Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 07-02-2010, 03:12   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Phuket
Boat: Lagoon 380
Posts: 7
Planning Assistance Needed for Thailand - Indonesia - Thailand Trip

We have purchased a Lagoon 380 and our plan is to take off from Thailand in April and sail all the way to West Timor and back. The trip will be a mixture of island hopping and enjoying the tropical islands. Some parts we just want to get some miles done and some parts we want to surf indo waves which we are pretty familiar with already. Our crew is a mixture of experienced sailors from Europe with no local knowledge and some non-experienced sailors from Thailand with rather good knowledge of the islands, surf spots and tropical weather patterns.

Our plan goes approximately like this:
April first weeks: Phuket -> Singapore
April last weeks: Singapore -> Java North coast
End of April / beginning of May: Arrival to Bali
Sometime May: Bali - Timor along the North coasts trying to get all the way to Timor (or possibly along the south coasts)
June: West Timor anchorage (some friends of ours have a resort there)
July: West Timor - Sabu - Sumba - Sumbawa - Lombok - Bali
August: Bali - Singapore - Phuket

Would really appreciate any comments, suggestions, tips or whatever regarding our trip.

In all the cruising guides we've been reading the main route seems to be East to West with the trades. However, we need to go first East and then back West in about 4 months.
Things we are wondering the most are:
*Malacca strait in April, cruising books talk about bad daily thunderstorms, how bad are they, serious stuff or mild quick ones as in Thailand?
*We are departing on the monsoon transition month and try to get out of Thailand before the SW monsoon and try to be in Bali before the strong SE trades start, is that a good plan? We could make the start little earlier if needed weatherwise?
*How is it to sail East from Bali to Timor in May-June since the trades start to be pretty strong against us?
*Anyone have any expertise/tips to share on sailing with the strong July SE trades from Timor to Bali, Indian Ocean swell is often pumping 2,5-3,5 meters and trades are to my knowledge in Timor often 15-25kts.
*Anyone any tips on anchorages on the south coasts of Sumba, Sumbawa, Lombok since that's were all the surfing is happening and most cruisers seem to go along the North coasts.
*How is the Malacca Strait to Thailand in August when the Thailand monsoon is going off pretty hard from West? Some guide books say we should wait until October before heading up from Singapore, is it really so?
*We are very familiar with all the Thai-Malaysia islands and also the islands east of Bali but the Singapore - Bali we do not know anything of, tips are welcome!

During the the next 2 months we are putting genset in (or possible just more batteries+solar), radar, AIS, epirb, watermaker etc etc... Plotters, vhf etc basic stuff was on the boat already when we bought it. All info/tips VERY welcome.

Thanks,

S/Y KUUTTI crew
raya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2010, 04:08   #2
Registered User
 
Laidback's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 853
Thailand-Indonesia-Thailand trip

Quote:
Originally Posted by raya View Post
We have purchased a Lagoon 380 and our plan is to take off from Thailand in April and sail all the way to West Timor and back. The trip will be a mixture of island hopping and enjoying the tropical islands. Some parts we just want to get some miles done and some parts we want to surf into waves which we are pretty familiar with already. Our crew is a mixture of experienced sailors from Europe with no local knowledge Useful skills brought to the boat for maintainance etc
and some non-experienced sailors from Thailand with rather good knowledge of the islands, surf spots and tropical weather patterns. Once they are out of Thai waters their experence marginal
Our plan goes approximately like this:
April first weeks: Phuket -> Singapore
April last weeks: Singapore -> Java North coast
End of April / beginning of May: Arrival to Bali
The easterly trades will be in force
Need diesel to proceed East
Sometime May: Bali - Timor along the North coasts trying to get all the way to Timor (or possibly along the south coasts)
June: West Timor anchorage (some friends of ours have a resort there)
July: West Timor - Sabu - Sumba - Sumbawa - Lombok - Bali
August: Bali - Singapore - Phuket

Would really appreciate any comments, suggestions, tips or whatever regarding our trip.

In all the cruising guides we've been reading the main route seems to be East to West with the trades. However, we need to go first East and then back West in about 4 months.
Things we are wondering the most are:
*Malacca strait in April, cruising books talk about bad daily thunderstorms, how bad are they, serious stuff or mild quick ones as in Thailand?
*We are departing on the monsoon transition month and try to get out of Thailand before the SW monsoon and try to be in Bali before the strong SE trades start, is that a good plan? We could make the start little earlier if needed weatherwise?
*How is it to sail East from Bali to Timor in May-June since the trades start to be pretty strong against us?
*Anyone have any expertise/tips to share on sailing with the strong July SE trades from Timor to Bali, Indian Ocean swell is often pumping 2,5-3,5 meters and trades are to my knowledge in Timor often 15-25kts.
*Anyone any tips on anchorages on the south coasts of Sumba, Sumbawa, Lombok since that's were all the surfing is happening and most cruisers seem to go along the North coasts.
*How is the Malacca Strait to Thailand in August when the Thailand monsoon is going off pretty hard from West? Some guide books say we should wait until October before heading up from Singapore, is it really so?
*We are very familiar with all the Thai-Malaysia islands and also the islands east of Bali but the Singapore - Bali we do not know anything of, tips are welcome!

During the the next 2 months we are putting genset in (or possible just more batteries+solar), radar, AIS, epirb, watermaker etc etc... Plotters, vhf etc basic stuff was on the boat already when we bought it. All info/tips VERY welcome.

Thanks,

S/Y KUUTTI crew
SEnd me a Pm and I will give more detail
Laidback is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2010, 08:04   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Phuket
Boat: Lagoon 380
Posts: 7
thanks for those, will PM you for more!
raya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 07:15   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2009
Boat: Nauticat 39
Posts: 2
If looking for a good surf & sailing combined, one could go to Mentawais instead. Closer to Phuket and easier too. Maybe spend some time on route on Ache's paradise like tropical islands...
Juvajoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 15:23   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Phuket
Boat: Lagoon 380
Posts: 7
Funny that you mention that option...!?!? Since I started this post the plan has actually changed quite a bit and at the moment we are looking into Aceh, Nias, Mentawais etc.. I am trying to find out that what level of provisions can you get along the way (after Aceh and before Padang). Anyone?
raya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 17:48   #6
Registered User
 
bewitched's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: SE Asia
Boat: Swan 56
Posts: 891
Images: 3
Can't help with Indonesia, but have been up and down the Malacca quite a few times. Usually the problem is not enough wind, rather than too much. However, the thunderstorms you mention do happen at night and can be pretty nasty. They roll off the Indonesian hills and across toward Malaysia. 50kts of wind is not uncommon. A few hours and they're gone.

Stay on the Malaysian side and stay out towards the TSS. If you hug the coast, you will be going through nets all night.
bewitched is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
Malaysia, Singapore, Timor, Indonesia, Thailand

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Crew Wanted: 4.5 Month Trip - Thailand to Hawaii - Divers' Paradise pbmaise Crew Archives 38 19-11-2010 10:37
Hi from Thailand mylins Meets & Greets 4 14-10-2010 08:30
Crew Wanted: 1 or 2 - Sail Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia - April-October 2010 surfmachine Crew Archives 2 20-03-2010 03:04
Thailand Sailing Charters - Info Needed Fishman_Tx Pacific & South China Sea 14 05-03-2010 04:01
Hello to All from Thailand Yunkahn Meets & Greets 6 16-09-2008 21:45

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 17:10.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.