Lack of Wind in Phuket

[Saleen411]

We are planning our next charter and looked at the winds in Phuket. We like to SAIL and am thinking of chartering elsewhere if these avg. winds are accurate.

Can anybody give us some first hand info please? Thanks in advance.

Sorry that the paste didn't come out so good. Looks like 5-6 knots is average!!!!

Max temp
(°F) Min temp
(°F) Avg precipitation
(mm) Avg wind speed
(knots) Dominant wind direction
Talat Yai/Phuket (Thailand)
January 90 75 40 5 E
February 91 75 30 5 E
March 91 77 40 5 SE
April 91 77 150 5 WNW
May 90 79 200 5 WNW
June 90 77 240 6 W
July 88 77 300 6 W
August 88 77 260 6 W
September 88 77 400 6 WNW
October 88 77 280 5 WNW
November 90 75 200 5 E
December 90 75 60 5 NNE

[UFO]

Not much sailing to be had in those winds.



I used to work as a dive instructor there and from memory, apart from the squalls that used roll through in the rainy season, the wind was never consistently noticeable and can remember many occasions of just floating around at slack tide in dead calm, with the ocean like a mill pond - It was very pleasant

[Simi 60]

Trawlers work well and diesel is cheaper than sails, mast and rigging you rarely use.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Trawlers work well and diesel is cheaper than sails, mast and rigging you rarely use.

A trawler or power cat would definitely be my preference in 5 knots of wind.

Thing is....we've been to Thailand dozens of times but never sailed there.....thought it would be fun.

In any case, many other places we can go in April.

[fivecapes]

I was on a charter in August, remember around 10kn with gusts to 20kn. Had to take in a reef. Partly cloudy skies, fantastic sailing near Koh Yao Yai. That was back in 2001.

Windfinder is reporting 2kns above what you have.

[john61ct]

Maybe go sailing out of Langkawi, if you want to visit Phuket fly in and out.

[Matt Johnson]

We just did a charter out of Koh Chang and had light winds for the two weeks we were on the boat. But, just about every afternoon we'd get a few hours of 10knts and once we figured that out, we just started sailing from anchorage to anchorage in the afternoon hours. Not sure Phuket is the same.

If you haven't been, Koh Chang is a beautiful area to be on a boat. The proximity of anchorages and islands makes cruising here "BVI" easy, but a lot less tourist than other spots.

Matt

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

We just did a charter out of Koh Chang and had light winds for the two weeks we were on the boat. But, just about every afternoon we'd get a few hours of 10knts and once we figured that out, we just started sailing from anchorage to anchorage in the afternoon hours. Not sure Phuket is the same.

If you haven't been, Koh Chang is a beautiful area to be on a boat. The proximity of anchorages and islands makes cruising here "BVI" easy, but a lot less tourist than other spots.

Matt

I've been to Phuket bunches of times.....unfortunately, like many places I've been to over the last few decades, it's not the same. in fact one of my good friends who lives there is leaving....says the place is "ruined" I still was interested in sailing the area, but am somewhat cool to the idea now.

I have not been to Koh Chang, only as far south as Jomtien on that side. Did you charter with Gulf Charters?....now Island Spirit I believe. They also have a base in Koh Samui, which is another place I would like to visit.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

I've been to Phuket bunches of times.....unfortunately, like many places I've been to over the last few decades, it's not the same. in fact one of my good friends who lives there is leaving....says the place is "ruined" I still was interested in sailing the area, but am somewhat cool to the idea now.

I have not been to Koh Chang, only as far south as Jomtiem on that side. Did you charter with Gulf Charters?....now Island Spirit I believe.

We were lucky enough to be given a boat to use by Island Spirit charters to film the area. They were great, and I highly recommend them, but since they gave us the boat to use, I didn't want to be seen soliciting for them on this site.

Unfortunately, we do not have the film of the area done yet, but I'm sure there is a ton on youtube already about Koh Chang, Ko Mac and Ko Kut to give you an idea of what to expect. It's just island after island with beautiful mountains and lush vegetation.

Over the course of two weeks we shared an anchorage with another boat less than 50% of the time.... but could have reduced that to zero if we wanted. You can stop in front of strips of resorts if you want a more social night out, or escape around the bay to completely untouched areas. The area is incredible safe - the charter boats don't even come with a way to lock the dinghy as they have never had a theft of anything.

The only negative we had with the area is the amount of wind during the morning and early day. But, we had just flown from the Azores and were used to sailing in 20 knots plus, so anything less felt like a whimper.


Matt

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

We were lucky enough to be given a boat to use by Island Spirit charters to film the area. They were great, and I highly recommend them, but since they gave us the boat to use, I didn't want to be seen soliciting for them on this site.

Unfortunately, we do not have the film of the area done yet, but I'm sure there is a ton on youtube already about Koh Chang, Ko Mac and Ko Kut to give you an idea of what to expect. It's just island after island with beautiful mountains and lush vegetation.

Over the course of two weeks we shared an anchorage with another boat less than 50% of the time.... but could have reduced that to zero if we wanted. You can stop in front of strips of resorts if you want a more social night out, or escape around the bay to completely untouched areas. The area is incredible safe - the charter boats don't even come with a way to lock the dinghy as they have never had a theft of anything.

The only negative we had with the area is the amount of wind during the morning and early day. But, we had just flown from the Azores and were used to sailing in 20 knots plus, so anything less felt like a whimper.


Matt

Thank you Matt.......very helpful information.

[MultiCountryDon]

I live at Ocean Marina south of Jomtien 80% of the time.
This time of year the wind gets moving around 11:00am, hits low teens by mid afternoon almost every day. August>December has stronger wind most of the time. Great sailing. Makes that little jeanneau 36i dance.

[DEAN2140]

I chartered in Phuket a few years ago and found the sailing delightful. The area further North, with the striking limestone formations, did have light winds but as we sailed south the winds picked up and were very acceptable. I believe we even threw in a reef at times. If you are intrigued by the exotic location, I wouldn't let the fear of scarce winds deter you. Of course, there can be no guarantees with the weather.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by MultiCountryDon

I live at Ocean Marina south of Jomtien 80% of the time.
This time of year the wind gets moving around 11:00am, hits low teens by mid afternoon almost every day. August>December has stronger wind most of the time. Great sailing. Makes that little jeanneau 36i dance.

Thanks.... we are a spoiled condo-maran couple. I like to spend A LOT of money to waste a huge amount of space that needs a bit of wind to get moving!

Low teens works. Thank you for the input.

[Dougtiff]

Having lived in that area for 20 year,s, and sailed all over the area, i can say, it's not sailing country for sure, mostly motoring, remember anchoring at Phi-Phi for week's, and being the only boat there, then it was a small fishing village, feel privileged to have been there at that time, also Phuket only had one hotel, at one beach, all the other beaches had small hut's on the beach, and great little restaurant's, offering fresh fish, one could live on $20.00 a day like a king, no prostitutes or bar's, wonderful, simple life style, not like the swamp it is now, same with Pattaya, back in those day's, i feel so sorry that those area's turned into shithole's.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Dougtiff

Having lived in that area for 20 year,s, and sailed all over the area, i can say, it's not sailing country for sure, mostly motoring, remember anchoring at Phi-Phi for week's, and being the only boat there, then it was a small fishing village, feel privileged to have been there at that time, also Phuket only had one hotel, at one beach, all the other beaches had small hut's on the beach, and great little restaurant's, offering fresh fish, one could live on $20.00 a day like a king, no prostitutes or bar's, wonderful, simple life style, not like the swamp it is now, same with Pattaya, back in those day's, i feel so sorry that those area's turned into shithole's.

Patt's even has that lingering shithole smell.
Didn't notice it in the pool villa we had at Pratumnak hill/ Jomtien but certainly did the few times we ventured down to the seedier end of town.