Xena back home

Xena arrived at her berth in Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club at 7:18 am Hong Kong time this morning, 11th January, after departure from Phuket on 13th December. [included having to turn back to KK, from east of Palawan, and couple of days fixing things in KK]

From Grant, email:

Dear Peter and Jing, Happy to report your lovely "Xena" is safe and sound on the pontoon at RHKYC. We arrived 1hr ago. Peter sorry I didn't reply to your tex's (appreciated getting the updates) but from the Philipines till 100 miles from here 30 knts plus and big sea running, so only time to helm nothing else. Big fresh water wash down for "Xena"now inside and out as everything salt laden, wet and cold. Wash all furniture covers, sails ,ropes etc. Run the dehumidifyer dry inside out after fresh water wash. Spoke to Mike and he said he preferred to wait in HK until your return.. He can help us with the cleaning etc for next couple days after that Noel should be able to manage alone. Will leave with you to inform him when his salary terminates. Myself after the bulk of the clean up , I will change date of flight back to NZ to fly first available. Thank you both for everything . All the best for this new year. Cheers, Grant.

Happy New Year!

Below, from Iris & family, to which we add our own best wishes
to all for healthy and productive 2012!....

Hi Peter and Jing, Grant, Noel and Michael Peter and Jing, Animals and Family:
A Happy Healthy Prosperous and Get Fit New Year 2012 to you Both.
You did mention to get fit was one of your goals.
Lets know how you're going! To Grant and the Boyz:
God speed and safe return KK to H.K.
Work well done as always.  The guys at Miri are just the best. They will always look after you. Angel from "Mandrake" asked where you were..he didn't come back to say where he was. I'm heading away to the beach again. Babysitting New Years Eve? but have a Good Book. Be watch'n your progress via Tracking..Thanks to Peter. TTFN  Lots of LOVE
Go Safely
From us all at Home xoxoxox

Sitting in Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu

Xena got into Kota Kinabalu last night about 8pm.

Awaiting news of rest and repairs...

Sutera Harbour, KK.

I was here in June 2008, with Dennis Dakin and his Chuck Paine designed Bermuda 55' Heartbeat, before we brought her to Discovery Bay, Hong Kong, with crewmate John Karas.  That was June and the winds meant we could go straight to Hong Kong, not quite the case now, with that NE monsoon...

Heading to Kota Kinabalu

16:00 today.

Some of you have noticed that Xena's done an about turn, previously on her way to Puerto Princesa, now on her way to Kota Kinabalu.  SMS from Grant:

Weather forecast model PredicWind is using is understating.  Since Balabac Strait, we had mid 20s gusting high 20s, and steep breaking sea.  This morning we have hight 20s gusting 30s and big breaking sea.  Last night motor which has been sick, max revs pos 1000, gave up completely.  Now too risky to continue to Princesa.  Have reluctantly decided to run with it.  Hopefully get needed parts in K.K.

Part needed appear to be: water hose for generator and main engine filter.  Also some more diesel.

Merry Christmas to Grant and the boyz!

Grant, Noel and Mike are making their way to Puerto Princesa on the East side of Palawan in the Philippines, to pick up some more diesel, and fix a broken water pipe on the generator.  Wish them well as they punch their way into the head-to breeze, of up to 25knots....
Merry Christmas Xena and all now sailing on her!

As always: click on the Track Xena tab above for instructions.

Screenshot of PredictWind, at 17:00 HKT

Xena Tracker now working

See the Tab above, "Track Xena", for how to track her.
She's currently at around 6.37 N and 99.20 E, just north-west of Langkawi.
Heading 140T at 6.8 SOG.
TTFN.

Xena at Ao Chalong

Rainbow over Ao Chalong, Phuket, courtesy Alishan from GoogImages.
That almost looks like Xena there on the right!...

From Grant, 15:07, HKT:

Dear Peter and Jing,

Happy to report your lovely "Xena" is safe at anchor with 4m of water at half tide under the keel in Ao Chalong, Phuket.

Apart from a couple of minor issues she is no worse for wear.

Last couple days and nights have been high winds, big seas and rain and local rain storms.

There is a leak getting into the ceiling above the navigation/chart table. Obviously we need to find and repair as too close to "Xena" electronics. 

Have instructed Noel to remove the cieling lining so we can find leak.

Suspect.......grab rail outside on cabin top, or jib track or window surround fixings?

After removing lining tip buckets of water over area,leak should show itself.

Other issue as you know is auto pilot. Intend removing drive and taking to Mick (who is Agent) in Boat Lagoon to diagnose problem. If we wait for him to come to "Xena" may wait forever like last time.

We cleaned "Xena" before coming ashore and now letting her dry out.

Have just finished clearing in Immigration, port authorities and Customs.

Now heading back to "Xena" to do a rig check , then remove auto pilot.

After that will start looking for storage here in Ao Chalong for "Xena's" non racing gear.

Cheers for now, Grant.
*************
PF: revisit a couple of old photos, for fun, below the fold

South of Penang and all well. Except for....

10:00 today: 06 33n, 99 00e.  98 nm to go.

Update, 21 Nov: Position at 10:00 this morning:

06 33N 99 00 E

140 nm in 24 hours, 98 nm to go to Yacht Haven, Phuket.  TTG: 16 hours.   I expect they'll anchor tonite, somewhere off East Phuket, not go into Yacht Haven till tomorrow morning; tides are an issue there, and Xena can only make it safely in at low tide.

*************

From Grant (20/11):
My position is:   Sunday 20th Nov 10:00
04 29N. 100 09E
just South of Penang.
....
Grant
*************
They've done 150nm since yesterday and 220 nm to go to Phuket, so ETA sometime tonite.
All well.
Only thing is... the $#@&ng autopilot has gone on the blink again.  If you're thinking of buying Raymarine equipment, speak to me first!
Grant's been in touch with the Raymarine people in Phuket, and we hope we can work out a once and for all fix, as we've had problems with the unit over and over.....
More in the comments, if you're interested...

Xena tootling up the Straits of Malacca

10:30 HKT: Xena is the yellow place-marker. Phuket in pink

In from Iris this morning:

Hi Peter
Last email I received
Friday 18th Nov [from Grant]:

Doing Immigration at 2 p.m. then away - try to clear Singa before dark.

Guess he'll call you further down the track.

Via Google 507nm Singa to Phuket .. I'd say 100nm a day ETA  midday Tuesday 22nd at Ao Chalong..i.e. all going to plan.
I know it's great to scan "Xena's"  position via Tracker..perhaps can organise when he calls.
Cheers,    Iris.

_______________________

Me again [PF]: I just got Satphone update of position, at 10:30 am Hong Kong time:

02 29N, 101 38E, and "All OK"

So, if they left before sundown last night, they've made very good time to be 150 miles up the track.  There's about 355 NM to go.
That's Xena in the yellow place marker and Phuket is the pink one top left.
Re the Tracker: the PredicWind folk say that it must be a hardware problem, so they're sending me a new unit under warranty to Hong Kong. Doubt it'll be here before we leave for Phuket, however, so it's going to continue to be contact via Satphone.

Xena safe in Raffles Marina, Singapore...

Raffles Marina website. The old Strewth, a Lyons 49,
and the old Mandrake!  Full services available.

Update: 19th Nov: Engine fixed yesterday, and ready to depart Singapore.  See comment section for blow-by-blow. Tracker is hardware issue, new one being sent....

Email from Grant, 15:03 (15/11):
Hi Peter and Jing,

Happy to report that your lovely Xena is safe and sound in a pen at Raffles.

Managed to sail her into the pen without even the slightest bump. Noel and Mike did a good job executing the plan and rolling the jib just at the right moment to allow us enough momentum to just glide in and no more. [PF note: they've had no engine for last few days, sailing only, in v. light breezes.  Up to then had been moving along nicely with 175 miles/day.]

Spent yesterday sailing thru the ships to arrive just off Raffles at 1am this morning.

Anchored there for the night.

This morning I dived to check prop, strut and shaft with a straight edge. Good news all ok.

I haven't checked in yet, waiting to see what Yanmar service engineer has to say as likely time for repairs.

Will email again when I have more info.

Expecting engineer soon.

Cheers, Grant.

__________________

Another shot of the Marina (Google images)

Xena emerges from Stealth Mode: in Singapore, scathed but safe

Raffles Marina, Singapore.  Xena will be here tomorrow morning, after some dramas...

Grant just rang in.  They've had a "rough couple of days".
Engine not working, and he's not sure why.  They're under sail, in Singapore harbour, making way to Raffles Wharf at a bare 2 knots, typical Singapore, no wind.
They won't be in to Raffles till the morning, so have to anchor in the harbour overnight.
Also: they had hooked up a huge piece of rubber pipe, longer than the boat -- Grant thinks something thrown overboard from an oil rig.  They were only able to get it off by going round in circles.  Grant dived down to see if any damage and seem to be oil leaking from the stern gland.
Once he's in berth at Raffles, he'll be able to work out what the issue is with the engine and the stern gland.  The can lift Xena out lift if necessary.
They'll be along side with the Sam Chan's TP 52, Ffreefire, which is on way to King's Cup, repairing damaged rudder -- which they'd damaged in the HK-Vietnam race.
BTW: Grant had tried to ring a few times but hadn't got through.  He'll ring again tomorrow, once sorted out what the issues are.
Good thing: left in plenty of time. And in Singapore, with good assistance available.  And... all well!

Xena into Stealth mode

O Xena where art thou?

I haven't had a report from Grant and the boyz since the last one, on Friday last, so they've entered "stealth mode".

I calculate Xena should be close to Singapore.

Various discussions with PredictWind folk in New Zealand hasn't solved the Tracker issue, so I've no way of knowing where they are.

I'll post as soon as I've news.

Meantime, please check out the Xena King's Cup webpage here....

There's some more links to boats in our Premier Division, the new ones being:

• Big A (Swan 55), 
• Wasabi (Oyster 56), 
• Shatoosh 2 (Warwick 55) 
• Titania of Cowes (Swan 68)

Looks like being interesting competition.

South of Vietnam and all well...

09:45 today: 07'16n 107'52e

Xena position as at 09:45 this morning:

07 16 N, 107 52 E

175 nm in 24 hours.

All well.

Raining and Easterly winds, light.

Grant says they've got about the "perfect track" at the moment, just outside the fishing fleets and inside the big-ships' tracks.

Forecast: Continuing from E/ENE, light, 5-15 knots.
Weak high in region, weakening, shallow gradients so continuing light breezes.
Later, Sat-Sunday, 10-15 knots from E.

Tracking: still not working.  Has to turn off the tracker, leave 30 secs and reconnect.  Grant will do that later today and we'll try the tracking again this arvo... If still not, we're out of ideas.... Still, the daily Sat-Phone call is working well.

Xena off SE Vietnam

09:45 this morning: 09'52n 109'16e

Position at 09:45 this morning:

09 52 N, 109 16 E

All well.

Distance made last 24 hrs: 167 nm.

Experiencing now: Big seas, 25 Knots  from N and NE, as per Passage weather.


Forecast: continuing 20-25 knots N and NE, becoming lighter into Straits of Malacca, over weekend, 5-10 knots from E and NE, as low weakens.

Tracker: the light on board is green, so it should be working. It's still not.... Have to go back to Tracy at PredictWind in NZ....

Halyards: seems that all are 14 mm, though it's possible that Gen2 is 12 mm. (they don't have accurate rope-diameter measuring tool on board).
Grant reckons there should be no problem swapping some out and changing over so that we only need two new ones: Main halyard and Spin2 halyard (the fractional).

Xena off Nha Trang

09:45 this morning: 12 32N, 110 08E

Position at 09:45 this morning:
12' 32 N
110' 08 E

All well

Weather they're experiencing, as per the current prediction, ie W 5-10 knots, waves 2-3m.

Next 24 hours: W veering NW to 20 knots
Tonite: a squirt from North to 25 knots
Thursday evening will veer to E/NE, 10-20 knots.

Low pressure moving NE slowly and weakening.

Asked Grant about the halyards: whether the fractional spinnaker halyard is same spec as the spare genoa halyard.  He'll check and revert at tomorrow morning's phone call.

Xena nears Vietnam coast

Position at 10:30 HKT this morning: 15'17n, 110'21e

Position 15 17N, 110 21 E at 10:30 Hong Kong time this morning. Distance since 10:30 yesterday: 168 nm.

All well.

Present conditions: 15-20 knots on the nose.

Predicted winds: SW 10-20 knots
Veering to NW 20-25 knots later today/tomorrow
By Thursday: N 20-30 knots

Seas: 2-3 m

Xena on way to Phuket

She left Hong Kong at 16:00 5th November, HKT, and is now (10:30am) at
17:56 N and 111:18 E, just off tip of Hainan.
Weather: 20-30 knots from NE, raining.

Xena back on her moorings

Xena back at Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, at pontoon,  21:45 on 19th June.
I went to see her Monday 20th and she's in great shape!  (apart from the genset of course...)
The big ugly brown thing is an air vent for the MTR subway

Xena back on her moorings just before 10:00 pm last night, so just under 8.5 days return from Koh Samui.
Congrats to Grant and the boyz for another successful delivery!
I'm off now to see about the "to do" list....

From Grant, last nite:

Dear Peter and Jing,

Happy to report your lovely "Xena" is tied up to the RHKYC jetty safe and sound.

Easy for the boyz to off load and hose down here.

Also fairway not dredged yet so only safe to go to mooring when tide high.

Have spoken to Simon and he and Benny from "Moon Blue 2" will give the boyz a hand put "Xena" on mooring when they are ready tomorrow.

Now a bit of a clean up, then some sleep and off to immigration and port authorities first thing.

Followed by amendment of flight home to tomorrow arvo hopefully.

Thanks again for everything, enjoyed our time togeather.

Talk again soon when I am home.

All the best, Grant.

From Iris, this morning:

Good Morning Peter and Jing

"Xena" safely Home.

Grant will miss the Boyz and they likewise .. another delivery well done.

I forwarded a copy of U.K. Halsey Newsletter to forsythe1@netvigator.com

interesting reading about Lightning .. Fuel Filters .. Clogged Air filters and Injectors.

Thank you Both kindly making Samui Regatta possible for us all .. pleasure to be with you.

Must say how impressive "Xena" looked .. all decked out for Cruising .. Thanx to the Boyz .. they're Great!

...
Lotsa Love

S P L A S H !!!!!!

Xena approaches Hong Kong

As of 08:00 HKT, Xena was at 20.50n 113.35e, about 100 nM from Hong Kong, scooting along at 8 SOG, on broad reach, SSE breezes around 15 knots.
Same breezes as we had yesterday in the DB Regatta, where I went on Tom W's Vega, and we came second in Div A, to Boadicea.  Lovely day, clear skies, steady breezes.
I'm estimating Xena's arrival Hong Kong around midnight tonight.
Samui piccies just for fun...(as always, click to enlarge)

Grant and the Boyz get great view of last night's eclipse

Longest this decade, turned blood red by volcano

From Grant, this morning, by onboard email:

Did you see the full moon last night ? 

We were just off Nha Trang, clear sky.........like daylight.  Then about 2 am it slowly got darker and darker until moon eclipsed.  Full moon back around 4.30am. awesome !!

BTW: they've been hiking along at 8-8.5 SOG, with 20 knots on the beam