Having successfully returned to Sandringham Yacht Club in 2018 BlueFlyer has really been doing very little in the way of sailing. But that’s not to say that there’s been no activity!
This time last year the poor boat suffered from a nearby lightning hit on the marina sea wall.
Rectification involved replacing virtually all the electronics and disposing of the air compressor as well. Fortunately my insurance company, Pantaenius, came to the party and covered a lot of the costs.
As well as all that I had the hull resonated with new CopperCoat after 13 years and many miles.
After all this work was done I sold the boat and she is, as I’m writing, out in Port Philip on her way to Batemans Bay in New South Wales with a delivery crew.
Farewell to you BlueFlyer and may you look after the new owners as well as you did me!
And that’s the end of this blog.
Thank you for all the comments and stay safe in these troubled times.
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Noumea, 28/02/2018.
Having filled up with water and duty free fuel in Port Denerau, we set off for New Caledonia with a favourable forecast and an expectation of a comfortable 5 day crossing. Winds to be south going to ESE along the way. Initially we set course to the west to keep the wind on a reach, then we slowly turned to the south west on the rhumb line to Noumea.
2 days of good sailing at 7+ knots average was a bonus. The wind slowly dropped out and the engine came on for about 20 hours till the wind returned, initially softly from the south, cold, then strengthening with rough seas. We kept going and entered the Havanna Channel at the SE of New Caledonia, wind over tide and an outgoing tide of about 2 knots. We plugged on and eventually reached Noumea, about 40 miles, 6 hours travelling.
Initially we headed to the wrong marina, but eventually tied up at the correct one! Navigating at sea is easy!
The landscape is amazing with red soil and very straight pine trees everywhere.
Check in was simple, the marina helped us to tie up, gave me a form or two to fill out and said wait 2 hours for Customs. If they don’t appear you’re free to go ashore! Customs did not turn up, they rarely do apparently. Next day I went to Immigration in town by taxi, filled out another form and had the passports stamped. That afternoon the Quarantine guy appeared and took our rubbish bag and left! No fees involved at all.
Since then we have looked around the town, done some repairs, minor, and checked over the engines. Today we also washed the boat with fresh water so a load of salt has gone.
While I was looking for spare linen I found a nest of cockroaches, they are not in favour of Mortein. I killed about a dozen or so and that appeared to be all there were, we’ll see soon enough. All the spare linen will go to the laundry tomorrow.
We’re out tonight with the Ocean Cruising Club port officer for dinner. Initially we’ll head to the yacht club for a drink and a check of the menu and then decide where to dine.
All is well on board here, with discussions of what to do next and checking on the long term weather for the LAST LEG! to Sydney we hope.
2 days of good sailing at 7+ knots average was a bonus. The wind slowly dropped out and the engine came on for about 20 hours till the wind returned, initially softly from the south, cold, then strengthening with rough seas. We kept going and entered the Havanna Channel at the SE of New Caledonia, wind over tide and an outgoing tide of about 2 knots. We plugged on and eventually reached Noumea, about 40 miles, 6 hours travelling.
Initially we headed to the wrong marina, but eventually tied up at the correct one! Navigating at sea is easy!
The landscape is amazing with red soil and very straight pine trees everywhere.
Check in was simple, the marina helped us to tie up, gave me a form or two to fill out and said wait 2 hours for Customs. If they don’t appear you’re free to go ashore! Customs did not turn up, they rarely do apparently. Next day I went to Immigration in town by taxi, filled out another form and had the passports stamped. That afternoon the Quarantine guy appeared and took our rubbish bag and left! No fees involved at all.
Since then we have looked around the town, done some repairs, minor, and checked over the engines. Today we also washed the boat with fresh water so a load of salt has gone.
While I was looking for spare linen I found a nest of cockroaches, they are not in favour of Mortein. I killed about a dozen or so and that appeared to be all there were, we’ll see soon enough. All the spare linen will go to the laundry tomorrow.
We’re out tonight with the Ocean Cruising Club port officer for dinner. Initially we’ll head to the yacht club for a drink and a check of the menu and then decide where to dine.
All is well on board here, with discussions of what to do next and checking on the long term weather for the LAST LEG! to Sydney we hope.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Musket Cove Marina, 14 June 2018.pe
Yesterday we lifted BlueFlyer onto the hard standing in Port Denerau Marina with their travelift, no problems and very well chocked. Avi set to with the pressure washer and all the scum and slime vanished! The top of the rudder was covered by barnacles and so was scraped clean.
Then Baobab Engineering took over. A really good company, dealers for Yanmar and Mercury amongst others. They cleaned both the propeller and shaft and then coated both with the new PropSpeed now called PellerMax. Also fitted a new hull anode and serviced the outboard.
I found that the new propeller on the bow thruster has gone missing. That means the already weak thruster is even weaker! They did clean up the remaining one.
This morning BF went back into the water, again no problems. The difference in propeller performance is wonderful, BF took off like a startled rabbit!
After a pleasant sail across towards Mololo Island we motored into the marina through all the coral guarding the marina, through all the boats out at anchor and into a lovely marina. Mooring is stern to using your own anchor. This spot hasn’t changed in the 10 years since Val and I spent a week here, staying in one of the bures. Maybe modernised somewhat, but still beautiful. I can recommend it as a getaway place.
This evening looks like beer and pizzas at the nearest bar, about 20 metres away! The aircon is running on the boat as we have shore power and all is well on board.
Then Baobab Engineering took over. A really good company, dealers for Yanmar and Mercury amongst others. They cleaned both the propeller and shaft and then coated both with the new PropSpeed now called PellerMax. Also fitted a new hull anode and serviced the outboard.
I found that the new propeller on the bow thruster has gone missing. That means the already weak thruster is even weaker! They did clean up the remaining one.
This morning BF went back into the water, again no problems. The difference in propeller performance is wonderful, BF took off like a startled rabbit!
After a pleasant sail across towards Mololo Island we motored into the marina through all the coral guarding the marina, through all the boats out at anchor and into a lovely marina. Mooring is stern to using your own anchor. This spot hasn’t changed in the 10 years since Val and I spent a week here, staying in one of the bures. Maybe modernised somewhat, but still beautiful. I can recommend it as a getaway place.
This evening looks like beer and pizzas at the nearest bar, about 20 metres away! The aircon is running on the boat as we have shore power and all is well on board.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Fiji, 11 June 2018.
Having received several reasonably favourable weather modelling forecasts, we left Tonga on Thursday the 7th, having checked out the day before.
We booked fuel for the boat for 2o’clock on Wednesday. The tanker filled 2 boats before us, as arranged, and then drove away, saying not enough fuel in his tank. After pleading and phone calls the truck came back at 4.30! Unbelievably he returned at 4.30! Mind you, to make up for this efficiency, there was only a large nozzle available. That was OK for the boat tank, but didn’t fit the dozen jerrycans we have. Out with the funnel and hand filling them all bar one. That is because I asked for 300 litres and needed 320 in the end. The diesel was only Tongan $1.70 a litre so au$300 for 300 litres approx.
We left our overnight mooring at the Tongan Beach Resort at about 8am having had a lovely dinner there the previous night. Motoring again in company with Morgaine, a French couple on a Beneteau 39. We stayed in touch in touch for a day or so. They were going to Suva, whilst we were going to Port Denerau on the west coast.
After a days sailing we ran into good southerly winds, instead of the forecast northerlies. These were cold and brought lumpy and confused seas. As a result we ended up engining with the sails and then the wind kept backing and fading, so motoring for the rest of the trip. The gauge is in the red as a result, but we still have all the jerrycans full.
Arrival in Port Denerau was at noon and onto a mooring close to the restaurants etc. Customs, immigration, Bio Security and health all arrived within 30 minutes, unbelievable. All cleared and had to run them ashore in the dinghy. Not one of them appeared to have been on a small dinghy before and were very clumsy.
On visiting the marina office I booked a service for the long suffering outboard, an electronics guy to check the VHF and a lift and power wash for the boat. Not too dirty but I can also check the anodes and give the hull a scrubbing to reactivity the CopperCoat bottom.
All is well on board and we’re happy with the mooring too.
We booked fuel for the boat for 2o’clock on Wednesday. The tanker filled 2 boats before us, as arranged, and then drove away, saying not enough fuel in his tank. After pleading and phone calls the truck came back at 4.30! Unbelievably he returned at 4.30! Mind you, to make up for this efficiency, there was only a large nozzle available. That was OK for the boat tank, but didn’t fit the dozen jerrycans we have. Out with the funnel and hand filling them all bar one. That is because I asked for 300 litres and needed 320 in the end. The diesel was only Tongan $1.70 a litre so au$300 for 300 litres approx.
We left our overnight mooring at the Tongan Beach Resort at about 8am having had a lovely dinner there the previous night. Motoring again in company with Morgaine, a French couple on a Beneteau 39. We stayed in touch in touch for a day or so. They were going to Suva, whilst we were going to Port Denerau on the west coast.
After a days sailing we ran into good southerly winds, instead of the forecast northerlies. These were cold and brought lumpy and confused seas. As a result we ended up engining with the sails and then the wind kept backing and fading, so motoring for the rest of the trip. The gauge is in the red as a result, but we still have all the jerrycans full.
Arrival in Port Denerau was at noon and onto a mooring close to the restaurants etc. Customs, immigration, Bio Security and health all arrived within 30 minutes, unbelievable. All cleared and had to run them ashore in the dinghy. Not one of them appeared to have been on a small dinghy before and were very clumsy.
On visiting the marina office I booked a service for the long suffering outboard, an electronics guy to check the VHF and a lift and power wash for the boat. Not too dirty but I can also check the anodes and give the hull a scrubbing to reactivity the CopperCoat bottom.
All is well on board and we’re happy with the mooring too.
Monday, June 4, 2018
Vava’u, Tonga, 06/06/2018.
We have been here for 8 days now, still enjoying the place, but leaving tomorrow for Fiji.
This is the first time in Tonga for me. It’s not the most advanced place, but has the necessary shops, etc. I managed to get the new vang strengthened at the mast end where the original plate had bent like a piece of putty. After 4 days the new super version is still straight.
Another failure is one of the lights in my shower.
Having taken it apart I found the tiny on off switch had corroded and broken. I’ll try in Fiji and New Caledonia but I think the replacement will have to wait till Australia.
The weather here is sunny and in the mid 20s, but occasional showers so we’re forever opening and closing hatches. Winds got up to 28 knots one night, otherwise below 10 knots. Very pleasant.
We have looked around a bit. We went to the Botanical Gardens, unfortunately closed that day, but went on down to the beach. That was one of the days we rented a car.
Also been to the Tongan Beach Resort. Picked up a mooring and had dinner ashore, nice food and good service. The manager and his wife joined us at the table.
Next morning we left for Horseshoe Bay. Not the proper name but a good description. Snorkelling and a beautiful beach. meg tried some painting, but the mossies beat her!
After that we spent a couple of nights at Port Maurell. Not a port but a beautiful anchorage. More snorkelling, etc.
All is well on board, but we are looking forward to moving along.
This is the first time in Tonga for me. It’s not the most advanced place, but has the necessary shops, etc. I managed to get the new vang strengthened at the mast end where the original plate had bent like a piece of putty. After 4 days the new super version is still straight.
Another failure is one of the lights in my shower.
Having taken it apart I found the tiny on off switch had corroded and broken. I’ll try in Fiji and New Caledonia but I think the replacement will have to wait till Australia.
The weather here is sunny and in the mid 20s, but occasional showers so we’re forever opening and closing hatches. Winds got up to 28 knots one night, otherwise below 10 knots. Very pleasant.
We have looked around a bit. We went to the Botanical Gardens, unfortunately closed that day, but went on down to the beach. That was one of the days we rented a car.
Also been to the Tongan Beach Resort. Picked up a mooring and had dinner ashore, nice food and good service. The manager and his wife joined us at the table.
Next morning we left for Horseshoe Bay. Not the proper name but a good description. Snorkelling and a beautiful beach. meg tried some painting, but the mossies beat her!
After that we spent a couple of nights at Port Maurell. Not a port but a beautiful anchorage. More snorkelling, etc.
All is well on board, but we are looking forward to moving along.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Rarotonga, 12/05/2018.
Well we made it here from Bora Bora with only 2 more repairs to be done.
We were delayed leaving B.B. by the Gendarmes due to a mix up in departure dates but got away only 6 hours late. Nice sailing initially but then the wind and rain caught up! Rain coming down like a whiteout and winds up to 47 knots, approx 95 kph.
During this the boom kicker or vang broke. As this is only 4 years old I am not impressed, but will have to bear it. The warranty is 12 months. It may be fixable or replaced with a fixed rod here before we leave. It’s major purpose on this boat is to hold up the boom when it’s not being used by the mainsail.
The other repair is the white navigation light on the transom of the boat. It was a bad contact and some torn wiring, seems to be working OK now.
Rarotonga is a much more friendly and welcoming place than Tahiti, more reasonably priced and English is spoken! The currency is beautiful, fancy a triangular 2 dollar coin? The currency is one for one with the New Zealand dollar which makes life a little cheaper for Aussies.
The winds look like keeping us here till Wednesday so we’ll hire a car for a couple of days and go exploring, and they drive on the left here too, how civilised is that? Then we’ll take a couple of days to get to Palmerston Island right in the middle of nowhere! You’ll have to google it.
The temperature today is only 25 so quite pleasant and seems less humid despite the rain. All the locals say they don’t know where the wind and rain is coming from.
We are now moored stern on to the harbour wall with our anchor hold the bow in place.
All is well on board.
Sorry, no photos yet!
We were delayed leaving B.B. by the Gendarmes due to a mix up in departure dates but got away only 6 hours late. Nice sailing initially but then the wind and rain caught up! Rain coming down like a whiteout and winds up to 47 knots, approx 95 kph.
During this the boom kicker or vang broke. As this is only 4 years old I am not impressed, but will have to bear it. The warranty is 12 months. It may be fixable or replaced with a fixed rod here before we leave. It’s major purpose on this boat is to hold up the boom when it’s not being used by the mainsail.
The other repair is the white navigation light on the transom of the boat. It was a bad contact and some torn wiring, seems to be working OK now.
Rarotonga is a much more friendly and welcoming place than Tahiti, more reasonably priced and English is spoken! The currency is beautiful, fancy a triangular 2 dollar coin? The currency is one for one with the New Zealand dollar which makes life a little cheaper for Aussies.
The winds look like keeping us here till Wednesday so we’ll hire a car for a couple of days and go exploring, and they drive on the left here too, how civilised is that? Then we’ll take a couple of days to get to Palmerston Island right in the middle of nowhere! You’ll have to google it.
The temperature today is only 25 so quite pleasant and seems less humid despite the rain. All the locals say they don’t know where the wind and rain is coming from.
We are now moored stern on to the harbour wall with our anchor hold the bow in place.
All is well on board.
Sorry, no photos yet!
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Bora Bora, 06/05/2018.
We motored over to here from Fare and grabbed a mooring for 3 nights before the World ARC boats arrived.
Here is the Yacht Club in Bora Bora, complete with free wifi, slow but still, toilets, showers, food and drink. All the necessities of life in fact.
Yesterday we took a motor tour of the island, a 30 km road around the coast built by the US army in 1942/3 and recently refinished by the French. There is still at least 1 bunker and 1 8inch cannon visible, but well overgrown.
Also we are eliminating some on board cockroaches that appeared since our arrival. Lots of cleaning of hidden area followed by a heavy spray with Moretein to discourage any more.
This morning I dived under the boat and replaced 2 of the 3 anodes, the other one is not available here. Garry ably assisting me and sharing the tank full of Frankston air! Finally had a look at the hull cleaning done in Papeete, and I’m not impressed. The propeller and shaft were not touched and I had to clean a section of the shaft to fit the anode. I’ll have a word with the agent tomorrow when I see him.
Tomorrow we’re planning to go to the fuel dock and fill up the diesel tanks, the outboard petrol container and the water tanks again, flush out the holding tanks and then depart in early afternoon for Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Should take about 4 days as it’s almost 600 miles. I’ll do another blog from there.
All is well on BlueFlyer.
Here is the Yacht Club in Bora Bora, complete with free wifi, slow but still, toilets, showers, food and drink. All the necessities of life in fact.
Yesterday we took a motor tour of the island, a 30 km road around the coast built by the US army in 1942/3 and recently refinished by the French. There is still at least 1 bunker and 1 8inch cannon visible, but well overgrown.
Also we are eliminating some on board cockroaches that appeared since our arrival. Lots of cleaning of hidden area followed by a heavy spray with Moretein to discourage any more.
This morning I dived under the boat and replaced 2 of the 3 anodes, the other one is not available here. Garry ably assisting me and sharing the tank full of Frankston air! Finally had a look at the hull cleaning done in Papeete, and I’m not impressed. The propeller and shaft were not touched and I had to clean a section of the shaft to fit the anode. I’ll have a word with the agent tomorrow when I see him.
Tomorrow we’re planning to go to the fuel dock and fill up the diesel tanks, the outboard petrol container and the water tanks again, flush out the holding tanks and then depart in early afternoon for Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Should take about 4 days as it’s almost 600 miles. I’ll do another blog from there.
All is well on BlueFlyer.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Monday, April 30, 2018
Fare, Huahine, 30April 2018.
We departed Oponohua Bay on Moorea on the 28th and had a pleasant overnighter heading to Raietea. However when the wind dropped out I changed course and motored to Huahine Island, arriving around 0900 and anchored in a beautiful, but anonymous, bay on the east coast.
We all went ashore and had a beautiful meal of fresh fried fish with beans and rice salad.
Afterwards we moved to another anchorage nearer the bay entrance. I had anchored there before and loved it and it was as good this time. Just in a pass sheltered by a sand island, a motu here, and in shallow water.
This morning we left this idilic anchorage and went north around to Fare which is where we are now, on a mooring. Lunch today in the “Yacht Club, Huahine”. A small town but a good supermarket, 2 banks and a post office. Tomorrow we will head off to Raietea, a 20 mile trip.
All is well on board.
I have some photos to put up, but they’re not yet available. I’ll try again shortly.
I have some photos to put up, but they’re not yet available. I’ll try again shortly.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Moorea, Cook Bay, 25/04/2018
All aboard for the South Pacific Cruise!
We made it to the first stopover yesterday. All 4 hours of the trip. The new rigging stayed up and we hit 7.5 knots in 6 knots of wind. A clean hull is a wondrous thing when your sailing. I have based our proposed itinerary on covering only 120 miles a day, very conservative.
We anchored in the bay at about 4 yesterday, and then had gin and tonic to celebrate! After a cold dinner of pizza, lettuce, tomato and coleslaw it was off to bed. That’s when the wind bullets started arriving off the mountain nearby. I checked we were not dragging a couple of times and gave the dinghy painter a couple of extra knots as well. All was OK.
We have come ashore and I have bought a couple of SIM cards with data from Vodaphone. I’m now sitting in a restaurant that is not open, but I have booked for dinner tonight.
The photos are of the Bay from the veranda.
All good on board.
We made it to the first stopover yesterday. All 4 hours of the trip. The new rigging stayed up and we hit 7.5 knots in 6 knots of wind. A clean hull is a wondrous thing when your sailing. I have based our proposed itinerary on covering only 120 miles a day, very conservative.
We anchored in the bay at about 4 yesterday, and then had gin and tonic to celebrate! After a cold dinner of pizza, lettuce, tomato and coleslaw it was off to bed. That’s when the wind bullets started arriving off the mountain nearby. I checked we were not dragging a couple of times and gave the dinghy painter a couple of extra knots as well. All was OK.
We have come ashore and I have bought a couple of SIM cards with data from Vodaphone. I’m now sitting in a restaurant that is not open, but I have booked for dinner tonight.
The photos are of the Bay from the veranda.
All good on board.
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