Gary's Deliveries

 Tuesday 30th Dec '25 Route Overview This last leg of the Nordhavn 76 delivery was a short but operationally sensitive transit from Nongsa Point Marina into Singapore waters, finishing at Raffles Marina . The final passage of a 5000nm trip! Departure was at first light to manage traffic density in the Singapore Strait , one of the most commercially congested shipping corridors in the world. Even on a short passage, timing matters. The route involved a westbound exit into the Strait before turning north through the channel separating Malaysia and Singapore, finishing just south of the Johor–Singapore Causeway. For a 76-foot long-range motor yacht, this is not technically demanding in terms of range or endurance. The challenge is traffic management, AIS monitoring, radar plotting, and disciplined bridge watchkeeping. Commercial vessels move fast and with limited manoeuvrability. Positioning decisions must be made early. Routing Decisions This delivery follows earlier offshore work...

 Sunday 14th Dec '25 Arafura Sea Transit – Low Activity, High Vigilance Three days into this leg of the delivery , progress has been steady and uneventful — which, offshore, is exactly the objective. Approximately 600 nautical miles have been covered since departing Thursday Island , placing the vessel now roughly north of Darwin . Over this period, traffic density has been effectively zero, with no commercial shipping or fishing activity encountered. This level of isolation is typical in this sector of the Arafura Sea and reinforces the need for disciplined watchkeeping despite the absence of visible hazards. During the previous night watch, the vessel was overflown at low altitude by an Australian Border Force aircraft. This type of identification pass is standard procedure, allowing authorities to visually confirm vessel details before making radio contact. A brief exchange followed, confirming the vessel’s identity, origin, and intended destination — information already file...

 Sunday 9th Nov '25 After a couple of days in Las Palmas doing some provisioning, refuling, buying spares and doing a couple of repairs it was time to leave. Belinda, the owner, decided that the big passages were not for her so she booked a flight to Martinique via Madrid and Paris.  She also took Coco the dog with her.  Now Coco is the cutest and most loving dog you could meet and she gives cuddles as good as our dog Tori so I am going to miss her!                                                         We got some final items from the shop this morning, stowed everything, lifted the anchor and out we went.  Heading down and around to the bottom of Gran Canaria into 20-25ktrs of wind from behind and a decent little chop.   After a few hours we finally managed to get the nose pointing down sort of in the direction ...

Arrival in Denarau – A Seamless Welcome for the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions Date: Friday, June 20th, 2025 We made excellent time during the final hours of our passage, and I'm thrilled to report that we safely arrived in Denarau, Fiji , yesterday, Friday. Our estimated arrival was spot on! The approach to Denarau was straightforward, and the process of checking in was, as always, a pleasure. Fijian Customs and Immigration officials are consistently welcoming and efficient, making for a very smooth and positive experience after a long offshore passage. This seamless clearance process is something our yacht delivery skipper teams appreciate greatly, as it means a quick transition from sea to shore for the crew and the owner. The Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 looked pristine as she pulled into her berth, a testament to her robust build and the care taken throughout the journey. This catamaran delivery from Auckland to Fiji has been a ...

  Moderating Seas and Anticipation Builds for Fiji on the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions It's now 19:00 on Monday night, and we're pleased to report that conditions are slowly but steadily settling down. The forecast indicates that both the wind and sea state will continue to drop a little through the night, promising a calmer approach to our destination. This moderation is a welcome relief after several days of intense and dynamic weather. The Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 has continued to perform in her stride through everything the Pacific has thrown at us. This catamaran has proven itself to be an incredibly capable and comfortable offshore cruiser, giving us full confidence as we approach the final leg of this yacht delivery. The ability of the vessel to handle significant seas while still providing a relatively stable platform for the crew has been a defining feature of this passage. As the weather improves, a palpable sense of ...

  Continuing the Dynamic Passage – Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47's Resilience By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions Date: Tuesday, June 17th, 2025 Today, the dynamic conditions persisted, though not quite with the same intensity as last night's peak. We continued to experience 20-30 knots of wind and substantial seas, often exceeding 4 meters. Fortunately, these waves remained predominantly from aft of the beam . You can see the angle of the hull. While this still meant a lively ride, throwing us around a bit, it prevented the jarring impacts of head-on seas that can be so punishing on any vessel. The Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 continued to handle these conditions with impressive resilience. Her robust construction and stable catamaran platform meant that even as large waves built and occasionally broke into the cockpit, the boat remained composed, shedding water quickly through its efficient drainage system. These are the moments that truly test a vessel's desig...

 A Low's Eye View and a Wild Night on the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions Date: Monday, June 16th, 2025 Today brought one of the most remarkable and intense experiences of this yacht delivery so far. During the daytime hours, we found ourselves in an eerily calm pocket of weather. With only about 5 knots of wind and bright sunshine, it felt idyllic. However, looking around, it was strikingly clear that we were in the very 'eye' of a low-pressure system. A distinct ring of dark grey and black clouds encircled us, a dramatic meteorological phenomenon that underscored our unique position. It was a visual spectacle – clear blue skies directly above, surrounded by an ominous atmospheric cauldron. Then, as the day progressed into night, the system hit. Within the astonishing span of just ten minutes, the winds surged to over 30 knots, and that intensity held throughout the entire night. At one point during my night watch, we recorded...

Riding the Swell – The Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 Takes on the Pacific Waves By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions Today has offered a powerful demonstration of the Pacific's might and the exceptional seakeeping abilities of the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 . We've been experiencing increasingly significant swell originating from the south. While wave heights have at times reached an impressive 5 meters, our good fortune is that they are coming from behind us, providing a long, rolling motion rather than the jarring impact of head seas. The Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 , being a well-designed catamaran , handles these large following seas with remarkable grace. Instead of hobby-horsing, she simply lifts and surfs down the face of the waves, allowing us to maintain excellent speeds. It's exhilarating to feel the boat accelerate to 14 knots on the speedo as she rides a particularly large swell! The occasional wave might break and spill into the aft cockpit, providing an...

Settling into Routine and Pacific Rhythms on the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions Following yesterday's successful mainsail recovery, we've now truly settled into the comfortable rhythm of offshore life aboard the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47. The last 24 hours have been characterized by consistent winds from an optimal angle and a moderate sea state, allowing the catamaran to stretch her legs and maintain excellent speeds towards Fiji. Our watch schedule is running like clockwork, ensuring continuous vigilance and well-rested crew. Days are spent checking systems, monitoring weather updates, and simply enjoying the vastness of the Pacific. The spacious design of the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 contributes significantly to crew comfort, even on extended passages. Its stable platform minimizes fatigue, allowing us to remain alert and focused during our watches, which is paramount for safety on any yacht delivery. Looking at the broader mete...

Mast Ascents and Restored Power on the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions As anticipated, the conditions moderated significantly overnight, bringing welcome relief from the stronger winds and larger seas. This calm was precisely what we needed to address yesterday's mainsail situation. While it's always frustrating to have a sail come down unexpectedly, the real test of a professional yacht delivery skipper lies in the swift and safe recovery. This morning, with the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 resting calmly on a gently rolling sea, Natasha had the pleasure of a "bird's eye view" from the top of the mast. Equipped with a bosun's chair and all necessary safety gear, she expertly ascended to retrieve the halyard that had become detached from the sail. This maneuver requires not only physical agility but also a calm demeanor and trust in the boat's systems and the person on deck. Once the halyard was securely reattach...

Day 1: Departing Auckland – Finding Our Rhythm on the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 By Gary, Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions Date: Thursday, June 12th, 2025 Yesterday, Thursday, June 12th, marked the official commencement of our latest yacht delivery journey: taking a beautiful Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47 from Auckland to Fiji. Our departure was meticulously planned, beginning with clearing Customs in Westhaven. Following this essential procedure, we made a strategic stop at the fuel dock for a final top-up, securing an additional 66 liters. For any long-distance catamaran delivery , you can truly never have too much fuel; it's a vital reserve that offers peace of mind and operational flexibility, especially in the vast Pacific. Our initial course took us north, navigating the scenic channels between the Barrier Islands before making a slight turn to port past the Mokes', guiding us out into the wide blue expanse of the Pacific. As forecasted, the seas gradually built th...

Finally! Departure day arrived. After the Yacht Delivery Solutions crew ran through all the final pre-departure checks – engines, nav gear, steering, the works – making sure everything was spot-on for the trip, we tossed the lines off just after 10 AM this morning, Saturday, November 30th. Getting out of the Kwun Tong anchorage required a bit of careful maneuvering, but Pikorua handled beautifully, showing how nimble this Granocean 60 can be even in tight spots. As soon as we left the shelter, we were greeted by the usual Hong Kong harbour chaos! It took some careful timing and a sharp lookout to weave our way through the traffic – plenty of big container ships and fast ferries zipping about. Thankfully, the view from the helm station is great, which was a huge help. Pikorua took the wakes from passing boats in her stride, feeling really stable right from the get-go, which was reassuring. Once clear of the main shipping channels, the next game was dodging the local fishing fleet ...

 WE MADE IT!!!! Today, Friday 28th Feb '25 and the delivery is done!   I flew into Coolangatta Airport from Auckland on Monday 24th and Christine and Gavin (the owners) flew there from Sydney.   We met up at the airport and Ubered to the boat at Boatworks up the Coomera River on the Gold Coast.   Straight into sorting the boat out and prepping for the 2 day run down the coast to Sydney.  The boat detailers were onboard cleaning inside and out as well as the electricians as they had a few little jobs to finish so it was a bit hectic.    The weather originally looked good for a Tuesday departure but as usual that changed.  We had to vacate our berth by 09:00 on Wednesday so we decided to have a change of scenery and moved to Southport Yacht Marina on Tuesday afternoon once all the trades guys had left.   The weather for Wednesday departure was looking petty good except it was going to be a little bit bumpy for the first few ...

A Change of Plans and Preparing for the Gold Coast Stopover on the Granocean W60 By A Delivery Skipper at Yacht Delivery Solutions The dynamic nature of weather forecasting has once again prompted a change in our immediate plans for the Granocean W60 delivery. It now appears the anticipated southerly winds will extend further up the coast than initially forecast, necessitating a diversion from our original course to Sydney . This presents a common challenge for a yacht delivery skipper : finding a suitable port with the capacity to accommodate a vessel of this size at short notice. Unfortunately, the only marina conveniently located along our original route that could accommodate a catamaran of the Granocean W60's dimensions is simply too far south for this particular weather window. Therefore, after careful consideration and consultation, our new plan is to divert to the Gold Coast . This isn't entirely a bad thing, as the owners have decided to take advantage of this oppo...