Yacht Willow - Sailing and Yachting Adventures

Captains Log

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Wednesday, 9 July, 2008

Willow, Robert, Kate and Andy.
Left Langkawi June 23rd. Arrived Hong Kong July 8th.
Approx 1800Nm in 15 days.

We've yet to hear all the stories, but it sounds like the most drama on the passage was the night before arrival when a fishing net wrapped itself tightly around the prop!
Robert in the water, Kate also to assist, with Andy standing by on the helm....and Bruce constantly trying to get through on the Sat phone to tell them of a possible Typhoon forming!

More stories I am sure on the dock at Hebe on Saturday.

Until then, we thank them all for a safe passage, and look forward to spending some quality time on Willow in the near future.

Photo: Andy contemplates whether to fry, grill or bake the days catch.

Friday, 4 July, 2008

Well Willow has had a great run to date with speeds of up to 9 knots under sail.
The wind has been pretty patchy and mostly light but with a few good runs and the need to reef once or twice. the 1500 Nm run from Singapore to Hong Kong has used quite a bit of fuel but now at 450 Nm to go she has plenty of fuel to complete the trip with a safety margin of 100 litres left.

She has been using an amazing 2.5 litres per hour cruising at 5 Knots not bad for a 100 hp engine I think the builder Kim got the drive train absolutely spot on a great mixture of power, speed and fuel consumption, that can be controlled easily by the engine revs.

They have had a couple of problems on the way.

Firstly the steering system started to sound funny which led to the disovery of an oil leak. Which led to the discovery that the spare oil was no longer on board. Which led to the discovery that cooking oil was a good substitute. I stripped a copy of the hydraulic auto pilot pump used on Willow at work and informed on a running repair which stopped the oil leak. So with some ingenuity to resolve the faulty o ring and a little cooking oil we avoided Willows need to call into Vietnam for repairs, though I will have to flush the system on arrival and fit the proper O ring. The second problem has definitely been caused by human error. The bottle of gas that I assured Skipper robert was full and should last 3 to 4 months ran out at about day 7 Not sure what the go is there but fortunately the backup cooker and 7 cannisters of fuel have been put to good use.
OH yeah there was also an engine overheat situation we believe due to a blocked inlet, Efficiently dealt with by the crew and no further problem.

So she is 450 Nm out and working her way west of the paracels a dangerous reef area in the middle of the ocean with ship wrecks marked on the charts tonight will be the most dangerous of the trip but I am sure the
I think this is a pretty good run so far after the last two years of living aboard and a few thousand hard travelled miles and lots of work she is at her best, the trip has shown however that my spares list is not as good as I thought it was so another lesson learnt.

So she is 450 Nm out of Hong Kong so I think a Tuesday morning arrival 15 days from Langkawi with just one fuel stop in Johor Sabana Cove near Singapore.
So to saturday night there is obviously in the great Willow tradition a dock party planned at Hebe Haven yacht club G4 her new home until we can arrange a mooring. So if your in Hong Kong or would like to fly in for a great party we will see you there from 1800 hrs.

Tuesday, 24 June, 2008

Well I have been very remiss with my duties in regard to updating the log as friends in the bar at Hebe Haven told me the other night. Yes I agree Lindsey was much better at it than me and her stories were far more entertaining.

So to the new era;

I have returned to work in Hong Kong and am employed as service foreman with Simpson Marine, the largest yacht broker in Asia.

We have decided to bring Willow back to Hong Kong and use her over the next few years while working in Hong Kong .

So after many years of skippering yacht deliveries I am unable to do my own and as such have employed a skipper Austrian Robert Winkler and a couple of adventurous intrepid friends; Andy Sugden Ocean Yachtmaster, and Long term crew Kate Jury, Inshore skipper. They have kindly agreed to help out with the delivery from Langkawi to Hong Kong. The plan is direct if possible, with perhaps a short stop for fuel in Sabana Cove near Singapore.

Currently they have been having some good sailing down the Malaka Straits with reports of 8.5 knots boat speed with Andy on the helm. The conditions there vary quite a bit and I’m sure they’re having their quiet spells and some squally rain showers as well.
Kate has been looking for the sailing gloves as her dive instructor/videographer soft pansy hands are not coping well with the traditional rig and hauling required on board Willow.

Willow is expected to arrive around the 10th of July and a party on the docks is imminent. You will be able to meet the crew and find out first hand if Willow really can sail at 8.5 Knots, whats it like in a 50 Knot Squall, does she sail upwind, and how did she reach her max speed of 14 knots…….

Photo: 'Spray' in oils circa 1905