This is the story of Craig & Putu’s sailing adventure
from Perth to Darwin (And beyond), on
the good ship Sirocco. It’s been years in the making, planning, saving, fitting
out the boat and a lot of hard work, but the day has finally come to cast off
the lines and sail off into the sunset.
Sirocco (sɪˈrɒkəʊ)
Sirocco (sɪˈrɒkəʊ)
Meaning - A hot wind blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe.
(Also name of Errol Flynn's boat)
Sirocco is a Fountaine Pajot Athena 38 catamaran built in
2005.
Boat Specifications:
LOA 11.6m
Beam 6.3m
Draft 0.95m
Displacement 6000kg
light / 7800kg heavy
Sail Area Main
50m2 / Genoa 35m2 / Spinnaker 93m2
SA/D 27.41
D/L 116
L/B 1.84
Auxiliary 2 x 30-horsepower Yanmar diesels
Fuel 200 ltr
Water 720 ltr
Sirocco is fitted out with four master cabins, two bathrooms
and two heads.
Additional equipment:
170 ltr/h reverse osmosis water maker
Generator 2.2kva
Dive compressor 100 L / min - 6 m3 / h - 3,5 CFM
Solar power 5000 watts
240 volt Inverter / 2kw
Quicksilver 340 Hypalon Ocean Runner RIB / Yamaha 15hp 2
stroke outboard
56 ltr freezer
100 ltr fridge
HF radio / Pactor modem – email / fax
VHF Marine Radio /DSC
IRIDIUM GO satellite phone / message /email
AIS Class B transceiver
Raymarine – sonar / radar / chart plotter navigation system
Remote controlled windlass
Remote controlled Raymarine auto pilot
LPG three burner stove & oven
Microwave oven
External BBQ
Pressurised hot & cold-water system
Quadra-phonic stereo system
Digital terrestrial TV
Long range Wi-Fi extender
DJI Mavic Air drone
Sirocco at Hillary's Yacht Club
Of course, on the day of our departure there was no wind,
but that’s boating, when you want to go fishing it’s blowing it guts out and when
you want to go sailing its glassy calm.
With light variable winds we putted along between 1.5 – 3 knots
for a few pleasant hours on a calm sea with a 2 – 3 meter big swell rolling
through.
As I had calculated an average 6 knot sail to get to
Lancelin by 3pm, reluctantly I had to start the motor and motor sail for the
next 5 hours. At first, we were only coasting, then cruising and after
realising we wouldn’t arrive in Lancelin until after sunset, I cranked up both
engines full steam.
Its never a good idea to enter a new unfamiliar anchorage
after dark, but through bad timing on my behalf we had no choice. Crossing the
reef into Lancelin has a bad reputation during a big swell for breaking surf
and the anchorage is very shallow and full of cray boats and moorings.
At this point I was very glad I had previously made a Google
Earth chart of the harbour and using this combined with my Navionics chart we
negotiated the reef crossing without incident and cautiously entered the sheltered
waters.
Dodging a few cray boats, moorings and cardinal marks, I
found a suitable location to drop the pick over sand in 3.5 meter tucked up
close behind Lancelin Island. The wind was only around 7 knots and it was quite
a nice anchorage.
I was quite tired as Putu slept all day and after a few beers
and some nice pasta it was time for a nice hot shower and a good night sleep. I
was happy with the bottom holding and set the anchor alarm, but you are never
quite sure and tend to sleep with one eye open and sure enough several hours
later I heard a grinding noise that didn’t sound right and I shot out of bed,
grabbed a torch and raced outside to check it out.
We were still in 3.5 meters, the wind was still 7 knots and
it was just the harness squeaking as the wind shifted back and forth, so it was
back to be where I didn’t stir again until the weather came on the radio at
07:18.
The passage in and out through the reef at Lancelin
Track Sirocco’s
progress
Finally got this to work for me.
ReplyDeleteWell done !!
ReplyDelete