Passage Phuket, Thailand to Turkey via Red Sea

[sailndive]

I am wondering if anyone has recently sailed the area going west from Sri Lanka and venturing into the Gulf of Aden and what the security situation is and how best to proceed.

I'm crewing on a yacht from Phuket to Turkey but the concern is the conflict in Yeman and the pirates of Somalia. Maybe overthinking the dangers but if anyone has any good tips or suggestions, whatever they may be, they would be much appreciated.

Suggested departure Phuket, Nov 2018.

Thanks in advance !!

[Thalas]

Lots of Youtube sailing vlogs cover it. I wouldn't recommend it. Here's one from a motor yacht from 6 months ago and they prep the boat with booby traps, fortifications and an armed security team of 3. Egyptian security also went through every nook and cranny and confiscated their drone. Doesn't sound fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RHrqCEqZ7E

Noonsite reported a piracy attempt in Feb.

https://www.noonsite.com/General/Rou...-february-2018

Odds are you'll be safe, but when things go wrong, they go really wrong. If you must go, look into convoy security if that exists.

[Paul L]

Here's a blog of a smaller boat that did the passage last year
https://turtlemail.blogspot.com/2017/01/sri-lanka.html

[sailndive]

Thanks so much for replying Thalas and Paul L........will check those links out

[daletournier]

Every year boats are doing that passage. There's a redsea Facebook page. At least 20 yachts did it this year, therefore they believe the risk is minimum.

Personally I believe the risk is to hard to gauge and chose the southern route and are currently in South Africa.

Although in recent years there's been no attack against yachts in this area, there has been incidents regarding ships, the area is heavily patrolled but still a high security risk.

I was in the Seychelles last year while there was a pirate attack 120nm north.

The pirates are still in those waters regardless of what people want to believe.

[sailndive]

Thanks Dale.....very helpful :-)

[sailcrazy]

We were in Phuket in 2011-2012. After the American sailors were killed and everyone making that trip turned back, Seven Star Freighting suddenly became a very popular connection to make. We like everyone else we knew, elected to ship, via Seven Star, to Marmaris. Aside from the delayed and somewhat uncertain departure date from Phuket, we count it as one of the best decisions we made.

[Cool Hand Luke]

I did some sailing around Phuket when I chartered with Sunsail/Moorings in January 2016. You can see the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7VIrBes4rA

I can't help outside of Phuket, but if you need Phuket info, let me know.

[Thalas]

Originally Posted by sailcrazy

We were in Phuket in 2011-2012. After the American sailors were killed and everyone making that trip turned back, Seven Star Freighting suddenly became a very popular connection to make. We like everyone else we knew, elected to ship, via Seven Star, to Marmaris. Aside from the delayed and somewhat uncertain departure date from Phuket, we count it as one of the best decisions we made.

How long was the turnaround time from boat drop-off to pick up?

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Thalas

How long was the turnaround time from boat drop-off to pick up?

about 4- 5 weeks as they continue on to singapore and hongkong before returning ,round trip is about every 3 months though varies according to bookings.

[sailcrazy]

I think it depends on the ship and the freight company. When we made the trip, the ship came from Indonesia and Singapore, stopped in Phuket, and then a single stop in the Sechelles (sp?) before a non-stop trip to Marmaris, then on to Genoa. After we signed up and paid, and were given a pickup day....the ship arrival date slipped several times; we finally loaded about 4 weeks after our initially scheduled load date! But from what I've heard-that's not unusual. Once we were loaded we left Phuket and flew back to the US for about 3 weeks, then flew to Marmaris and had about 3-4 days before the ship arrived and was ready to offload. All-in-all, it was about a 4-week period between pickup and offload. FWIW, we were so satisfied with the process and the cost we elected to ship from Genoa to St Thomas as well.....after 3+ years cruising the Medd. We used Seven Star for that trip as well!

[andypag]

Originally Posted by sailcrazy

I think it depends on the ship and the freight company. When we made the trip, the ship came from Indonesia and Singapore, stopped in Phuket, and then a single stop in the Sechelles (sp?) before a non-stop trip to Marmaris, then on to Genoa. After we signed up and paid, and were given a pickup day....the ship arrival date slipped several times; we finally loaded about 4 weeks after our initially scheduled load date! But from what I've heard-that's not unusual. Once we were loaded we left Phuket and flew back to the US for about 3 weeks, then flew to Marmaris and had about 3-4 days before the ship arrived and was ready to offload. All-in-all, it was about a 4-week period between pickup and offload. FWIW, we were so satisfied with the process and the cost we elected to ship from Genoa to St Thomas as well.....after 3+ years cruising the Medd. We used Seven Star for that trip as well!

What was the cost and boat size?

[sailcrazy]

andypag.....our boat is a monohull, LOA-43' . I'd need to go back and look at old receipts to be sure, but as I recall, the trip from Phuket to Marmaris, Turkey(spring 2012) was about $25k, and the trip from Genoa to St Thomas (late fall 2014) was about $20k. No idea what the charges are these days, and while it sounds like lots of $$, when you figure food, parts, fuel, time, etc, etc, and no wear and tear on the boat, time reqd, and wx issues.... it's not that over-the-top.

[richardjon]

Originally Posted by sailcrazy

andypag.....our boat is a monohull, LOA-43' . I'd need to go back and look at old receipts to be sure, but as I recall, the trip from Phuket to Marmaris, Turkey(spring 2012) was about $25k, and the trip from Genoa to St Thomas (late fall 2014) was about $20k. No idea what the charges are these days, and while it sounds like lots of $$, when you figure food, parts, fuel, time, etc, etc, and no wear and tear on the boat, time reqd, and wx issues.... it's not that over-the-top.

Hi I wonder if you would mind explaining how the loading process works, I presume that you have to sail out to the transport vessel and alongside and wait for it to be craned up?
I understand they pick up from anchor around Ao Po Grand Marina area.
Did you need to arrange another boat to get back ashore after loading?

Many thanks
Richard Oram.

[richardjon]

Hi
Would you mind explaining how the loading process works, presumably you sail alongside the transport vessel and did you need another boat to take you back ashore?
I guess you wait in the marina until you establish communication on VHF radio before sailing out.

Many thanks
Richard Oram