South Pacific: Arrival in Sydney

Thursday
July 26 2007
16:00 Local Australian time.
I have arrived in Sydney Australia.

It was a rough go at times but the last 2 days coming down the coast from Brisbane was a wonderful sail. I had 12 -15 knots of wind off the stern quarter, at times out of the NW and at night from NE. I was able to average 7.5 knots sailing plus 2 knots of positive flowing current so my average over the 2 days was 9,6 knots.

I will write a summary of the last 2 weeks and include some nice photos.

Mike Harker
s/v Wanderlust 3

South Pacific: Wanderlust 3 Nears Australia

THE FOLLOWING ARE MESSAGES FROM WANDERLUST 3 TO THE HUNTER SUPPORT CENTER IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.

Wednesday, July 18, 5:34PM

We are currently just a few miles north of Cato Reef and Island.
Position 22.53S X 155.49E
Our heading is 245 T.
Wind is 12-14 knots from directly South

Waves are 6-8 feet and very short and choppy. Every third or fourth wave crashes against the hull and sprays over the bow. The boat is "Hobby-Horsing" constantly.

I get the 'grib' files every morning with a 24, 48 & 72 hour wind prediction. The grib predicts 30 knots of wind straight up from the south for the next 3 days starting tomorrow. This is exactly against the 2-3 knot south setting current. The waves will become large and steep or 'square'.

On the East Coast of America, when you have the Gulf Stream going North at 2 or 3 knots and a 'Norther' coming down against the Stream, YOU DO NOT GO OUT INTO IT!

We are keeping our course at about 40 degrees into wind and wave. We hope to reach the east coast of Fraser Island in 2-3 days. Then we have to turn south into wind and wave.

The boat engine does not turn over 1350 rpm. Every fourth wave 'STOPS" the boat down to 2 or 3 knots of SOG. It takes a while to build back up to 5 or 5.5 knots, then a wave 'stops' us again.

It is not nice sailing and will only get worse.

I will report again later.

==========================

It is now midnight Thursday July 19
Position 22.35 S X 156.21 E

We lost another 100 rpm, from 1500 down to a maximum 1350 rpm no matter the throttle setting. That gives us about 4.5 knots of boat speed.

We have 8-12 knots SSW wind and that is also our direction up until now. We were headed to the Eastern most tip of Fraser Island.

Because we only can get 4.5 knots SOG into the wind, Kit suggested and I agree to head ESE 245 degrees to get some wind in the sails. That gives us about six knots. We are headed straight towards Bundeberg.

We hope to get a wind direction change from S or SSW and will steer South to get past Fraser Island. Kit thinks that with the 35 to 40 knots South wind prediction, that we haven't a chance to motor against it with only 1300 rpm. He thinks the low pressure and almost storm conditions from the south will make our progress towards the south nearly impossible until a wind change.

If we can get that far south, he is thinking to me check into Coffs Harbor and get out and on to his business by the middle of next week. Kit thinks I could wait out the 35 knot south winds and then head to Sydney or find a good Yanmar mechanic and find a solution to the low rpm problem.

We will try our best.

=====================

I was hoping to get our 'WanderLust 3' into Sydney and a real mechanic or electrician for the constant problems I have been having.

FUEL:
Just a few hours ago the engine died! Out here in the middle of no where and 12 knots of head wind, right on the nose!

I have been having problems with dirty fuel at almost all my stops. Because I am having to motor twice or 3 times as much now to make up for the 3 - 4 weeks I lost in Galapagos. It started in Jamaica with dirty, rusty fuel. In Panama I had to buy 12 filters for the "Filter-Boss" and twelve filters for the Fischer-Panda plus 12 of the little cone filters for the F-P generator. I also bought 2 reserve fuel filters for the Yanmar. It is a good thing because after filling with dirty fuel in Panama, Galapagos, Marquesas, Samoa and finally Vanuatu, I am out of filters.

I have one each of the Filter-Boss filters and a Fischer-Panda main filter but no more small cone filters for the F-P nor an engine fuel filter for the Yanmar. It is a lucky thing I asked Matt to send an extra Yanmar filter and some small cone filters for the F-P. I exchanged all filters an hour ago and she is now running again. Except that I can not get no more than 1500 rpm out of the engine. The jets or injectors are probably clogged. It has been that way since Samoa. I don't know how to fix that and I am hoping to get into Sydney to have a Yanmar mechanic go through everything.

FUEL FILTERS are extremely important out here away from the good fuel in USA and Australia. Fuel filtering can mean having an engine run or NOT! I will need to buy 2 new Racor secondary fuel filters assemblies and have them installed in line with the primary in Sydney. Probably 10 micron primary and 2 micron secondary drop-in filters . Matt will have to order them for me.

That is REALLY important when I continue out across the Indian Ocean and then the South Atlantic. I do NOT want to leave here without better fuel filtering. My 80 gallon reserve fuel tank needs a filter in addition to the simple fuel transfer pump supplied by Hunter. I had Greg buy me a professional fuel transfer pump and filter system from Fuel-Boss. I will have Matt's mechanic install that 'Fuel-Boss' fuel transfer pump and filter system. I think you should make something like that STANDARD on all boats with the reserve fuel tank option. Fuel filtering is VERY important out here away from the USA or Australia.

ELECTRIC:
Ever since the Galapagos the Balmar generator on the Yanmar does NOT supply power to the engine start battery - never.

I let the start battery voltage indicator get down to under 12 volts then add a booster battery pack to the battery terminals to be able to start the F-P generator. I have to then charge the engine and generator start battery with the F-P generator as well as the house batteries, the Balmar on the Yanmar gives out NO power to the start battery. I don't know why.

There is a switch under the settee, that says 'Parallel Charge Circuit'. When the F-P generator is running, the red light is on. When the engine is running, the red light never comes on. That is the reason I waited 3 weeks in the Galapagos for a replacement alternator, because at the time I did not have the F-P generator working, and as such, no way to keep the engine start battery charged.

After changing the fuel pump to the Fischer-Panda generator, I was able to get and keep the generator working. That is the ONLY way I can now recharge the engine start battery.

Today, that Hunter supplied start battery only charges to 10.75 volts. There is a bad cell in that battery. I now use the 12 volt battery I bought at Wal-Mart to run my HUKA in place of the original battery.

I hope someone in Sydney can get the Balmar alternator on the Yanmar working. Eddie Breeden did send 2 alternators to Ecuador, so I have a new one in a box ready to go when needed. I also need a new replacement AGM engine start battery in Sydney.

SHORE POWER:
In Sydney, I will be at the boat show docks and would like to run shore power in order to show off all the great stuff on this boat. The Hunter 49 has a very large 240 volt 50 amp input connector on the stern. I don't know if Matt has that type of Marinco connector. I suspect NOT! I have, in addition to the Hunter supplied 240 volt cord, an additional 120 volt 50 amp cable but NOT the pig-tail adapter from one cord to the other.

Matt will have the Australian 220 volt power connector into this 120 volt 50 amp connector but I am sure he does not have the MUCH larger 240 volt connector the H-49 requires. Will it be possible to buy that Marinco pig-tail adapter in Australia or does Greg or Eddie have to send one to Matt for me to use shore power at the Boat Show?

I am really sorry to have to put all this out there. I was hoping to wait until I got into Sydney. That was going to be this coming Monday. Now that we will be having 35 knot head winds and the engine will only turn 1500 rpm. That could make for a 2 or 3 day delay. I will still get to Sydney before the Boat Show begins, but I may miss the Haul-Out date and have to re-schedule that bottom paint until AFTER the Boat Show.

I hope you guys can help me. That is all just too much for me to solve alone.


Mike Harker
WanderLust 3
Hunter 49

South Pacific: Vanuatu - Sydney

We are nearing the first set of reefs north of New Calodonia. The first set is 2 hours away, 'Recif Petrie'. We are headed directly West and will alter course after this first reef to WSW.

After that set we go through the 'Gran Passage' of the large set of very dangerous reefs directly offshooting north of New Caledonia.

Just after the 'Gran Passage' we alter course again 30 degrees to stay between the reef system called Chesterfield Reefs heading almost due South.

The final reef is 'Bellona Sud' where we can again head towards Australia in a WSW or W direction depending on the wind.

The winds have been very moderate, nothing above 12 knots and averaging 9 knots out of the South. To make your schedule we have had to motor half the time to keep our average speed at 7.5 knots.

I expect to arrive next Sunday July 22 or more probably Monday July 23. We will head to the check-in quarantine bouy at Windsor Bay and wait to have lunch with you at "Doyle's Restaurant".

If we get head winds we will be late but the weather prognosis looks good for an on-time arrival.

There are some needed repairs, just small stuff. Besides the hauling out to touch up the bottom paint, check for reef damage and replace the zincs, the UK sails all have to be taken down and repaired.

My dingy has a 3 inch slit at the front tube and needs a patch The UK sail cover never really fit and needs some new sewing and adjustment.

Before we show her to the public she needs a general good detail, especially the stainless welds. There is no hull damage anywhere but 3 or 4 small chips out of the gelcoat in spots.

I desperately need a new transfer fuel pump installed with fuel filter.

Hunter is sending the replacement for the one that never worked, however that dirty fuel has been in the 80 gallon reserve tank for 4 months now and needs to be pumped out and cleaned or 'polished'

before I can use that fuel. While crossing the Indian Ocean I will surely need that reserve fuel.

There is no major damage and really only a little TLC and some stainless polish will make her look like brand new.

Mike
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South Pacific: Samoa - Vanuatu

Pago Pago Harbor on American Samoa - "Is the anchorage most cruising sailors love to hate". This from a popular cruising guide. Another guide says "This small island has gained a deservedly bad reputation as noisy, smelly and offering little appeal other than its low prices".

History: Samoa is said to be the birthplace of Polynesia. It has been populated for over 3000 years originally from Southeast Asia. From here Samoans paddled or sailed to the Marquesas, then Tahiti and New Zealand and finally Hawaii.

American Samoa is a US territory and as such is a benefit for me, a US citizen and US registered boat. There are no restrictions or taxes and the formalities are easy. The prices for food and diesel are 20 - 30% less than in America and the cheapest so far in the South Pacific (except for $1/gallon diesel in the Galapagos).

I took the opportunity to buy 100 gallons of diesel at $2.30/gallon and bought some typically American foods like peanut butter, cereals, and well know brand names. I even bought a US 110 volt battery charger and toaster. The rest of the South Pacific, Australia and Europe is 220 volt, so it was my last chance before returning to Miami in 7 months.

The anchorage is a collapsed volcano caldera and as such offers great protection from wind and swell. There are 2 tuna processing plants on the north shore and the smell is persistent. The anchorage is very dirty and it seems all Samoans throw there garbage simply into the harbor. I had to clean my salt water cooling intake screens twice before finally leaving. There is nothing to see or do there so after 4 days I left for Vanuatu.

Vanuatu is my last South Pacific Island and last stop before reaching Australia. It is only a little more than a thousand miles to the north Australian coast, further south is my destination of Sydney. Port Vila Bay is a well protected bay with a 'Waterfront Bar & Grill that hoses their 'Yacht Club'. I will try to find a space at their dock to take on some fuel and provisions. An Australian sailor, KIT, who owns a Hunter 38 and is interested in how the new H-49 performs, will sail with me through the dangerous reef areas around New Caledonia and the Coral Sea. It will be nice to have company again. Right: Crewmember, Michael E. Sauer and Skipper, Mike Harker relax before setting off to Australia.

Mike Harker

South Pacific: Sailing to Sydney, Ausralia

I have left American Samoa heading for Sydney, Australia. I will stop one day in Portr Vila Vanuatu to pick up a friend who will be my crew for the next leg to Sydney.

Mike Harker.