bit more east in the breeze but it is what it is. The main has two reefs in (and the second reef is very deep!), and we've got several turns in the headsail. Every now and then, a huge wave explodes over the boat, just to keep us on our toes. Unfortunately, the inevitable has happened. I had my suspicions the day before yesterday, but it was definitely confirmed yesterday: the port saildrive now has sea water in the oil as well. It's absolutely no surprise, really, but I had been hoping it would hold out a little longer. So, we'll have to be managing the engines very carefully, as it looks lik...

Another day, another solid chunk of miles covered. There's not a whole lot to report, which, as I've mentioned before, is generally a good thing. The highlight of the day, really, is that the weather forecasts are just getting better and better. The chances of encountering headwinds are diminishing, and even if we do get a bit of a headwind, it's not going to last long. All three models are now predicting that the wind will swing around to the southeast this evening for the final push into Brisbane. That's definitely good news. The only event of any real significance was the return of one of the feathery idiots. I'm pretty sure it's the same one as before; it seemed a bit too comfortable, a bit too confident. It was perched on the lifelines, naturally facing outwards, which meant the business end was pointing inwards. To avoid any more scrubbing than absolutely necessary this morning, I decided to give him a poke in the… well, let's just say the rear end, wi...

The last 24 hours have been pretty tame on the sailing front, but we're making good miles, which is the important thing. We're relying on the best engine we have left, and we've picked up about a knot of favorable current, giving us a nice push in the right direction. That current boost is adding something like 25 nautical miles to our daily run, which is always welcome. I'm fresh out of the engine room, and… well, everything's looking "good." But "good" is a relative term these days. The baseline has definitely shifted. The new "good" means that everything is liberally coated in oil, and there's a fair bit of oily water sloshing around. Honestly, under normal circumstances, I'd be tearing my hair out. But considering the fact that it's only this bad now means it's actually good? I'm weirdly satisfied. We're still heading east of Brisbane, and it's looking increasingly likely that we'll be facing some hea...

We've turned southwest towards Brisbane, which is definitely a good feeling - its all down hill from here. There are still a few more reefs we need to navigate past in the next 24 hours, but after that, it should be a pretty straight shot. Yesterday's maintenance projects went off without a hitch. We successfully transferred fuel from the starboard side to the port after doing some surgery on the wires, and we tightened up the lower shrouds just enough to take the slack out. I also think I've finally figured out where the oil is leaking from on the port sail drive. Not that it matters all that much at this point since they're being replaced in Brisbane, but it's been bugging me, so it's going in the blog. I'm guessing there's a seal on the input shaft inside the bell housing casing, and the oil is leaking out through there when it gets warm and less viscous after running. The pressure in the gearbox is higher when it's operating, which would also for...

We're making good progress, which is always a relief. We just passed a tiny little reef that was not even visible when we were a mile off. It makes you wonder about all the shipwrecks that must litter the area. It makes me feel sorry for the sailors of a hundred years ago who must have thought 'ah, another night at s......" before crashing straight into it. We've got another 50 nautical miles to go before we navigate through another set of reefs at the top of New Caledonia, and then we'll finally turn southwest towards Brisbane. The forecast has been playing ball, which is a nice change. The wind is even starting to swing around to the east, right on cue for our turn south. The plan is to head slightly east of Brisbane. The prediction is for southwesterly winds in a few days, so having that "east in the bank" should let us bear away and head pretty much straight for our destination. Actually, that's not entirely true. My real destination is Brisbane A...

Well, we finally managed to shake off Port Vila and set sail again. It couldn't have come soon enough for me, to be honest. We had a few niggling issues onboard that we were hoping to rectify, but unfortunately, the resources just weren't available locally to fix them properly. So, we ended up doing what sailors often do: making do and pressing on. "Go as we are," as they say. A significant portion of our time there was spent glued to the weather forecasts. According to the weather models The Coral Sea has been a real mixed bag lately, with the models in a constant state of disagreement. One day, the ECMWF would be predicting easterly winds for the week, the next it would be showing a cyclone brewing near Vanuatu and heading straight for Brisbane. Then the GFS would throw in a spanner with westerlies and a couple of lows for good measure. And then the following day, everything would change again. It was a real exercise in patience (or rather, a lack of). Even the clea...

We've made it to Port Vila! After a good run, we're safely in port. Just a quick note to let you know that this will be the last "Yacht Delivery Blog" post for a few days. Since we're in port, it doesn't really count as part of the delivery voyage, so I'm going to take a bit of a break from the updates. Port Vila is showing the signs of recent hardship. The damage from the earthquake is quite apparent. The seawall in the marina has collapsed and is currently under repair, which is causing some disruption. In fact, a significant portion of the town is fenced off, making access very restricted. You can't even drive through most of town. It's a reminder of the challenges faced by the local community and on top of the twin cyclones (Kevin and Judy) in 3 days in 2023 poor old Vila has been pretty smashed . We'll be busy here prepping for the next leg, getting the hull cleaned for biosecurity in Australia, and taking care of some minor repairs. There...

Yesterday was a busy day of doing… well, not much. It was one of those days where the hours tick by, but the activity level is pretty low-key. We finished transferring the last fuel drum into the tank, which is always a good feeling – one less thing to worry about. We actually had the main up and sailed for a good portion of the day, which was a nice change of pace. But, as often happens, the wind had other ideas. It eased off a bit and swung around further to the east. Since I'm aiming to get into Port Vila today, we went back to our trusty Yanmars to keep the pace up. Gotta keep that schedule. Fingers crossed we'll make it to Port Vila in time to clear in today. I'm not keen on having to anchor up and wait until tomorrow. All that paperwork and the formalities take time, and I'm eager to get moving again. Unfortunately, the Coral Sea isn't looking too appealing for later in the week, so my weather eye (and Windy app) will be glued to the forecasts. Vanuatu is appa...

Well, we absolutely smashed our previous day's record! We logged a very healthy 163 nautical miles in the last 24 hours, and I'm very excitied about it. That definitely puts us on track to reach Port Vila in good time tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get checked in and docked without any delays, no waiting around overnight. The past 24 hours have been remarkably uneventful, which, honestly, is just how I like it. Smooth sailing is good sailing. We had the main up for most of yesterday, until around midnight. Unfortunately, it's now sporting a rather… unsavory pattern courtesy of our latest avian hitchhiker. Hopefully, the rain that's chasing us will take care of that little artistic addition. It's hard to believe we'll be in Port Vila tomorrow. Nine days at sea, and it feels like both yesterday and a lifetime ago. The days just blend into one big mass of four-hour watches. Time takes on a different meaning out here. And the weather yesterday? Oh my gosh. I was lookin...

The miles are ticking by, and so are the hours. We've now got just 360 nautical miles to go, which puts us a little over two days out. That means we'll be arriving in Port Vila on Thursday afternoon, which is perfect. The conditions are as settled as can be – just a gentle swell rolling beneath us and a few knots of wind. Smooth sailing, as they say. Yesterday, we transferred 240 liters of fuel from a big blue drum into one of the the main tanks. We'll likely top them off completely tonight, just to be on the safe side. Our 24-hour run was a solid 148 nautical miles, our best yet since leaving Raiatea. Not too shabby at all! Right now, I've got a rather large bird napping on the boom. He's about to get a rude awakening courtesy of the deck brush. It's a constant battle out here, keeping the boat clean and bird-free. Since we're so close to Port Vila and it's been pretty warm, I'm thinking I might just splash out and have the air conditioning on for a...

We've left Fiji behind now, and we're well on our way to Port Vila from Samoa, and, for those keeping track, about two-thirds of the way from Raiatea to Brisbane. We've got both engines running now, which is helping us eat up the miles. Every little bit counts. I'll admit, I was a little jittery after spotting that mysterious fishing boat the other night. The story about the deserted vessel, the one with no crew and a bloody handprint, kept replaying in my mind. It's easy to dismiss those tales as just that—tales—but out here, with nothing but the vast ocean around you, they tend to take on a life of their own, and sailors are a superstitious bunch. Yesterday, just after dawn I was doing my usual checks, wandering around the deck and cockpit, making sure everything was in its place. With that story still lingering in my thoughts. Then, I saw it. Something near the bathing ladder. I bent over to take a closer look, and there was no doubt. A bloody palm print on the b...

We're passing Fiji now, with a few scattered islands just barely visible on the horizon. I missed the sunrise, which is a bit of a shame – apparently, it was quite a sight. Actually its not a shame - I was asleep. Yesterday, we covered nearly 140 nautical miles in 24hrs, and the passage continues to be steady, if a little uneventful. The progress remains straightforward. A gentle swell is running, a subtle reminder that we're at sea. And, of course, the vast expanse of saltwater surrounding us is a constant reminder as well. There's a certain rhythm to these long passages; a steady hum of the engine, the subtle sway of the boat, and the constant vigilance, and the 4hr watches are a nice way to break things up. Last night, we had a curious encounter. A fishing boat appeared in the distance, a small speck against the vast darkness. It was reassuring to know our AIS was functioning, silently broadcasting our position and course. It provides a sense of security. But it also rem...

It's been another quiet day at sea. The only real sounds have been the steady hum of the engine and the occasional, hopeful flap of the headsail whenever we think the wind might be picking up enough to give it a go. Spoiler alert: its only occasionally. However, the sunset and moonrise were anything but ordinary. The moon was really red, and I kept glancing at it, wondering what was going on as it clearly wasn't behind a cloud. Then, one side started to brighten, and a lightbulb went off in my head: "Hmm, looks like an eclipse." Turns out, I was right! It's quite the coincidence, finding out later that it was indeed a lunar eclipse. Its easy to see why 200 years ago they would have been reaching for a box of matches, firelighters and the nearest virgin. A nice moment in an otherwise uneventful day. I am definitely not complaining, as when things are getting exciting at sea, it's normally very close to something going wrong, and my intention is to have uneventf...

Yesterday was a day of steady progress, if not exactly thrilling sailing. We clocked 132 nautical miles in 24 hours, thanks to what I like to call the "asymmetrical Yanmar" and a reliable "diesel wind." Essentially, we had the headsail out, paired with the engine running at about 1600 RPM, giving us a nice little boost. Most of the day was remarkably calm. We'd get the occasional hour or two where the wind would pick up, and we could turn the engine off, cruising along at a comfortable 5 knots. Then, as the speed started to drop to around 4.5 knots, we'd fire up one engine to nudge us back up to 5.5 or 6 knots. It's a bit of a dance, but it keeps us moving. We're passing some little islands and reefs out here. I'm fighting a serious urge to go on a bit of a "tiki tour" and explore them. I can't imagine they get more than a handful of visitors a year.  We haven't seen a single vessel, not even a blip on the AIS since we left Ap...

We're back on the move after a rather eventful pit stop in Samoa! Getting those engines running again turned into a bit of an adventure. Finding the problem was one thing, but finding a solution on a small South Pacific island? That was a whole other ballgame. Everyone was incredibly helpful and cheerful, but sourcing the parts I needed was a real challenge. Let me tell you, it was a proper treasure hunt. For example, I went on a massive tour of all the car parts places. In one, I counted 17 people waiting to be served! When I finally got to the front, I asked for 6mm fuel hose. They had some! But when the guy came back, he had a piece about a foot long. I knew what the answer was going to be but felt I had to ask "Is that a sample?", and he said, "No, this is the fuel hose we have." I ended up finding filter housings in a diving shop, but they didn't have the barb fittings to connect the hoses. You get the picture. Adding to our list of accomplishments...

Apologies for the delayed update. Things have been a little distracting, to say the least. The weather decided to throw a tantrum yesterday, and it's been pretty much unsailable since. We're talking wind speeds fluctuating wildly between 5 and 40 knots, accompanied by torrential rain. It's been a wild ride. Our tracking you can see only updates every hour, so you won't see the full extent of our zig-zagging course! I was looking at the chart plotter last night, though, and for a moment I thought we'd been diligently following a contour line. Turns out it was just our crazy track. To add to the fun, the port engine decided to call it quits yesterday. Just stopped dead. "No worries," I thought, "we've got a perfectly good engine on the starboard side." Famous last words, right? Because then that one decided to give up the ghost too! So its been pretty challenging to go the right way and dodge traffic. So, it's been a bit stressful, t...

One of the fantastic things of travelling so much is picking up bits and pieces of different languages along the way. This morning, for example, I learned that "eau gazeuse" means sparkling water in French. Wish I'd figured that out before using it for my coffee, but hey, live and learn, right? Luckily we only have 6 more bottles of it. Unluckily that's the last of the bottled water on board. On a completely different note, this blog seems like it's the only corner of the internet that isn't obsessed with the latest antics of, shall we say, certain political figures. I won't name names, but one of them is orange, and let's just say their questionable actions are enough to make anyone reach for the "eau gazeuse." Speaking of things that make you want a stiff drink, we had another monster squall roll through yesterday afternoon. It seems they're a regular afternoon feature around here. The good news is that you can see them coming, so ...

Well, the weather out here has been keeping me on my toes, that's for sure! I feel like I'm constantly checking the forecasts, trying to stay one step ahead of any surprises. It can get a bit obsessive, I admit. One thing I learned recently is the difference between Windy Basic and Windy Premium. Turns out that premium version adds an extra layer of terror! It showed a cyclone forming near Fiji on the 10th that wasn't even on the basic version. It makes you realize how important it is to have good information when you're planning a passage, especially a longer one. Thankfully, the long-range forecast is looking a bit calmer now, but there's still a low near Fiji around the 7th that I'm keeping an eye on. We had a bit of excitement yesterday afternoon with a big squall that blew through with over 35 knots of wind and rain. Since then, it's been pretty calm, though the wind started shifting to the west last night. That's probably the influence of that ...