Crossing an ocean without sails (but with a budget)
Discussion
[quote=BertieWooster]
What's the story behind these? Did some of them just get abandoned by their owners?[/quwa
The RSYC seems to have become a dumping ground for old yachts. I'm unsure if rent is still being paid or if berths are owned but there are plenty requiring more than TLC.
Suva harbour is a dumping ground for bigger ships too, there are a couple of large ships abandoned on reefs as you come in and plenty of Chinese trawlers (luckily chained together) on anchor.
I will go into more detail when I get to the part/pics when we go back there.
If you are looking for a boating bargain then Vuda is a good place to look, plenty of boats there with overseas owners wishing to liquidate.
What's the story behind these? Did some of them just get abandoned by their owners?[/quwa
The RSYC seems to have become a dumping ground for old yachts. I'm unsure if rent is still being paid or if berths are owned but there are plenty requiring more than TLC.
Suva harbour is a dumping ground for bigger ships too, there are a couple of large ships abandoned on reefs as you come in and plenty of Chinese trawlers (luckily chained together) on anchor.
I will go into more detail when I get to the part/pics when we go back there.
If you are looking for a boating bargain then Vuda is a good place to look, plenty of boats there with overseas owners wishing to liquidate.
NNK said:
Yes Powerdive has been great for both fun and maintenance. I used both batteries (2 hours runtime) bracing a prop shaft after getting a rope wrapped around it and smashing fibreglass support (more on that later).
Tha may or may not be a reason to own one that may or may not have crossed my mind from previous experience on a very beamy yacht. 
Interesting times here at Musket !
Winds are mostly in the mid to high 20s at the moment with overnight gusts around 35kn and heavy downpours.
We are currently on a swing mooring (concrete block with chain/rope to a buoy on surface that you tie on to) as we wanted to be close to the facilities (bar, haha) when we arrived.
Other boats who were anchored further out have moved in and picked up moorings (they are $20 a night here) too.
The boat that we towed in last week has complete confidence in their anchor (as do we) and have opted to stay on the outer edge of the mooring field.
Yesterday a msg went out to our WhatsAp group asking for assistance in getting another yacht on to a mooring, no problem you might think but -
Not the best conditions
Yacht has no motor
Its a 68' ex Round The World racer being converted to a cruiser (on a budget!)
Noisy dog onboard !
The guy who looks after the moorings dived on a couple of them and came back with the advice that No.7 was the best one to go for.
Unfortunately its the one directly infront of us !
It has been thrashing around in the wind ever since and is making us more than a little nervous. A raceboat size hole in the side of LS would seriously curtail 2023s fun.
Apparently it only weighs 10t so the mooring should have no problem but, by my reckoning, the field is only meant for boats up to a max of 55'/16ish m so if wind direction changes it could cause some issues for other boats.
Would love to move to another mooring now but its not the easiest thing to do in these conditions, if wind dies down a bit this pm then maybe we will risk it - more later !
Winds are mostly in the mid to high 20s at the moment with overnight gusts around 35kn and heavy downpours.
We are currently on a swing mooring (concrete block with chain/rope to a buoy on surface that you tie on to) as we wanted to be close to the facilities (bar, haha) when we arrived.
Other boats who were anchored further out have moved in and picked up moorings (they are $20 a night here) too.
The boat that we towed in last week has complete confidence in their anchor (as do we) and have opted to stay on the outer edge of the mooring field.
Yesterday a msg went out to our WhatsAp group asking for assistance in getting another yacht on to a mooring, no problem you might think but -
Not the best conditions
Yacht has no motor
Its a 68' ex Round The World racer being converted to a cruiser (on a budget!)
Noisy dog onboard !
The guy who looks after the moorings dived on a couple of them and came back with the advice that No.7 was the best one to go for.
Unfortunately its the one directly infront of us !
It has been thrashing around in the wind ever since and is making us more than a little nervous. A raceboat size hole in the side of LS would seriously curtail 2023s fun.
Apparently it only weighs 10t so the mooring should have no problem but, by my reckoning, the field is only meant for boats up to a max of 55'/16ish m so if wind direction changes it could cause some issues for other boats.
Would love to move to another mooring now but its not the easiest thing to do in these conditions, if wind dies down a bit this pm then maybe we will risk it - more later !
NNK]ertieWooster said:
What's the story behind these? Did some of them just get abandoned by their owners?[/quwa
The RSYC seems to have become a dumping ground for old yachts. I'm unsure if rent is still being paid or if berths are owned but there are plenty requiring more than TLC.
Suva harbour is a dumping ground for bigger ships too, there are a couple of large ships abandoned on reefs as you come in and plenty of Chinese trawlers (luckily chained together) on anchor.
I will go into more detail when I get to the part/pics when we go back there.
If you are looking for a boating bargain then Vuda is a good place to look, plenty of boats there with overseas owners wishing to liquidate.
That's really interesting. Thank you. The RSYC seems to have become a dumping ground for old yachts. I'm unsure if rent is still being paid or if berths are owned but there are plenty requiring more than TLC.
Suva harbour is a dumping ground for bigger ships too, there are a couple of large ships abandoned on reefs as you come in and plenty of Chinese trawlers (luckily chained together) on anchor.
I will go into more detail when I get to the part/pics when we go back there.
If you are looking for a boating bargain then Vuda is a good place to look, plenty of boats there with overseas owners wishing to liquidate.
I saw what appeared to be the Chinese trawlers all tied up together when I looked on Google Maps yesterday.
I wonder how good the bargains are though, with all the work that will need to be done to get the boats seaworthy again.
Sulaco said:
NNK said:
Out of interest (vanity?), how many of you are regularly reading thread ?
Would you mind saying a quick hi if you are
Cheers
Hi. Really enjoying the thread. Thanks!Would you mind saying a quick hi if you are
Cheers
BertieWooster said:
That's really interesting. Thank you.
I saw what appeared to be the Chinese trawlers all tied up together when I looked on Google Maps yesterday.
I wonder how good the bargains are though, with all the work that will need to be done to get the boats seaworthy again.
There are a number of boats at Vuda marina that are usable immediately and others that would need some work to go offshore again.I saw what appeared to be the Chinese trawlers all tied up together when I looked on Google Maps yesterday.
I wonder how good the bargains are though, with all the work that will need to be done to get the boats seaworthy again.
I know of a 45' yacht there that sailed from USA and the owners have just moved ashore in Fiji, 50k USD is asking.
Others are scattered around and often in a bad state like at RSYC.
Weather update
Not looking too flash for us now, current predictions show consistent 35kn with gusts of 50kn coming at weekend off the back of another cyclone , KEVIN (my name incidentally).
Denarau marina has already moved boats from swing moorings to dock and here at Musket the owners would like us all to move.
It may be too late for that and we may just have to hunker down and ride it out, decision in morning when more updates come in.
Not looking too flash for us now, current predictions show consistent 35kn with gusts of 50kn coming at weekend off the back of another cyclone , KEVIN (my name incidentally).
Denarau marina has already moved boats from swing moorings to dock and here at Musket the owners would like us all to move.
It may be too late for that and we may just have to hunker down and ride it out, decision in morning when more updates come in.
Hurrah, the several weather models have all aligned and are showing much less severe conditions.
However, our Genset has given up and is not making power when hot (after about 20mins runtime).
No solar and no Genset means we currently have both motors running to charge house batteries.
Do we run to Denarau/Vuda or sit out storm here and get fixed next week ? Answers on a postcard to ......
However, our Genset has given up and is not making power when hot (after about 20mins runtime).
No solar and no Genset means we currently have both motors running to charge house batteries.
Do we run to Denarau/Vuda or sit out storm here and get fixed next week ? Answers on a postcard to ......
OK, with the addition of a large fan in the front locker I can get the genset to make power for 30-40 mins at a time, there is also a small amount of solar trickling into batteries so we have decided to stay put for the next couple of days.
Sonya is in Musket at present finding out at what stage we can go into their marina dock and plug into shore power.
We have to go into Vuda marina within the next week or so to have a new cover fitted at rear so will get checked gen out then too.
I have spoken to electrical contractor who did some work last time we were there and I've asked him to get an AVR in for us as I'm quietly confident thats the issue.
Sonya is in Musket at present finding out at what stage we can go into their marina dock and plug into shore power.
We have to go into Vuda marina within the next week or so to have a new cover fitted at rear so will get checked gen out then too.
I have spoken to electrical contractor who did some work last time we were there and I've asked him to get an AVR in for us as I'm quietly confident thats the issue.
We were asked to move from mooring as Fiji Met office were predicting 50+kn winds still.
This is really just covering their backs as they wouldnt actually kick you off but wanted you to know they would not be liable for anything - fair IMO.
Yacht Club manager asked if we wanted to go into their cyclone shelter (a large horseshoe marina behind resort reception/cafe) and we said yes as we could plug into shore power (although we were getting plenty of solar through light clouds).
So we are tucked up safely for the next couple of days as TC KEVIN blows through, OK its just the tail.
Nothing much to do but load up some pics as requested.
This is really just covering their backs as they wouldnt actually kick you off but wanted you to know they would not be liable for anything - fair IMO.
Yacht Club manager asked if we wanted to go into their cyclone shelter (a large horseshoe marina behind resort reception/cafe) and we said yes as we could plug into shore power (although we were getting plenty of solar through light clouds).
So we are tucked up safely for the next couple of days as TC KEVIN blows through, OK its just the tail.
Nothing much to do but load up some pics as requested.
Anchor - Rocna 33kg, we have never dragged and have been in 50kn before.
The black lines in pic are how we attach to a mooring ball
Starboard front locker showing steps down and genset (plus random crap strewn around)
Opposite genset is a 250L diesel tank (installed by me) and 16 x 20L jerry cans
The black lines in pic are how we attach to a mooring ball
Starboard front locker showing steps down and genset (plus random crap strewn around)
Opposite genset is a 250L diesel tank (installed by me) and 16 x 20L jerry cans
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