A Serene Start, Fuel Management, and Spotting Traffic on the Granocean W60
A Serene Start, Fuel Management, and Spotting Traffic on the Granocean W60
By Gary Watson, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions
We enjoyed a truly relaxing night, a welcome change after the intense vigilance required for the past few days due to the numerous fishing boats. For the first time since leaving Kota Kinabalu, the absence of those elusive vessels, combined with a bright moon and calm seas, allowed for uninterrupted watches. It was the perfect backdrop for a stunning sunrise this morning, captured beautifully in the first picture taken from the Granocean W60's flybridge around 05:30. What an incredible way to start the day.
As we transit through these Indonesian waters, we're encountering a particular type of commercial traffic: tugs towing very large barges. The picture below shows one such vessel. During a previous yacht delivery with Griff on the Selene 60 OE we delivered from HK to Cairns, we would often come across these immense barges, sometimes laden with mountains of sand, operating without AIS and, critically, no navigation lights.
We've encountered a couple so far on this trip, and both have had AIS active, which is a positive development. We’ll be watching tonight to see if they’re consistently using their navigation lights as well. This highlights the ever-present need for a vigilant yacht delivery skipper in busy shipping lanes.
The day quickly turned into a highly productive one, centered around crucial fuel management for the Granocean W60. We began by transferring fuel from the forward boat tanks to the main aft tanks. Following this, we refilled the forward tanks using the two 1,000-liter fuel cubes we carry on the aft deck. Then, we transferred another 300 liters from the six 200-liter drums in the bow seating area into the now partially emptied aft tanks. To optimize the boat's balance, we then transferred the remaining 600 liters from those forward drums into one of the recently emptied 1,000-liter cubes, moving that weight off the bow and further aft and lower. It’s always good practice to get as much fuel and weight as possible low down and securely in the main tanks. I'm also carefully monitoring the blue drums from the bow, just in case a bit of water managed to get in. With these transfers, we now have approximately 1,500 liters remaining on deck and a solid 4,000 liters in the main tanks, setting us up well for the journey ahead.
This entire process took about three hours of strenuous, entirely outdoor work. The heat and humidity were intense, making for incredibly hot and sticky conditions. After washing down the aft cockpit and stowing all the gear, there was nothing more refreshing than trying out the "rain shower" in the cockpit. Even with the temperature control turned all the way to cold, the water felt more hot than warm, but it was absolutely fantastic for washing away all that sweat. All in all, a very busy and rewarding day for this catamaran delivery.
Managing complex fuel transfers, navigating diverse maritime traffic, and ensuring crew comfort in challenging conditions are all part of a day's work for Yacht Delivery Solutions.
If you're planning a yacht delivery for a Granocean or any other sail or power vessel across Southeast Asia to New Zealand, trust our experienced yacht delivery skippers to handle every detail with precision and professionalism. Let's discuss your next voyage.
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