Vagabond Voyagesvideo
End of sailing season: we're leaving the boat in Fiji... Vlog 120
April 17, 2026 · 26 min · 5K views · Fiji
Sailboats moored in Fiji marina under rainy sky
What this video covers
Tom and Anissia leave their boat at Vuda Marina in Fiji for the cyclone season — roughly four months — and walk through the full layup procedure. A marina inspector visits two days before departure to verify a point-by-point checklist: the engine must be operational, the anchor chain rigged and ready for marina staff to use as a cyclone mooring, and all seacocks closed.0:17 Tom explains how to manually operate the electric water pump with shore power off, and leaves two keys — one at the marina office, one with a caretaker who checks every two weeks.0:29 Mooring lines are doubled at the stern and secured to chain on the dock; the dinghy is lashed as if underway. Dehumidifiers go in the sinks, toilet bowls are rinsed with fresh water and filled with a layer of oil, and a cockpit cover is fitted to protect the varnished cockpit.10:52 Tom compares in-water storage to hard-standing: the marina charges just over €400 per month afloat, roughly 20% less than the yard; in-water storage runs cooler, reducing condensation, and eliminates termite risk for the boat's wooden structure, though rigging is more flexible in the water than on the hard. The boat carries no cyclone insurance in Fiji — a known, accepted risk. The return flight via Los Angeles and Frankfurt arrives nine hours late, triggering a potential €600-per-person EU compensation claim.
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