Quote:
Originally Posted by thaidog
I am sailing a 65 ft. ketch from Greece, through the Suez to Sri Lanka to Singapore. I am ready to start the trip anytime after October 15. I am open to any advice regarding the best time to make the trip and any advice regarding travelling through the Suez canal, restocking supplies etc.
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Hi , It appears that your post has been repeated - I copy for your information previous thoughts on making the passage mid October :-
QUOTE(thaidog @ Jul 28 2007, 06:25 PM) *
Richard/Lighthouse,
Firstly, I really appreciate your help.
Boat cruises comfortably at 7.5 knots under both sail and power. She carries 400 gallons of fuel and I can double that with aux. tanks. The boat also has a water maker.
Com. equipment is SSB/weather fax and sattlelite phone. I will add anything else you might suggest that will make life easier.
I have a crew of six. Two of us have sailed trans Pacific ( Florida to Thailand and Vancouver to Thailand) The other four are experienced sailors wiith varying experience.
The earliest I could leave Greece would be early October. If you feel it would be a 6000 mile 'iron sal' trip, I might have to consider waiting to spring, but that would be a last resort.
(I've been called 'dog' for a hundred years, when we moved to Thailand two years ago, my friends switched it to 'thaidog'
Hi again ,
I had replied to the above but it appears have disappeared ! I suggest you go for Sailmail which will require a pactor.This utilises your HF radio for emails and Grib files.
Check out this website:-
http://www.pca.cc/
Great guy Marc Robinson.
What we have to do is to get you from western end of the Gulf of Aden to either Langkawi or Phuket - leaving Greece by say the 10th of October. This is quite possible (despite what naysayers are postulating)
Why is it Possible ?
1. You have a boat that can average 185 nautical miles per day.
2. You can carry between 400 to 800 gallons of fuel.
3. You have a watermaker
4. You have 6 experienced crew
5. Mid November is the normal start of the transition from S.W. to N.E. Monsoon
6. Transition can continue late into December.
7. During transition there will be periods when sailing winds will enjoyed, and periods of very little wind.
8. The Equatorial Belt (ie 5 degrees either side of the equator) has very little wind throughout the seasons (often none)
9. Fuel can be obtained in the Red Sea, in Oman and in the Maldives.
Therefore, On the assumption that you are going to encounter some head winds north of 5 degrees North - East of the Cape of India. A passage plan would be :-
Once you have left Salala - Oman 17d 04' North x 54d 14' East take a bearing of 122 degrees to Male in the Maldives 4d 16.7' North x 73d 32.5' East ; a great circle distance of 1371 nm = 7.5 days. AND with the bonus of being able to sail for 90% of this leg on a beam reach - on the premise that the N.E. Monsoon is active in the Arabian Sea at the time you leave Oman.
Once you leave Male the best bet is to motor sail along 4degrees 30' North latitude until you reach 93 degrees of longitude East - on this leg and course winds will be very light (all over the place) whereas north of the 5 degree latitude head winds will be a problem (also the shipping lane !) 1165 nm = 7 days. From the above waypoint after going round the top of Sumatra you can decide to head straight for Langkawi or Phuket and onwards to Singapore.
Richard