Lee Gek Hian Cecil

Final day of the course. Breakfast then we all sat for the IYT Bareboat Skipper Sail theory exam in the morning. We all passed! Raised the anchor and made our way back to Yacht Haven Marina. Received my temporary IYT Bareboat Skipper Sail certificate. Final certificate will arrive in the post in a couple of weeks time. Had lunch at the marina and then left for the airport for my flight home.

Long sail to Ko Nakha Yai. More sailing practice plus theory lessons from Gunnar, including map work. Went on shore to a very nice restaurant for dinner. Final theory exam to held tomorrow!

Nice straight sail almost due south. Light breeze. Just the usual practice. Somewhat uneventful. Anchored took the dinghy in for dinner. Met the crew of the Island Dream and went to watch a fire dance! Slept in the cockpit. It was a little warm but the overhead fans helped.

Good sail. Decent wind for once. Beam reach and Broad reach. Anchored at east Railay and took the dinghy ashore. Had a nice meal. The ladies went for a massage. Slept on the trampoline. Very breezy night. I kept waking up to check that we weren’t dragging and that the boats around us weren’t dragging. Rained in the early hours of the morning so I moved into the cockpit to sleep.

The usual practice of raising the mainsail, tacking practice, gybing practice. Not much wind tho. Same crew plus two (John, Kelly, Chris, Anna, Mario, Selvie, and me). We have a new instructor, Gunnar, who is really good! Anchored on eastern side of Ko Yao Noi for the night.

Restful night at anchor. Buddy boat Island Dream was moored just a short distance away from us. Woke up early and sat for theory part of IYT Competent Crew exam. We all passed! Got back to Yacht Haven marine about lunchtime and had the afternoon off before starting on the IYT Bareboat Skipper Sail segment of the course the next day.

More practice with the gang. Also out first night staying out on the boat. Lovely place. Small island with caves and hidden beaches.

Same boat (Fortunate Sun), instructor (Didier). Zeechan switched to the other boat, Island Dream, leaving the rest of us as crew (John, Kelly, Chris, Anna, and Zeechan). More practice raising the mainsail, tacking, gybing, and heaving to. Ran into a line squal with 30 knot sustained wind and 35 knot gusts! Put in one reef in anticipation, was in the process of putting in 2nd reef when squal hit. Decided to drop the sails and head for safety behind a small island. After squal, found a small tear in leech of mainsail and a damaged block on the traveller. Picked a mooring without gloves and lacerated my fingers. Lesson learnt. Overall, a great, educational sail.

Left Yacht Haven Marina on “Fortunate Sun”, an Island Spirit 410 sailing catamaran, with John, Kelly, Chris, Anna, and Zeechan for day sail with instructor Didier.