{"id":171,"date":"2026-09-24T17:08:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T07:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maluayacht.com.au\/?page_id=171"},"modified":"2026-10-03T10:34:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T00:34:10","slug":"from-oz-to-europe","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/maluayacht.com.au\/?page_id=171","title":{"rendered":"From Australia to Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Preparing to leave for the Mediterranean<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The final touches to the interior, the batteries, fiddles and headlining had been completed. All that remained was to stow some equipment and remove the halyards, sheets and lines from the vessel. I understood that the outside of Malua would become covered in oil and grime during the ocean transportation, particularly with the passage through the Panama Canal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The halyards were removed and light lines run in their place so they could be pulled back into their original positions. It is amazing just how much line there is on a yacht when you stack it all on the deck. Most of these lines had never been removed before and needed a good wash before being rerun when Malua reached Palma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I changed the oil and filter on the engine, filled the diesel tank and pumped the bilges completely dry. The hatches and cockpit lockers were taped closed and the RIB and outboard stowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To load Malua onto the ship I would have to remove the backstays and rig temporary lines to hold the mast up during the crane lift. This was always going to be a tricky business because Malua has two heavy roller furlers forward of the mast. The side stays are abeam of the mast and any movement could push the mast forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This had happened to me on Alibi when she was on the hardstand. The crane touched the mast, which fell forward and crashed over the side, bending the stanchions. Thankfully nothing major broke and the mast was not damaged, but I certainly did not want that to happen to Malua’s taller mast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last Days in Sydney<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Denny arrived from Canberra to help with the final preparations and the loading. We had anchored next to the Sydney Fish Market, which provided us with wonderful Australian seafood. I wondered whether we would again see the quality and range of fish and shellfish available there. We feasted on red snapper, oysters and prawns over the three days as we prepared Malua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were also the inevitable last-minute purchases \u2014 a Tilley hat for Denny, Scanpans, a digital camera, Asian sauces and additional clothes suitable for the marinas of the Mediterranean. Then the preparations were over. It was time to ship Malua to Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shipping Malua to the Mediterranean<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Loading Malua on Erasmusgracht<\/h3>\n\n\n
Read more \u2014 Preparing to leave Australia<\/a><\/div>\n
Read more \u2014 Shipping Malua to Europe<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n
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Steaming towards Erasmusgracht<\/em>, secured alongside in Darling Harbour in the dawn light, I realised we had finally arrived at the end of the Australian chapter of the Malua story. It was so exciting. The next time I would be sailing Malua it would be in Europe, on the Mediterranean \u2014 and that would be only 40 days away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We arrived alongside to find a 43-foot yacht already on the vessel and the stevedores struggling to load a powerboat. They did not have the correct loading equipment and appeared to have little experience lifting vessels directly from the water onto a ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We stayed alongside waiting our turn to be lifted. Malua’s mast and temporary backstays appeared to pose a problem for the stevedores. They asked me to remove the backstays, but I refused and suggested that the lifting rig should be changed to a more suitable arrangement for yachts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a long delay, but after more than an hour the correct lifting rig finally appeared, attached to the ship’s cranes. I was relieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stevedore crew came aboard and, with the help of the divers and the marks I had made on Malua’s hull, we soon had the slings in the correct positions. The crane slowly lifted Malua out of the water while we checked the weight distribution and made sure the rig was secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then it was time to leave Malua as they hoisted her up and over the side of the ship. It was the fourth time Malua had flown from the end of a crane’s slings \u2014 the previous occasions being during the fit-out phase of her construction in my yard in Canberra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Malua aboard Erasmusgracht while being secured for the voyage to Europe.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once Malua was on board, the Master organised the securing of the yacht. The cradle was welded to the ship and eight straps were used to tie Malua firmly down to the deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I reconnected the backstay, removed the genoa halyard and used the main halyard as an additional backstay. The anchor was placed in the locker, the fenders put away and the lockers taped up to keep the water out. I closed all the through-hulls, turned off the power and closed the companionway for the last time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The loading and securing were complete. I could relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We stayed around to watch the other yachts being loaded. There was a 40-foot racing machine, a Swan 45 and finally an 83-foot Oyster called Darling<\/em>. While long, she was also heavy at 65 tonnes and required two cranes to lift her onto the deck. As she was raised out of the water, the ship listed to starboard under the weight. Slowly the yacht was lowered onto the deck and secured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erasmusgracht<\/em> was due to complete loading on Friday and leave on Saturday for Tauranga in New Zealand, then continue through the Panama Canal to Palma de Mallorca in Spain, arriving towards the end of March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Malua on High Seas<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Loading Malua \u2014 Photo Gallery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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