Cruising Forums

marktrupp · 04-29-2005, 12:47 PM

Hi all,

I will be sailing my recently acquired 39ft'er from Phuket down to Perth next year and would like any good advice on best routes/stop-overs/marinas/time of year/weather, etc.

thanks

MT

dnelson · 04-29-2005, 12:57 PM

Hi Mark,

Easy trip from Phuket to Langkawi - stop at the royal Langkawi in Kuah - it is the only marina left. be sure to top up all deisel in Phuket - there is a deisel shortage in Malaysia.

Day trip to Penang - small marina there used to be free.

Bit of a run to Port Klang, and then port Dickson. The port Dickson Marina is expensive - but 5 star quality.

Go through the Sinapore straits in daylight - they are a nightmare in the dark. Sebana Cove is an inexpensive place to stop, and check out of the country. Try to go up the river on a rising tide, it gets a little thin.

I would recommend heading over to Bali, and then heading south. Bali is a great place to reprovision, even if it is a little out of the way.

After that good luck, the western coast of Australia is not the most cruiser friendly place in the world, so you are best to do it as a straight run. Watch weather.

Fair winds

marktrupp · 04-29-2005, 01:12 PM

Thanks Dave,

Would you do the run from Sebana to Bali in one hit? Then straight to Broome or further south down the coast??

What time of year do you recommend for best sailing conditions? I could break the trip into smaller chunks ie. Phuket to Sebana in Feb during NE Monsoon, not sure when is best for Java Sea, and then leave Bali after Australian cyclone season has finished (May/June..?). Leaving 4 weeks for the bash down the WA coast in winter or should that wait until spring and southerlies have dies down??

Cheers

Mark

rumrunner · 04-29-2005, 02:33 PM

Mark,

Broome is a good place to enter OZ( has all official paperwork at hand).. then I personally would head out to sea and work my way down the coast .. easterlies should be in between May/Sep. ( you are right .. avoid cyclone season .. (Nov/April)

Make sure all your paperwork is in order for Bali and have a CLEAN ship....

WHY ? I hear you ask, well there is great delight iin catching ex pats and shooting them, should they be carrying drugs etc. Me I wouldnt go anywhere near Bali, not because of drugs .. I'm not into that scene, but the graft/corruption is unbelievable.

I have a rough itinerary on the West Coast that I did for myself... should you be interested . e-mail me direct

rumrunner.....

dnelson · 04-30-2005, 02:13 PM

There are a few places to stop between Sebana and Bali but I would do the run straight through. Watch out for fishermen - they occasionally block your path intentionally. Rumrunner is right the corruption in Indonesia has got to be seen to be believed. But last time I cleared out of Bali it just cost me a case of beer to the port captain to "fix" the problems clearing the boat.

I would do the trip down the west coast in the spring myself (Sept).

ianw6705 · 05-08-2005, 07:06 PM

Hi all

This is my first entry to Cruiser Log, and I am pleased to join in. I have recently acquired a modest yacht, and have strong cruising ambitions starting in a couple of years. I live in Perth, and it's true that sailing the WA west coast can be hard. It's a long way from Indonesia to Fremantle Harbour indeed, with few ports of call.

There is always the option of cruising Bali to West Timor, then the Kimberley Coast in "winter" (the Dry Season (May - September)) and then head on south in the Spring, before the hurricane season kicks in.

kenmontgomery · 06-04-2005, 09:35 PM

Hi I am looking at setting off from my home base of Singapore around August to reach Broome and then to try to work down to Perth. Has anybody got any thoughts on the viability of this voyage at that time of year?

many thanks

Ken

rumrunner · 06-05-2005, 11:02 AM

Welcome Ken,

We are a friendly bunch of internatiomal people on this BB,with some experience in sailing.

Please contribute when you can.

Now your question... the OZ section timing is perfect. The easterlies should slill be in from say Darwin to Broome..sail as faaar south as you can ( but head offshore around the Kimberley,unless you have tons of time. THe Kimvberley is fascinating sailing , but cannot be rushed ... there is so much to see. However if you want to get to Freo in a hurry, then go offshore.

Keep in touch

rumrunner

07-15-2005, 07:38 AM

Mark,

Have forwarded some info for you, hope it helps.

WA offers a different range of cruising, always willing to help with WA info

Tim

svbeausoleil · 02-08-2013, 04:02 AM

Hi MT
Sounds like a good trip. You are getting some bad advice, though. Sorry, guys.

What you want to do is head out to Cocos Keeling. Boats from Perth head out and back to Cocos all the time. It is a beam reach both ways in winter.

Direction Island in the Cocos group is a paradise. It is worth the trip alone. That is where you will find the Perth boats hanging out.

Visit West Island, they have good duty free there--but coming from Langkawi I sure you have that sorted out.

How you get to Cocos? Inside or Outside? Depends on the boat and your confidence in her.
In winter you do get serious storms that travel up the outside of Sumatra. They originate south of the line so if they are spinning, it is backwards for the Northern Hemisphere.
Weird, huh? It happens, though. Like that 5 that hit Kauai that spun backwards!

Anyway, for those who now want to yell at me:

I have circumnavigated twice, once on a 24' Columbia, engineless.
Currently on my way on a third.

[moderator edit - removed self-serving sales link]

Oh, by the way, MT, have fun!