by Eric J Taylor

Created on: August 24, 2008   Last Updated: December 06, 2008

Two men sailing a 40-foot yacht into the wild Southern Ocean, south of Australia, in the middle of Winter. Not something I had expected to do at any time in my life and certainly not that I am 50.

I have been involved in sailing for most of my life, but had never considered doing a yacht delivery. In June 2002, I received a request from David, a sailing instructor friend specialising in keelboats.

He had been asked to deliver a 40-foot yacht from Adelaide to Melbourne for the new owners. We would be leaving Adelaide on 29th June and travel to Melbourne within 7 days.

Having arranged a week's leave from my employment as an accountant, we departed as planned. Aboard Valkerie II, I joined the new owner and his girlfriend, neither of whom had previously sailed offshore and David, with thousands of hours of offshore sailing and many previous deliveries. I had completed a number of sailing and navigation courses, including heavy weather sailing. I had also competed in several local offshore races within South Australia, including being a part of the winning crew of the 2002 Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race, Adelaide's premier offshore sailing event. The delivery of a 40-foot yacht with only one other experienced crew-member aboard was a new experience.

As we sailed south along the Gulf of St. Vincent, leaving Adelaide in our wake, the wind-speed gradually increased to around 25 knots and a swell of 2.5 metres from the sou'west. The ride had become somewhat lumpy and the new owner and his partner were feeling the first indication of "mal-de-mer", the dreaded seasickness. Despite our advice, they both decided to go "below decks" and David and I were left to sail Valkerie II.

As we change coursed to sail though the dangerous Backstairs Passage, the wind was more from the stern quarter and the yacht easier to handle. Night fell, we had cleared the dangerous waters and were now in the Southern Ocean, making our way south east with the sou'westerly wind still pushing us at about 10 knots. The "happy couple" was still below decks and their condition deteriorating. David and I planned our overnight strategy. We would each stay on watch for 4 hours. The wind was steady and the yacht handling well.

Our roster system worked well throughout the night and into the next day as the "happy couple" was still below. Mal-de-mer can have a sever effect on people.

During day two of the journey, the wind stayed from the sou'west, but the speed increasing and by nightfall had reached 30 to

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