Build Update #6 - Final Preparations for Pikorua’s Maiden Voyage

We’re thrilled to announce that the build phase is finally complete! The yard has assured us the boat has been tested and is fit for purpose so the boat is officially ready for its maiden voyage. Nothing like a bit of last-minute drama with the solar panels though. We swapped them out after learning they might only last as long as a wet napkin in a rainstorm. They have been replaced with more durable panels that are used by other manufacturers (including HH Catamarans) so we feel a lot more confident now.

We also noticed in the last boat yard visit that spray was coming over the bows at higher speeds or in choppier conditions so we asked for spray deflectors to be added. Deflectors are designed to channel water away from the hull, minimizing the amount of spray reaching the deck and enhancing visibility and safety for anyone on board. It's hard to make these look sleek and aerodynamic, but Eric & Mark came up with a design that looks great in our opinion.

Why We Registered Pikorua Under a State Flag

Pikorua has provisional registration under the Cook Islands registry, an essential step for any long-distance cruising vessel. Flying a state flag not only affirms the boat’s nationality but also provides access to consular support, maritime protections, and helps streamline procedures in foreign ports. Additionally, a Cook Islands registration brings practical benefits like the flexibility of cruising international waters and favorable regulations.

Delivery by Crew: Our Revised Plan

We planned to have Pikorua shipped to Australia. Unfortunately, unrealistic costs ($USD 165K), a very customer adversarial contract, schedule conflicts and the complicated logistics of getting the boat to a loading port reasonably close to the yard forced us to reconsider. Long story short, we went back to plan A which was to engage with a professional delivery crew and bring Pikorua home "on her own bum" as they say.

The silver lining of going with a delivery crew is the opportunity to use their skills and knowledge to help iron out any New Boat Bugs (every boat has them but hopefully not many). A seasoned delivery crew has the expertise to spot and troubleshoot technical issues early on ensuring everything operates smoothly. By the time we join in Cairns, we are expecting the boat will be thoroughly tested and fully prepared for extended cruising, plus we'll get invaluable first hand training on route planning and operating the boat.

One of the complicated logistics we will still need to deal with is getting the boat cleared out of Chinese customs. Since the boat is classified for export, it cannot simply depart under its own power. Instead, it must be towed at considerable expense from the mainland to Hong Kong (in our case), in spite of having 2 perfectly good engines available. It also can only be skippered by someone with a Chinese license. A different skipper takes over once in Hong Kong (more expense).

Pikorua will undergo final checks and provisioning in HK before embarking on the trip home. As mentioned our plan is to join up with the crew in Cairns for the final leg.

Outfitting the Boat: Amazon to the Rescue

One of the more challenging aspects of preparation has been sourcing the necessary gear for the trip. While in theory, outfitting should be straightforward, many marine suppliers in Hong Kong seem to be stuck in the '90's when it comes to an online presence, which has made it tricky to find everything we need. Amazon, however, has been our go-to for much of the equipment. It’s proven invaluable for acquiring essentials on time, and we’ve been able to find more gear than expected on the platform.

However, it turned out to be quite stressful on the delivery side. The guy we were put in touch with on the HK side assured us "sure, no problem, we can handle taking delivery of your provisioning stuff, just send it to this address"... So we submitted 4 orders. Then we started getting delivery failure notifications. Were we just duped? Was this an elaborate scam? It turned out Ok in the end - the HK courier followed up and everything got delivered. We suspect that this address was actually the guy's wife's office and they we super unimpressed about getting 58 separate deliveries.

Having said that, I'd really love the ability to have more control over how things are shipped from Amazon - e.g. let me choose a delivery date and consolidate items in the order instead of drip feeding them through.

Our New Dinghy: The Takacat 340LX

We needed to get a dinghy for the delivery trip. We selected a Takacat 340LX paired with a Yamaha 6 hp 4 stroke short shaft outboard for a total weight of 65 kg/143 lbs. This should be able to handle 4 adults plus a load but still be able to sit comfortably on the swim platform while travelling. We love our existing Takacat 260LX and electric engine combo (47 kg/104 lbs) but it would have been cost prohibitive to ship it to Hong Kong and it is only meant for 2 adults. I expect it will be tough to decide which one to keep after the delivery is complete. We still have our big dinghy for long range exploring so the idea for the 2nd lightweight dinghy is to have something suitable for nearby beach landings where we can pull it up on a beach.

Pikorua is scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong this Tuesday (October 29) and we expect commissioning and sea trials to take 2-3 weeks. She will then be ready to embark on the first leg of a much-anticipated journey, with her systems tested, paperwork in order, and equipment stocked. We look forward to keeping you updated on the journey ahead!