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Pacific crossing and weather help

  • 11 May 2017 23:02
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    Reply # 4827747 on 4823322
    Deleted user

    Hi,


    Thanks David Webb, I’ve bookmarked metvuw.com, also found the Russell radio has been superseded by Far North Radio so will be using that.


    Annie, we will be stopping at some of the islands so I reckon it is realistic to assume we will be arriving in October/November, and yes we really want to arrive before cyclone season. 


    David Tyler, thanks I’ve bookmarked passageweather.com and will look at Predictwind, will also consult with other yachts on the run. Thanks for the information on the usual route.


    David Thatcher good to know it’s best to go late October early November, will aim for that. I’ve bookmarked Bob McDavitt’s site and will sign up for his advisory information. Your Northland Coast book has been very helpful while exploring up North here.



    Thanks you for all the help, I really appreciate it.



    Roger
  • 10 May 2017 20:53
    Quote
    Reply # 4824908 on 4823322
    Deleted user

    I have done the Tonga to NZ passage a number of times and you can be sure of getting a mixed bag of weather. September/October is the time of equinox westerly winds in NZ which blow with some enthusiasm. Later October/November is a better time to aim for. If you visit http://www.metbob.com/ and sign in to his blog and email advisory information you will get a weekly email advising passage making weather information for all southern Pacific routes. Bob McDavitt is a very respected marine weather forecaster in this part of the world.
  • 10 May 2017 10:28
    Quote
    Reply # 4823847 on 4823322
    Anonymous member

    You'll have come down the "Coconut Milk Run" with a hundred other boats, and if you time your departure from Tonga for early November you'll be able to compare notes with all the friends that you've made along the way. Other than that, look at Predictwind,  passage weather.com and the like to watch for big weather systems tracking south of Australia. You're likely to get one weather front passing through during the passage, but if you follow the usual plan of making out west to the longitude of North Cape while you still have the easterlies, it's not too hard a trip.
  • 10 May 2017 09:25
    Quote
    Reply # 4823808 on 4823322
    Anonymous member
    To be realistic, it's a case of suck it and see.  Weather forecasts for 10 days ahead aren't much more reliable than necromancy, in truth, and the only bad weather you are likely to encounter is just before you arrive in NZ and leave the Trades. 

    Most people leave Panama in April and arrive here in about November.  It strikes me that you are somewhat rushing it to leave St Martin (I assume you mean in the Dutch West Indies) in June and arrive here in September.  By my reckoning, that's about 9000 miles and, assuming you were to arrive in mid September, you would have to be averaging almost 90 miles a day, which is to say almost 4 knots, and this is without stopping.  You can sometimes wait as much as three weeks in Panama, although by June, I don't suppose that many yachts will be transiting the Canal.  Are you planning to sail here non-stop?  Because, if not, I shouldn't be worrying about arriving her in early spring, I'd be more concerned about getting here before the cyclone season kicks in!
  • 10 May 2017 06:22
    Quote
    Reply # 4823654 on 4823322
    Anonymous member

    Hi Roger,

    have a look at metvuw.com. I find that they are reasonably accurate in their predictions for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands; they do a ten day forecast which should just about cover the voyage. Russell radio in the Bay of Islands do a radio net for people voyaging from the Islands to New Zealand and offer daily forecasts and advice.

    I hope that the above is of some help.

    David.
  • 10 May 2017 00:31
    Quote
    Message # 4823322
    Deleted user

    Hello all,

    It’s taken a while but I have bought a Forestier Jonque de Plaisance called Feng Zheng.


    The plan is to leave for St Martin on the 4th of June and sail it across the South Pacific to New Zealand.


    The final leg is between Tonga and New Zealand, this part I should could use some help from someone experienced in weather prediction. We should be sailing from Tonga to NZ in September or October and it would be great to have a contact who could help advise when the best weather window to slip through would be.


    Any suggestions welcomed.

    Thanks

    Roger
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