Trade Wind Sailing Indian Ocean Cocos Keeling to Mauritius

This Is our Roberts designed ketch 'Spinalonga' which we built from a bare hull over a period of five years.She is sailing under our much loved and well worn twin headsails in a reinforced trade wind of thirty five + knots apparent during our crossing of the Indian Ocean, between Cocos Keeling Island and Mauritius. The trip took us 18 days in almost perfect strong trades with a following but quartering sea which overloaded or damaged some yachts electric autopilots . Spinalonga loves these conditions and with her Auxillary Rudder Vane Steering ( ARVS, designed and built by myself),made the trip with no problems whatsoever and with little work with sail changes etc. for the crew!!
We continued on our trip around the world and arrived home (Guernsey) in August 2009 having covered 42,000 nm during our 5 year circumnavigation
The video was taken from our 'spotting platform' which is about 3mtrs. from the deck and around 4.5 mtrs. from the sea which consequently exaggerates the roll moment somewhat

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Sailing
• trade wind
• tradewind
• Trade Wind sailing
• Home Built Yacht
• yacht self steering
• Self Steering Gear
• Ketch
• Ocean Crossing
• ocean cruising
• motion welding
• motionwelding
• nigel loller

[alanccoop]

Nigel A very interesting website. I will have 2 X 80W solar panels. I too have a 1500W (3000W surge) inverter. I bought a seperate diesel gen set but decided against installing it. I will drive a 60 amp (24V) alternator off the Perkins 4/108 motor which will work the fridge/freezer, infra red microwave and anchor winch. I have a gas stove and bottles stored in a separate locker. Good sailing

[NigelLoller]

@alanccoop Thanks again for positive comments...Good luck finishing and sailing your Mauritius, there is NOT a better seaboat anywhere.Do not place the engine too far aft as the hull will squat under power (and may anyway)

[maglouc]

that looked like a mini tsunami for a momment

[Scrapitalist]

Tale of Us- "The Lonely"

[Chantilly999]

This is frightening!  Lol. Obviously, water terrifies me...

[alanccoop]

I'm building a Mauritius myself (FG, Airex hull, divinycell deck). What about showing the yacht under sail from the cockpit? Do you have Internet access? What did you do about a HWS? I notice you are sailing from Guernsey. OK OK OK! I found your website and i will read it. (I just googled "Spinalonga yacht")