There are no hotels, no resorts, no settlements, no campers, no backpackers, no tourists (apart from us) in this part of the Anambas. Better known bays tend to be sought…
YBW
Followtheboat: Top sailing destinations, plus how to pick up a mooring buoy
It’s the new year, in fact it’s a new decade. 2020 here we come! To get us all in an optimistic mood (and out of the winter blues for those…
Fixing an overheated engine, what do you check first?
Cruising anywhere in the world means freedom. On your own boat, you can find and get access to those less visited and more remote areas. The Anambas archipelago, in the…
Anambas Islands: Sailing straight towards a pirate zone
Three weeks prior to our departure there was a successful attack on a cargo ship slap bang along our route. The attackers were armed with one gun and several knives,…
Bats, sharks and turtles: Close encounters with animals in Malaysia
Every night on Pulau Tioman large flying-foxes (Pteropus vampyrus), with wingspans of up to 1.5m, leave the trees in their thousands on the hunt for fruit. On the way they…
Followtheboat: Climbing the mast, sailing 4m waves and dealing with flying foxes
After the six month passage through Indonesia, we take a quick stop at Sebana Cove Marina in Malaysia to check-in and get some boat chores ticked off the list. Liz…
New Icom marine products shown at METS Marine Trade Show
Icom are also delighted to announce the introduction of new versions of previously best-selling Icom marine fixed VHF radios. The IC-M400BBE (previously the IC-M400BB) and the IC-M423GE (formerly the IC-M423G)…
Followtheboat: Insane and scary crossing of the Singapore Strait
Billed as the ‘busiest shipping lane in the world’ (although those of us who have sailed across the English Channel might disagree) we weren’t looking forward to dodging between the…
Waterspouts and running aground: The sailing hazards of South East Asia
That’s when all the maintenance pays off. If we hadn’t kept our Beta engine in full working order we would still be stuck in a deserted bay somewhere in the…
Followtheboat: How to sail goose wing with a poled-out headsail
Just as we think this sailing life can’t get any better, a fierce squall hits as we sail into trouble inside a rocky anchorage. This is a desolate part of…
Introducing the BC-238 12V rapid multi-charger for the IC-M37E marine VHF radio
As well as providing a convenient tool for charging multiple IC-M37E handhelds, it also provides an ideal and logical location for storing multiple radios while in or out of use.…
Followtheboat: Dodging trawlers and tugboats in the Java Sea
We had to employ some careful anti-collision tactics to avoid sailing into them. We had checked out of Indonesia, but there was still a long way to go before leaving…
Followtheboat: How to use a hookah to clean your hull at anchor
Typical life at anchor next to a tropical island in the Java Sea: bit of boat work, bit of beach walking, bit of beer drinking. Pulau Belitung was a surprise…
Followtheboat: Exploring an uninhabited private island
In this week’s episode we start off anchored next to a pencil dot of sand and rock surrounded by reef, then sail 180nm north east to Pulau Belitung in the…
Exploring Pulau Macan: The tropical island that thinks it’s a sailboat
We sailed into the deep bay next to Pulau Macan (aka ‘Tiger Island’) for the night and stayed for a week. The only difference between this tropical island and a…
Followtheboat: What to do if you suddenly lose steering
With the beautiful islands of Sumatra and incredible Krakatoa behind us, we watched Jakarta fading on the horizon. But leaving Indonesia’s capital wasn’t without a big problem to overcome first.…
Followtheboat: How to replace your boat’s old fridge
It’s technical time in this week’s episode, and this is a subject dear to every boat-owners heart. Fridges are important all year, of course, but when crossing oceans and sailing…
Sailing Jakarta: Polluted, noisy, overcrowded but absolutely brilliant
As much as we love anchoring in the remote and white-sand bays of south east Asia’s islands, we never pass up a chance to drop in on some of the…
Icom’s IC-M37E buoyant marine radio: More power, more functionality
It’s an important safety tool to keep in touch with others, be it for your work or hobby. With good build quality and clear display, the Icom tradition continues with…
Icom IC-M37E to Launch at 2019 Southampton Boat Show
The company, which is celebrating its 45th Anniversary in business, will have some great exclusive show offers including an extended 5-year warranty on leisure products. Highlights on the stand include…