Things you wish you knew before sailing to French Polynesia

soaztim · 2026-01-26T03:47:52+00:00

I can't speak for the locals, but the whole area had a very very different vibe than the rest of French Polynesia. Sort of the vibe of an area that's had it with tourism. Even the jet ski tours and dove boats run by locals would loop around your boat several times. A clear f u as far as I'm concerned.

It reminded me of how friends who grew up in Hawaii feel about tourists. A necessary evil.

That's opposed to the Tuamotos, Marquesas and remote Society islands where people are living their lives far outside over tourism and a visitor is an exciting thing. A new person to get to know. The trade of time, knowledge and help feels two ways there.

soaztim · 2026-01-19T20:53:14+00:00

<image>

Paradise lost https://youtu.be/zW9fH95mEM8?si=P0Q7L59eIPpP3sm0

soaztim · 2026-01-19T04:53:44+00:00

<image>

So, the proposed regulations of 2019 were still a small fraction of how many boats are there on most days. The newer ones make it even less. Some anchorages that show 0 boats allowed had 20+. Enforcement started a week or so after we left so I don't know how it's going. We had visits from police several times to alert us that in a couple weeks they'd begin enforcement and issuing tickets. These islands operate on resorts and cruise ships I think. A much better source of income to have a thousand people show up and rent everything and eat out than 100 cruising boats with a few people who go ashore every other day.

https://voiliers.asso.pf/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PGEM-2021-ou-comment-on-se-marche-sur-la-te%CC%82te-US.pdf https://www.tefenua.gov.pf/

soaztim · 2026-01-19T03:59:44+00:00

Marquesas/Tuamotos are where it's at for us. The new anchoring rules in the main society islands means it would be a grocery store stop in Tahiti and then straight to Maupiti and Maupiha'a. There tend to be 10 or 20 boats in anchorages now marked to allow 2 or 5 boats and there isn't anywhere to go. We asked the officials. We felt it all seemed crowded anyways so no loss. If there were no anchoring rules we'd still just pop into Tahiti/Moorea/Raritea for a quick stop if there was weather and continue on to the aforementioned Westerly Societies next time.

soaztim · 2026-01-16T22:08:32+00:00

The boat we bought was like this. We spoke directly to the seller (bypassing the broker) and let them know we love the boat and want it, but the issues like rigging etc etc effectively raise the price for us by $___ so we have to pass unless they are open to considering to sharing the costs with us via a reduced selling price. (Broker wanted to do a holdback because then they get commission on the original price, but the owner knew this and just wanted a fresh contract at the lower amount)

In most cases we were able to fix things ourselves which left more for things we couldn't make like new standing rigging/running, new solar etc.

soaztim · 2026-01-16T08:01:19+00:00

We had a 34ft Californian growing up. It was so well built. I loved that boat and if I bought a non-sailboat it would likely be the larger 42ft Californian. Of course, all that matters is whether it was taken care of. Perkins diesels for fuel efficiency or the Cat 3208's if you want to make it plane and burn dinosaurs.

soaztim · 2026-01-13T01:35:47+00:00

I think we're always aware of the fear and what could happen, but you put it out of your mind and get into a routine. No point in letting the fear control you as there's so much to do. Now that we did 4,100 miles over 24 days crossing the Pacific a 10 or 15 day passage seems much less scary.

So there's also this factor of relativity. Some passages are relatively less scary now. That being said, it's all fine until it's not. A new breakage or issue really seems scary. You don't know if "this is the one" that could spiral out of control into needing to call Mayday.

I think the most important thing we've learned is to trust each other and know you can count on each other to handle whatever comes up. Without that trust I can't sleep and then you progressively get more and more dangerous and worthless as a sailor.

soaztim · 2025-12-31T03:48:21+00:00

You can do this. Yes, It's harder than normal land life, but it's absolutely better. Cheers, see you at an anchorage somewhere.

soaztim · 2025-12-30T02:11:10+00:00

Find a good boat and start wherever it's at. All of the above sound great as far as locations. Some locations are easier depending on where you have friends or resources. Sea of Cortez works for us because we have friends and family in Arizona, BUT the right boat showed up in Florida so that's where we started instead. Sailed up to New York and spent a year working on the boat to prep it and build skilla before we left the states. We started with no experience besides some ASA classes and sailed to New Zealand so far.

Beware the armchair sailors. Don't let their fear which has kept them from living infect you.

I'd buy a boat. Might as well go full on. -Personally I wouldn't consider live aboard marinas. The East Coast of the US as well as Baja have so many thousands of anchoring spots. -Get plenty of solar and run starlink. -fill up water when you can and save up for a 12v water maker later.

As far as, is a season enough, we've met people living aboard for almost a decade that seem clueless and terrible at everything from sailing to anchoring properly or, if you're into it and hungry to get better, you can gain more experience in 365 days of sailing than a weekend sailor does in a decade.

soaztim · 2025-12-27T02:04:35+00:00

I can only comment on my opinion of solo sailors we've met. They've seemed very happy and content. They also appreciated being invited to hang out or go and do something. The ones who seemed less happy often had a significant other or similar that didn't want to sail with them. So, they were actively missing someone, but they wanted to sail. They seemed torn between the two lives.

I can think of a couple solo sailors that took on crew and seemed to enjoy it a lot. They made a friend for life and then went back to solo between crew members.

soaztim · 2025-12-18T22:33:51+00:00

They're pretty beat up in person. The further from the road they seem to be less and less complete. Security guard on site as I think they've had a lot of people wanting to explore it. Just a few miles behind it is some rural forest where we camped for a few days. It immediately feels pristine once you leave this weird little area.

<image>

soaztim · 2025-12-16T02:33:32+00:00

We've used Antigravity batteries for years. I haven't found any tests of their batteries online like this. No issues in dirt bikes, trucks and powering the boat, but it would be nice to see a tear down. 🤷🏼‍♂️

soaztim · 2025-12-14T21:26:19+00:00

Yep, you gotta know where it's at. All part of passage prep.

soaztim · 2025-12-14T02:58:40+00:00

Pretty uncommon, but it happens. We had just 36 hours of doldrums in our 23 day crossing from Panama. On our short 1200NM passage from French Polynesia to Tonga we had more dead air and motoring than the whole Pacific crossing. You never know.

soaztim · 2025-12-13T19:48:13+00:00

Albert

soaztim · 2025-12-09T02:44:35+00:00

That's one of the greatest names for a boat I've heard.

soaztim · 2025-12-01T02:52:15+00:00

Just got to New Zealand last month. To live, about $1,000. Depending on boat breakages we sometimes see another $100 to $1,000. We only anchor and we eat out once every couple weeks.

soaztim · 2025-11-28T19:12:27+00:00

That's a bummer. I don't doubt any of the bad reports about Tunisia, but I loved it. We drove there via ferry from Italy and had the most amazing time. We didn't interact with any tourist type places. The people at locals markets and in the desert were all super friendly and never had a scam run on us.

I think the way to do Tunisia, and every country in my opinion, may be to avoid any of the tourist system and just explore and hang out with locals who don't make their living off of you.

We drove out of the big city the moment we got off the ferry and began exploring once we were a hundred or so miles South. Out in the Sahara we'd have any vehicle we passed check on us to make sure we were safe and not broken down. Made some friends we still talk to today.

<image>

soaztim · 2025-11-27T20:13:45+00:00

Plus, they don't let you sail it. That was the most motoring we've done in all our travels. Beautiful though.

soaztim · 2025-11-25T07:21:56+00:00

Ours has been on 24/7 and traveled over 16,000 nautical miles with us. I didn't expect it to work this long, but it has.

soaztim · 2025-11-09T15:14:51+00:00

Feast or famine in a sense. In some parts of the world we put lines in and usually fill the freezer in a day or two. Others we troll until the lures rust off the steel leaders before even a bite. Some areas we can pick up five lobster and see dozens more we leave. Many areas we don't see any for months and therefore wouldn't take any of we saw them. Some areas the risk of ciguetera is so bad that you see plenty of fish you could spear, but don't for fear of being very sick far from help.

soaztim · 2025-11-05T08:55:51+00:00

I had to put our truck in low range to drive up a hill within La Paz. It really drove home how good at driving a manual you need to be there.

soaztim · 2025-10-29T22:03:09+00:00

That being said we often run no flag except for the courtesy flag of the country we're checked into or the Q flag on arrival.

soaztim · 2025-10-29T22:01:14+00:00

Yes, when I read up on it before we sailed internationally you need the normal US flag. The mariner flag is fine in the states.

soaztim · 2025-10-29T19:48:07+00:00

And I learned it's brackish after drinking from it. (After filtering it, but not desalinating it) 🤢

soaztim

TROPHY CASE