NZ-Fiji passage -- gear needed?
Posted by ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 32 comments
Kia ora sailing fam!
I got a spot as crew for a New Zealand to Fiji passage, on a very short notice (there's a potential weather window in 5 days) and I'm scrambling to gather the equipment I need for this sort of trip.
I have a light sailing jacket (not warm, just waterproof and windproof), puffer jacket to wear underneath, merino thermal top and thermal pants, a fleece buff, normal beanie and fleece beanie (I'm originally Canadian LOL, hence the cold weather gear). Sailing overpants, but not bibs. Woolen socks and hunting socks.
Basically I have good "on land" wet and cold gear. I also know that we should reach higher temperatures possibly 3 or 4 days in. I guess I'm wondering if I need to go all out on a proper sailing jacket and bibs or if I'll be able to make do with what I have.
My other question mark is footwear. At present, I only have trail runners hehe, so it's probably not ideal, although they do dry quickly.
I don't want to buy stuff that I will use only once, if ever, but I've also sailed enough to know that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.
So, what is an absolute must-have for these latitudes according to you? And if I must splurge, what should I splurge on?
Thank you!
opticalminefield@reddit
Your first 3 nights on watch will probably be cold. Make sure you have a range of layers. Classic under, mid, soft and a waterproof over shell.
You don’t need sailing specific gear and what you have sounds pretty good. I’d just add a pair of cheap sailing boots. NZ$70 at Burnsco so not a big expense. Waterproof socks and beanie is pretty nice too.
The last 3 days will be tropical so make sure you have clothes for that end too.
A good head torch with red light mode is critical for moving around at night. Make sure you have one of your own.
Make sure you have a tether and life jacket with attachment point. You should be clipped on any time your are on deck at night (and any other time of heightened risk).
Personally I’d have a PLB in your lifejacket. Could be the difference between being found and not. I always have one and encourage my crew to as well even though we have an EPIRB on board.
In Savusavu make sure your skipper clears in at Nawi Marina. You’ll thank me when you see the showers and the pool.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
The second-hand boots I got are exactly that, I think they go for $70 at Burnsco haha! Yes I have my headlamp with red light! And the life jackets on board are in good condition, and have the tether.
Nawi marina is the goal, yep! Yeehaw! Thank you for your advice! Sea trial went well, did not yell at each other, did not break nor lose anything, so I guess... we just need a good weather window now :-)
opticalminefield@reddit
Sounds like you’re all good. Sunday is looking like my earliest pick. Hope it shapes up nicely and you have a great passage. It’s an amazing experience.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Yip we're looking at Monday! I'm excited and a bit scared cause all I've ever done is coastal and the English channel, which really doesn't count as offshore. Different temperatures too haha! Thank you! Hope you have a fun and safe one too!
M37841@reddit
If you are willing to make one purchase, then sailing wellies: like half-length wellies. Here in the uk they are £60 or so I think. Dry feet and dry socks make life much more comfortable and nothing dries at sea in wet weather no matter how quick drying it is
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Yes! I got second-hand Gill boots for $50 (NZ) and I might not even use them, but I'd rather have them just in case!
IndyBananaJones2@reddit
Deck boots, a decent rain jacket, I like a fleece more than a puffy. Preferably smart wool, which will still be warm if damp. I keep my puffy packed away on the boat.
Deck boots, or just cheap rubbers like a fisherman would wear with a warm pair of socks will be much better than trail runners.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
I got a pair of 2nd hand Gill boots for $50, they will do nicely I reckon! Yeah good point, I also have a fleece which I forgot to mention, I would go fleece before puffer, puffer if I'm really freezing!
IndyBananaJones2@reddit
That's the ticket. I'm making the same trip in about two weeks. Enjoy the passage.
RobHealey222@reddit
Take your own water bottle with a strap so you can keep it on you. Speaking from experience, I suffered dehydration in rough weather because I had no way to keep water near me, and my waterproofs had deteriorated so I was soaked as well. It was hard going.
On the jacket, test it with a friend and a hose before you leave. Gear that passes the shop test can surprise you offshore.
I haven't done it, but I would expect the first two days out of New Zealand are likely to be the roughest before you pick up the trades. That's when you'll find out what your gear is really made of. If the jacket fails there, you're in for a miserable watch before it gets better.
Best wishes for a good trip.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Yep that's what I'm expecting, 2-4 potentially rough, or at least "sporty" days, then a but easier -- and warmer. The water bottle advice is gold, thank you!
RobHealey222@reddit
Glad to help, I can guarantee that dehydration is a terrible feeling and then there's the knife through the head headache. BTW Coke is a good cure, faster than drinking lots of water.
wkavinsky@reddit
Proper sailing shoes, cold and hot weather gear, something good to read on, and your own coffee making facilities and you should be golden.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
I was thinking about my own coffee-making, you just confirmed that, thanks!
FairSeafarer@reddit
What’s the boat? Mono, catamaran? Hidden cockpit with full enclosure, or not? In any case, you really don’t need much.
I’ve done this passage 3 times. It’s usually a challenging one. So, it’s a good opportunity to learn. Depending on the boat, just be ready to be wet, hence have gear to be okay in the wet. But, don’t overthink it as to what you need gear wise. I know for one that I’ll be barefooted and I’m not sure I’ll even get my foul weather gear out. I’m also waiting on a weather window for that same passage.
From the high volume of sailboat going up, someone will dismast and someone will loose their rudder. It’s been happening for each of our go up or down. There was also a scuttling. About 15-20% will encounter autopilot problems. This last stat is from offshore passages in general.
Since you are asking what you need, what you need is to be on a boat with people you trust. Do they look like they know what they are doing? Or that they would know what to do if things go south? Do you have a bad feeling when you get on the boat, is it unkept or neglected? What’s the state of the running rigging? Do you get unclear answers to straight questions... Remember that you don’t need to go.
On the good side, the weather window on the 10-11th looks good.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Haha I can't say I love your stats, but they're realistic.
Boat is a 14m mono, I've been on it and it is clean and well-maintained. Skipper seems as reliable as someone you don't really know can be. We're doing a wee day out this week to see if we're capable of communicating properly, which was a necessary step for me, and for him. Good fat green flag there. There's a second crew who is more experienced than me. I've done a lot of coastal sailing as a kid and teenager in the English Channel and Channel islands, and did some easy coastal down in Otago too. But I don't have any deep blue sea experience
FairSeafarer@reddit
Oh good! Some crew barely make it on time to the vessel. It’s very good that you do it by the book!
Don’t worry about the stats. You don’t need to be a part of it. You’ll do just fine, especially if the people on the boat you are on seem to be driven by good seamanship. Loosing a rudder or the autopilot is not the end of the game. No one panics, you are good. And the mast, another story, but if no one is hurt, with tons of boats around, chances are that will be fine too with fuel drops. It’s a good place for it if you ask me. If ever I were to loose the mast, it’s the best time of the year with all the boats doing that same route. I have variants of this scenario rehashed so many ways in my head. It would be so bad. But it would make for one hell of a story for the old days.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Isn't why we all do it? For the stories haha! But yeah, it's such a well-travelled route at this time of the year that, worse comes to worse, there'll be boats around. Thank you for your advice :-)
nirajguy@reddit
I wish you a much better time than I am currently having! Left New Zealand on Wednesday afternoon last week expecting a nice but sporty fast reach with 20-25 knots and 2-3m seas. The past 55 hours or so we have had sustained winds 30-35 knots gusts over 40 and 5m seas beating us up constantly. We had a jib sheet chafe through and blow which ended up destroying our furler so we've been on heavily reefed main only for the last day and a half.
Gear wise you won't need much warm weather stuff. A few colder days at the start but it warms up quick. I've been barefoot shorts and t shirt the entire time unless going out to get drenched. No matter what the weather looks like just expect the passage to be a tough one because it is. Even if you've never been sea sick I'd bring some pills and just take them even before it hits. Shoot me a dm once you're in Fiji and we can grab a beer and share horror stories. I'll be in Denarau the next few weeks. Good luck!
port-left-red@reddit
And test the sea sickness medicine before you go! Some people react badly to some types.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Oh good one! I think I know what works and doesn't for me but it's been a minute.
port-left-red@reddit
Nice
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Oh my nerves! That's not optimal! I will be bringing some pills, 100%, because I don't want to be a freakin useless potted plant.
We're aiming for Savusavu, but I will probably find myself on the main island at some point, and if I do, will take you up on that offer and hopefully only have blissful stories to tell haha!
Good luck with the rest of the trip! Hopefully it gets easier!
FarAwaySailor@reddit
I had a similarly horrendous NZ-Fiji trip last year (without the gear failures). I recommend Vuda over Denerau 100%
nirajguy@reddit
Yea I think this will be my last time lol. It can feel like eternity out here when the weather is constantly against you.
Purple-Hearing-3893@reddit
Im getting ready to do this passage as well and will be basically wearing the clothes you described to leave NZ. No real need to invest in an "offshore" coat or bibs in my opinion- I've never owned that stuff and I got here from Seattle no problem.
I would add sun glasses, sunhat, water bottle, any motion sickness meds you might need. Download a few audiobooks (I get them free from the library through Libby but maybe that's American?)
Trail runners aren't the worst choice but they aren't great. I wear my blundstones for colder temps. The biggest thing for shoes is having ones that slide on and off. Warm weather I wear crocs if I'm not barefoot so consider picking up a pair of those. They are also great for beaching a dinghy.
Last note is personal care items. I like baby wipes for long passages if it's too rough, too cold, not enough water to shower. Face wipes are good for removing sunscreen and sweat. Bring good sunscreen and chapstick. Pack your own supply of snacks- whatever your road trip type stuff is. Think about what will keep you up on watch and what will cheer you up when things get tough. All I ever want on passages is ramen, crackers, and coffee
You're going to have a blast. We had pilot whales and albatross escorting us down from tonga. It's a beautiful stretch of ocean if a bit feisty
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Thanks that's all very good advice! Blundstones hu! I wouldn't have thought! Will deffo bring my own comfort snacks, and heaps of books on my e-reader!
Pumbaasliferaft@reddit
Plenty of socks
chigganutta@reddit
My go tos for (warm) ocean crossings are - earplugs and noise canceling headphones (I use AirPods Pro) as well as sleeping mask - depending on the boat maybe a power bank - anything merino is nice cause it doesn’t stink - sun hat and something for the face as well as UV shirts. Sun protection is essential and sun screen sucks when you cant shower daily - head torch rechargeable with red light - for footwear I personally use brooks running shoes with mesh because they’re comfortable and dry super quickly
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Check check check and re-check on the headphones and sleeping mask haha, I never go anywhere without them anyway! I have all of the other items you mention and was gonna take them with me, except for the sun hat. Should be easy to find! Good to know you've been fine with simple running shoes!
qwerSr@reddit
Good luck. The trail hikers you mention might have dark soles that tend to leave black scuff marks on fiberglass decks. White soled shoes might be better.
ThrowRA_RuaMadureira@reddit (OP)
Good insight! Mine are white-soled :-)