Across the Top of Australia

[barnakiel]

Good job, mate! Could be easier to list the things that did NOT pack it up, if any ;-)))

Seriously though - great reading and very interested to hear how things develop.

All the best and fair winds!
barnie

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by bvimatelot

the auto pilot craps out again and, having stopped the Port engine to check its bodily fluids - I cant get the bugger started again!

It sounds like a perfect cruise

Try to get everything you need fixed in Singapore.

Bali is the next marina and there's not much in the way of cruiser help, but there is a lot of fishing boats there and all their service companies are between the marina and the other side of the little island the marina is on. Just walk around and check them out. They are pretty resourceful.


All the best.


Mark

[Jeannius]

I'm glad I'm sitting in Road Town reading about your little adventure rather than being part of it!

Good luck for the trip down to Bali. When you get there, sample the noodles at the yacht club. Great food at very reasonable prices.

[jmo64]

Tony-Keep up the good work and the great writing!!Just between you and I I hear some of those pretty girls make an excellent crew

[Wotname]

Gee, I do hope you all this sorted before going across the top end of Oz.
BTW, is this typical of deliveries?
I would be embarrassed to ask someone to deliver a boat with so many potential problems - off course I am aware that the owner might have not been fully aware of the condition of the vessel when setting up the delivery!

[bvimatelot]

Singapore Update:


Many thanks to all for your kind comments! As I think you know, we had to turn back to Singapore a couple of weeks ago.


Our mainsail is now re-stitched, and I have re-supplied myself with extra needles as the jib will surely go next! We also have a brand new sail bag which looks pretty good.


The electrics have been a continuing problem and both alternators have been in the workshop many times. The wonderful Mr Tan has done sterling work in putting the electrics back together and explaining the system to me! Interestingly enough, the original buyers survey reckoned that even with the huge amount of add-ons that have occurred over the life of the yacht, that it had all been “professionally done”......


The autopilot – I managed to fix....don't ask me how!! Probably weak supply and I, more by luck than judgement, wiggled the right wire(s). Not entirely satisfactory but it will have to do.


The starboard engine's fuel leaks have all been chased down and stopped. Then, on re-start, yet another hose burst and the local yanmar agent didnt have it in stock. Well, I'm not waiting for yet another week (much as its nice here, I can't afford the beer – or the time!), so I trace down a Chinese fluid line shop and blow me down, they make one up for me as I wait and only charge 9 sing dollars! I wish I'd found them 2 weeks' ago...


Joy of joys, we've managed to sort out the fresh water and may even be able to have a shower on the next leg instead of chasing rain-clouds.


Since we have been here, the boat has changed to Australian registry and we are now the proud owners of a humungous Australian flag which will be a little difficult to fly, but I'm sure we'll manage.


So, a quick shop for vittles, beer and tobacco – not cheap especially as the last re-supply was in Langkawi which was dirt cheap- and we're off.


And what exciting destination next?? Well, I hope Darwin but halfway down the road is Bali: I already have the Indonesian paperwork completed so I can use Bali as a break-off point, which is a bit of a comfort to know. We wont be able to dally long, if we do go there, as its still an exceedingly long way to Brisbane and I have a couple of trans atlantics lined up next, which I would not like to miss (apart from the financial side!)


Blessings to all and safe sailing, Tony

[Wotname]

Lets hope the majority of the troubles are over and you get some smooth sailing to Darwin.
Fair winds!

[lateral]

Law of averages must give you a good leg just about now! Keep it up, staunch effort
& a great story. BTW, what make/size is your vessel?

[MarkJ]

Really hoping for a good trip for you this time. You have had the share of problems to take any devil off your case.

Watch out for boats with no lights, or very dim lights through Indonesia. None care.
Also ships and boats will try to come very close accross your bows. Its very weird and quite scary. they are either trying to cut the devils off their stern by your bow therefore transfering the devils to you; or they just hate passing astern. Whatever, treat it seriously and turn down to their stern so they can pass clear ahead.

Ships and motor boats will NOT get out of the way for you; Red Green doesn't work. The bigger boat has right of way and will force it every time.

Life is cheap there.



May Huey go with you. I mean it, fair winds!


Mark

[stoffer123]

Wow great story Tony,
This is the making for a top book mate.
It has been a pleasure to read your story. From here on I think what ever else come's about you will be able to handle in stride.
Weather is nice here in Darwin atm and there has been a lot of boats going east this year.
From what I have heard its been pretty nice cruising around the top to.
I'm still at anchor in Fanny bay Darwin. My departure date is set for the 31st of this month. If you happen to arrive before i go it would be great to catch up for a beer. By the looks of it though I will be well on my way.
Keep up the good work sounds like one hell of an adventure.
Best wishes
Stoffer.

[bvimatelot]

Latest News in the continuing saga....

Having got everything together and cleared out of Singapore, I decided to investigate a new marina I had heard about on the Malaysian side of the Johore Baru Straits, about 3 miles North of Singapore on the Malaysian side (obviously!) This turned out to be an excellent idea and if anyone is in this area, they should go under the bridge and up to Puteri Harbour. This is a beautiful new Marina Development. The office staff can clear you into Malaysia which saves a huge amount of chasing around and they have a good chandlery on site and a ten us dollar taxi ride away from a modern mall with ATM machines, and a first class supermarket. Being Malaysia its considerably cheaper than Singapore!

So we stored and fuelled and set off in the late afternoon, back down under the bridge, past Raffles Marina and into the Straits yet again. We didnt have much wind so it was motor sailing with one engine to maintain a decent speed. By the next morning we were just about through the Singapore Straits and settling into the passage routine. An uneventful 2nd day got us nearly to where we had turned back the first time, about 11 miles North of the Equator.

The wind was a light South Easterly and there was a gentle swell. I had just put the first reef in the main as I could see that she was beginning to tear along the lowest seam. Ah, ha, another stitch job, thinks I. So we, if anything, were slightly underpowered when, suddenly, an almighty "crack" and the mast lurched back about 10 feet. Pretty obvious what had happened - the forestay had parted. I was on watch at the time and immediately got off the wind to reduce pressure. Meanwhile the crew, who was also on deck at the time, went up to the mast to grab a spare halliard to run through the forward cleat.

Unfortunately, we weren't quick enough and the whole rig came crashing down, causing quite a bit of damage in the way of bent guard rail stanchions, torn sails, broken saloon windows, extensive gouging on the coach-roof and side decks, etc, etc.

You will remember that we had replaced both shrouds. Our rigger in Langkawi had also inspected the forestay top swage and deemed it ok (but with no guarantees!). Because of the roller furling, it was not possible at the time to inspect the lower part of the forestay, and this had caused me some anxiety - I would be extremely embarrassed if it broke down there! It was the top swage that parted. With the benefit of 20/20 vision of hindsight, perhaps the owner and I were penny wise, pound foolish, in not replacing the forestay in Langkawi, but what's done, is done.

It took us over 6 hours in pretty flat conditions, to secure the mast and boom - jolly heavy, catamaran rigs! Having done that, we had no lights and no vhf and were obviously going to have to turn back to Singapore to get the latest mess fixed. I jury rigged a stern light out of an inspection light which worked very well. In front, attached by jumper cable crocodile clips to the house battery, I rigged up an led white light. Not having any coloured paper, I couldn't make a red and green but, hey, at least we had something visible forward.

So, back we went and I slowed down so that I would be in the thick of the Straits in daylight.

This boat obviously doesn't want to go South of the Equator - perhaps it had a bad experience there as a child?

We are just awaiting the repair facility manager to come and inspect the damage and liaise with the owner on what's to be done. I'll update the saga as necessary later. T

Meanwhile thanks again for all kind comments!! Tony

[Wotname]

Words fail me.......
Once again, I guess this is better happening where it did than where it might have.
My thoughts are with you!

Edit: Are you sure you are not just making all this up or writing some fictional novel on the downside of sailing

[boatman61]

Man... I've done some wrecks and I've done some beautiful boats but I've yet to have experienced so many disasters in one trip... at worst they've been inconviniences...
My compliments on your dogged determination... there's many would have walked before now... we need a better name...lmao

[bvimatelot]

Well - thanks again for all the support - its really fantastic that people are being so nice. When you are out in the bundu, its really heartening to hear.

Basically - the owner has been absolutely superb and I really do not want to let him down. So - we are going to get this bloody boat to Oz somehow!!

Secondly - I have to sadly say that Raffles Marina Singapore is just sitting on its fat arse doing nothing. You'd have thought that they would have leapt on a nice little repair job like this, but no - the workshop manager is "too busy" (yeah, yeah) to walk 20 yards down the dock but might be able to get to us tomorrow???

Meanwhile - remember that lovely little Harbour just a couple of miles up the JB straits in Malaysia that I mentioned? Well: I've emailed them and if they can handle these, really not too difficult, repairs, I'm out of Singers and up to where the beer is cheaper, the booze and fags(woops - cigarettes to non Brits) are half price and the dockage and repair work is going to be a third of Singapore prices!

best to everyone....watch this space for new and exciting developments from your East Asia Correspondent.....

[MarkJ]

Strap the mast to the deck, fill 'er with fuel, load a few gerry cans and bugger off by motor to Australia.

Its only 900 miles without wind to Bali and refuel. Then 1,000 to Darwin.

Vitually no wind to Bali. Trades 20 on the nose Bali to Darwin