Sailing Triteiavideo
Leaving a Terrible Anchorage Under Sail & Exploring Phuket Thailand By Motorbike After Clearing In
23 March 2026 · 35 min · 17K views · Phuket
Sailboat cuts through turquoise water, leaving anchorage behind.
What this video covers
James and crew Victoria sail off anchor from a crowded, rolly anchorage near Phuket, Thailand, after a power catamaran drifts to within 80–90 feet of Triteia overnight — confirmed by an anchor track log showing Triteia held position while the other boat moved.1:26 With 15 knots in the anchorage and slack water approaching, James sets a triple-reefed main and 50% headsail sheeted amidships as a self-tacker, then Victoria walks the chain up while sailing toward it — 75 feet retrieved before clearing the anchorage and covering 1.4 miles to a more protected northern anchorage, anchoring in 20 feet.4:54 Thailand's clearance rules require entering and exiting through the same port, forcing the crew to transit 120 miles from Langkawi to Phuket rather than clearing in earlier; officials accept the delay as reasonable given the distance and daytime-only passage requirement.18:40 Clearing in at the pier costs $16, takes about an hour, and the officials are described as professional and efficient.26:31 Ashore, the crew rents a motorbike for 500 baht per day to reach the customs pier and explore Phuket, visiting a large chandlery called East Marine and discovering a wrecked yawl on the rocks — attributed to mooring failure during a blow.23:51 Sailing off anchor in a crowded anchorage at slack water, with a reefed main and partially furled headsail sheeted amidships, gives effective low-speed maneuverability without the engine.
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