Start Over—Fiji to Japan, Recommended Route?

[delmarrey]

Hi All,
I have a friend sailing a 40’ sloop from just east of Fiji (Niue) to Ogasawara, Japan. I’ve made my recommendations but I’d like to see what ya’ll have done or recommend yourself.
He’ll be leaving within the month.

Actual starting point 18°.585’ S. x 19°.550’ W

Destination.... 27°.051’ N x 142°.120’ E

[JPA Cate]

He has the southern hemisphere cyclone season to deal with, and the northern typhoon one as well. He's probably pretty safe once he gets equatorial, and while he stays there. I haven't been to the southern Japanese isles, but they are reported to be good cruising. There are protected harbors once in the more populous areas.

No idea of his draft, but there are a few cyclone holes hither and yon, more for shallow draft boats, of course. A bunch of us sat out a threatening one in Port Sandwich, Vanuatu. The catamaran was the only one who could go up the river to the village.

I hope your friend will have access to good weather forecasting, because what's up north will be critical to the safety of his voyage.

Me, I'd sail from Niue to Oz via NZ if necessary (to get below the cyclones), then wait for the cyclone season to finish and head for Japan. In a non-cyclonic period, the run from there to Oz would be a pleasant sail, mostly. Once here, he could go north where there are mangrove creeks to hide out in, and maybe get a leg up on it. He will be exposed for a long time. Sure hope the boat is strong and both it and he are competent.

Ann

[Dsanduril]

FWIW if I was leaving in March I'd probably watch for a good window and then make tracks for Kiribati or the Marshalls. At that time of year should be able to make a good reach out of it, depends on when the easterlies really fill in. We've done that trip (a long time ago) from Samoa up to the Marshalls.

Haven't done the second part, my weather sense says I'd probably swing a bit north of rhumb line, but that's a relatively long passage (OK by me). Alternative B might be to make for the northern Marianas and thence to your destination, but that means the last leg is nearly due north, and might be a bit on the wind depending on conditions.

BTW, guessing your actual starting point is 169.550° W, otherwise you have the canal to deal with first

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

FWIW if I was leaving in March I'd probably watch for a good window and then make tracks for Kiribati or the Marshalls. At that time of year should be able to make a good reach out of it, depends on when the easterlies really fill in. We've done that trip (a long time ago) from Samoa up to the Marshalls.

Haven't done the second part, my weather sense says I'd probably swing a bit north of rhumb line, but that's a relatively long passage (OK by me). Alternative B might be to make for the northern Marianas and thence to your destination, but that means the last leg is nearly due north, and might be a bit on the wind depending on conditions.

BTW, guessing your actual starting point is 169.550° W, otherwise you have the canal to deal with first

Right 169° Gawd, I can’t get my typing together.

Thanks D! The wind direction usually comes out of the NE but changes a lot.
I did recommended going N to the Marshalls then swing more E to Ogasawara to catch the wind on more of the bean. Going E, then N is head on most of the way, it seems.

We’re Not too worried about weather, but he is carrying an inReach. We can track him and send messages via satellite. We’ll be watching the weather daily as he goes, and keep him up to date on any heavy winds coming his way.

[seandepagnier]

I suggest sailing through the phillippines to be safe from potential typhoons.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

I suggest sailing through the phillippines to be safe from potential typhoons.

Most of the typhoons start out in the Philippine Sea and North of PNG.

Typhoon season starts in May, here in the Philippines. The weather is just starting to warm up. It’s when it’s really hot, that’s when the turbulence starts to pick up.

[Dsanduril]

It's all averages, so YMMV.

Crossing from the south to north Pacific near the Marshalls puts you crossing the narrowest portion of tropical storm tracks. Mexican hurricanes have usually died out by the dateline and western typhoons start to form from there west. By curving north then east from the Marshalls you go above/around the most common typhoon tracks - those that head for the Philippines and then curve N/NE/NW toward Japan. Ogasawara sits kind of at the top of the typhoon tracks for that longitude, they curve further up toward the main Japanese islands a bit to the west.

As noted, that's all averages - your specific storm may just have your name on it.

[delmarrey]

Right now there is a storm heading for him and will be there by the end of the week. So he needs to move to the Cook Islands until it passes. There no hurricane hole in Niue. It’s going to make an even longer trek for him.

[Dsanduril]

Yes, when I replied to this thread I took a look at Windy and thought "I wouldn't really like to be in Niue right now". Between Samoa and Niue looks unpleasant next week. If the wind isn't from the east Niue doesn't have much protection.

[JPA Cate]

I would expect severe TC "Uesi" to head off to the SE in about 4-5 days.... We'll see what it actually does. I'm not aware of good protection in the Cooks, but depends where it goes. My thought would be to go north post haste, it will eventually go S and then SE.

@ delmarrey: had you thought of Fiji to Fuji for a name for your thread?

Just a thought.

Ann

[delmarrey]

Yep! He’s underway now heading NE to get away from the storm.

@Ann the name could be anything right now. The keyboard on my iPad has been screwing up bad lately. Sometimes I have to reboot to unfreeze it.