Yacht Delivery Blog

We made it! Namarie is now safely tied up in the marina in Tahiti, and we're about to do the handover and fly home. I couldn't have done this without the help of two absolutely fantastic crew members who each sailed a quarter of the way around the world. Throughout the entire trip, there hasn't been a single harsh word spoken, and everyone has been eager and enthusiastic to do whatever was necessary. Craig and Adam have been invaluable, contributing their positive energy and good humor. I'm incredibly grateful for their commitment to this adventure. I've learned a lot on this voyage and am extremely grateful for not only the company but also the can-do attitude and support. The blog will be taking a break for a while, as will I. However, I plan to share occasional updates until the next delivery. By then, I hope my creative juices will be topped up and ready to go.

This is our last full day and night at sea. Tomorrow, we'll be tied up in the marina in Tahiti , and I'll be turning off the engines for the last time. The main and headsail will be dropped and stowed away, and I won't be touching the sheets or halyards again. It feels peculiar to think that Namarie and I have kept each other safe throughout this incredible journey, and in a few days, I'll be on a plane heading home. On this yacht delivery Namarie and I started in the Bay of Biscay and headed south into the Atlantic, getting to know each other along the way. We made a brief stop in the Canary Islands, our last contact with Europe before heading further south and leaving footprints in the red dust of Cape Verde. We left West Africa behind and headed further west across the Atlantic, dodging hurricanes and grabbing fuel and provisions in the southern end of the Caribbean. From there, we pushed onwards through the Caribbean Sea to Panama and the canal. Pretty soon after, ...

We popped out the bottom of the Tuamotus late last night and now have a relatively clear run to Tahiti, aside from one more small island. The wind is directly behind us, but it's not quite strong enough for us to move as fast as I'd like, so we're using the engine to help our speed. Our estimated time of arrival (ETA) in Tahiti is very early Friday morning, so we'll sit off the coast for a few hours until daylight and then head in. Remember the old sailor's saying, "All the wrecks are on the rocks" and "Another night at sea never unalived anyone"? That advice holds true for navigating the pass into the marina area, which is definitely not a place to enter at night unless you were born there. This trip has been extraordinary, taking us on a journey that's probably only completed by a few hundred people a year. And almost non would do what we have done and sail so far in one go. It's around 4,600 nautical miles from Panama to Tahiti, and wh...

We saw land yesterday, which was extremely exciting. Another positive was that the land was exactly where it was supposed to be, which, of course, is a huge relief as it means everything is going according to plan. We are currently passing the next-to-last atoll and then have a small group of atolls to navigate between, namely Hikueru and Marokau, before heading south of Reitoru. This shouldn't be too challenging as the space between Hikueru and its neighbor is 15 nautical miles. But 15nm is only 7nm each side and if we are sailing at 7knts thats only an hour. During the night, the wind started to shift to the east. This meant we had to either head slightly south to keep the headsail full or drop the main. Since we were planning to go north of Amanu, heading further south wasn't an option. Therefore, we are sailing with just the headsail and still making good time. The sea remains quite choppy, and the sky is squally with patches of blue. Fingers crossed, the blue wins the batt...

The swell and breeze have died down slightly, and we're now experiencing fairly consistent mid-to-high 20 knots over the deck. We were well on our way to the elusive 200-nautical mile a day run, having covered 50 nautical miles in 6 hours, but victory seems to have slipped through our fingers. We've only managed 96 nautical miles in 12 hours, and our average speed has dropped to a disappointing 7.6 knots. We're approaching the first atolls in the Tuamotus, and it's a toss-up at the moment whether we'll be able to see them. These atolls are incredibly low-lying, only a couple of feet above the water, with palm trees on top. I'd be happy to make a slight detour to sail past and take a look, but that decision will depend on the wind. I don't want to deviate from the wind by more than 120 degrees apparent. We still have 300 nautical miles to go to clear the Tuamotus, and then it's a straight run to Tahiti. Unfortunately, the forecast suggests we might be fla...

Yesterday, we motored all day and most of the night in flat calm conditions. Then, at 2:57 AM, it was as if a wind switch was flipped, and the wind started blowing 35-40 knots. The wind angle is around 90 degrees, not quite as easterly as I expected. We had the deeply furled headsail up until now, and at 7:00 AM, the wind is slowly dropping to around 30 knots. When Adam gets up in a couple of hours, we'll pull up the reefed main and get this show on the road! I'm eagerly waiting for the GRIB s to be updated, but I don't expect the wind to go above 30 knots now. We've had one or two monstrous waves into the cockpit, but Namarie can handle it. It seems like Namarie and I have something in common: after the last 40-knot winds on our way to Panama, we both felt we had proven ourselves and didn't need to do it again. Yet, here we are. With years of experience in the yacht delivery industry, Yacht Delivery Solutions is your trusted partner for safe and reliable transpo...

We're keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and preparing for a bit of a blow. The GRIBs all suggest that the wind will be southeasterly, which should make for a fast ride over the final 1000 nautical miles and perhaps we can smash the 200nm a day record. We're still on track to turn west by tonight and catch the wind starting to blow first thing tomorrow and bring it over the port quarter. The weather at the moment is fantastic, with clear skies, a few fluffy clouds, and 10-14 knots of breeze. There's no sign of what's coming around the corner. We're motor sailing to make as many miles as possible, which goes against my sailor instincts, but we're gaining around 30 nautical miles a day with the engine running. Yesterday evening, I found myself being hoisted up the mast again, an activity that's never pleasant, even in the safety of a marina. But at sea, with a partially raised mainsail swaying above me, the task becomes even more daunting. The upcomin...