Gary's Deliveries

The last 24–36 hours of this Pacific 62 yacht delivery from Opua to Bundaberg have been the most demanding of the passage. The low developing south of New Caledonia deepened more than earlier forecast guidance suggested. As a result, we received stronger wind and larger sea state than initially expected. Tactical Course Adjustment – Running With the System As the wind veered into the northeast and strengthened, sea state built quickly. Rather than hold a direct northwesterly course toward Bundaberg, we altered progressively to keep wind and sea aft of the beam. That tactical decision placed us temporarily on a southwesterly heading, trending toward Lord Howe Island , despite Bundaberg lying to the northwest. The objective was straightforward: Avoid beam seas in 4–5 meter conditions Reduce roll and structural loading Maintain steerage with controlled stern-quarter alignment At peak intensity, gusts reached 40 knots with breaking waves exceeding 5 meters. Speed, ...

 Mid-passage on this Pacific 62 yacht delivery from Opua to Bundaberg -  conditions have shifted from manageable following swell to more dynamic quartering seas. Overnight wind remained moderate at 10–15 knots, but 2–2.5 metre swell from the aft quarter created significant yaw. The vessel was repeatedly lifted and slewed to port before dropping off the back of the wave and attempting to round to starboard. The Garmin autopilot corrected effectively each cycle, but the result was continuous lateral oscillation. This “yo-yo” motion is typical when quartering seas interact with hull form and speed. It is not dangerous when controlled, but it is uncomfortable and requires speed discipline to reduce surf acceleration and stern lift. Speed Control and Surfing Management By midday Saturday wind increased to 20+ knots, with sea state building. With energy from the aft quarter, the Pacific 62 briefly surfed to 17.1 knots. For delivery work, that speed is excessive. Surf-induced accel...