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Last Updated: 03/02/2024

Panama, Ecuador, and Galapagos Info
General Pacific Crossing Advice
North Pacific Cruising Guides & Etc
South Pacific Compendiums & Etc
SW Pacific Cruising Guides
SouthEast Asia Cruising Guides & Etc
Red Sea & Indian Ocean Cruising Guides & Etc
Free Satellite Charts
 
   
HF & SSB Radio Installation
Perkins Engine Info
Winch Reference
Anchoring & Surviving Hurricanes in Port
Medical Reference Material
Our Articles
 

Pacific Ocean Cruising Guides & Information           Useful? Buy Us A Beer

Compendiums:  Collection of useful tidbits from other cruisers, our own experiences, and various online sources.  Valuable updates to old (but still very useful) cruising guides.

General Pacific Crossing Articles and Info

Name Format Size Comments
Pacific Crossing Considerations and Options (SSCA Article) 
Alt: Our SSCA Presentation
pdf   After 5 years bouncing north and south across the Pacific, here are our thoughts on how to not zoom through the best cruising grounds in the world.
Last Updated Nov 06, 2010
South Pacific Cruising Strategies
(Latitude 38 Article)
pdf 590 K Article on options for crossing the Pacific and seeing as much as possible
Understanding South Pacific Weather htm 2k Everything we know about South Pacific Weather - Links to useful wx info
Last Updated Feb 14, 2011
Cyclone Tracks from El Nino and La Nino years pdf 1 MB A plot of cyclone tracks from 1959-2009 in the Western Pacific, broken out by La Nina and El Nino years.
Jim Corenman's Letters from the South Pacific pdf 650 K (Published in Latitude 38 in the late 1990's, but still relevant)  Great info, especially the part on South Pacific Weather

 
South Pacific Cruising Information
French Polynesia    Cooks, Samoa, Niue      Tonga      Fiji      Between Fiji and Marshalls   Far Western Islands


French Polynesia
Name Format Size Comments
Timing Your Visit to French Polynesia Link Link When to go where in French Poly
        by s/v Pitufa
French Polynesia Weather Compendium
Version 2.0 Upd July 23, 2021
pdf 1.7 MB Brand new, revamped, revised, and enhanced!
The Marquesas Compendium
Rev 2024.1  
Updated January 7, 2024
pdf 2.9 MB Still being updated, thanks to passing cruisers.
The Tuamotus Compendium
Rev 2024.1
Updated January 5, 2024
pdf 4.1 MB 180 Pages. Still being updated by passing cruisers.
The Tuamotus Current Guestimator for 2023-2024
Thanks to John on sv Sapphire for current update!
 
Apple "Numbers" Version (note 2019 v)
zip
(xlsx)
400K Now Updated for 2024
Short "How To" Guide
Numbers version compliments of s/v Greyhound
Fakarava Bommies (gpx)
zip 17K Supplied by Kevin Hiscox s/v Mat-Lau
Short "How To" Guide
The Gambiers and Australs Compendium
Rev 2023.1 - Updated Jan 9, 2023
pdf 2.5 MB 91 Pages
Little-visited cruising gems. 
The Societies Compendium
Rev 2023.4
Updated Jan 28, 2028
pdf 5.9 MB 184 Pages.
Still being updated by passing cruisers.
Jacaranda's Supplemental Info for French Polynesia Link Link Lots of good info from s/v Jacaranda who are in their 5th year in French Polynesia.
Clearance Procedures for Tahiti and Moorea  pdf 52K Information for cruisers on clearance into and out of Papeete and Moorea (2017), produced by Marina Papeete.
Marine Protected Areas in French Polynesia 

UPDATED Mar 2021
pdf 20MB Information for cruisers on Marine Protection Areas in French Polynesia.
TahitiCruisersGuide.com 
(covers all of Fr Poly)
Link Link The guide covers all of French Polynesia, and includes vendors and services. Access online or download as a pdf with gps location coordinates.
Mr. John's Guide to French Polynesia pdf 900K Last Updated Dec 2008
Stopover Handbook for French Polynesia (English) 2020-2021 Version pdf 29 MB Yellow Flag Guide for Yachts Visiting French Polynesia  2020/2021 version (published pre-coronavirus!!)
Tahiti Tourism Site (several downloads) pdf 2 MB Link to Tahiti Tourism website, where they have a number of updated publications.
Dream Yacht Charters Leeward Islands Pilot Guide pdf 2 MB Updated June 2014.  Contains lots of good info for yachts in the Leeward Islands of French Polynesia.
Moorings Charters Leeward Islands Guide pdf 2 MB Downloaded from Moorings Site Nov 2015.
Diving in Tahiti
Covers diving in the Societies and Rangiroa and Manihi in the Tuamotus
pdf 7 MB Excerpts from an out of print diving guide from 1992
Charts for Society Islands     Google Earth and other charts for Society Islands (thanks to Stephano)
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts for all of French Polynesia
    A great guide to help you get around French Polynesia.  More than just "Hello" and "Thank you", it has nautical terms and the French terms for those critical boat parts you may have to go looking for, along with a helpful diagram. A must have in French speaking countries!  Click to buy on Amazon


Cook Islands and Samoa Islands and Niue
Name Format Size Comments
Cooks and Samoas Compendium (Including Niue) - Rev 2023.4 pdf 2.6 Mb As good as it gets, unless we get cruiser updates. 
Last updated Nov 2023
Mr. John's Guide to The Dangerous Middle pdf 4Mb Covers the Cook Islands and Niue
Last Updated Feb 2009
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts for all of Cooks and Samoas


Tonga
Name Format Size Comments
Tonga Compendium -
Rev 2023.4
pdf 3.3 MB Largely revamped 2023. Please keep sending updates!  
Last updated Oct 30, 2023
Tonga Cruising Information
Alternate Link
pdf 1 MB Cruising information by Tonga Cruising Station (Cafe Tropicana). Updated frequently.
Tonga Diving Information html 1.2MB Fairly comprehensive list of dive sites in Vavau, and a few in Haapai.
Mr. John's Guide to Tonga pdf 14Mb Last Updated Sep 2010
Moorings Tonga Cruising Guide pdf 3 MB Last updated 2005
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts for Tonga


Fiji
Fiji Compendium -
Rev 2023.3
pdf 7 MB Updated October 2023   
Fiji Satellite Charts (2012)     Soggy Paws' home-made Google Earth based navigation charts for Fiji
Fiji Marine Guide 2014 Edition pdf 11 MB From Yacht Help Fiji
Fiji Shores and Marina Guide 2020 pdf 18 MB From Fiji Marinas
Mr. John's Guide to Fiji pdf 4 MB Last Updated June 2011
A Yachtsman's Fiji by Michael Calder 2nd Edition pdf 6 MB Originally published 1987, updated in 1993.
Free electronic edition published 2011
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts for Fiji
       


Wallis, Futuna, Rotuma, Tuvalu, Kiribati
The Fiji-to-Marshalls Compendium
Rev 2023.1
pdf 750K Includes Wallis, Futuna, Rotuma, Tuvalu, Kiribati (Tarawa & nearby atolls)
Updated Aug 2023 (Wallis and Tuvalu Only).
Mr. John's Guide to Kiribati pdf 14 MB Includes Rotuma, Tuvalu, and Gilbert Islands of Kiribati.  Last Updated June 2011
Pacific Cyclone Season, North instead of South pdf 500K s/v Streetcar's voyage and info on going to the Marshall Islands instead of NZ for South Pacfic cyclone season. Published on Noonsite July 2013  
Satellite Charts     Soggy Paws' home-made Google Earth based navigation charts for this trip         
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts.
       

 
PNG, Solomons, Vanuatu, New Caledonia
The Papua New Guinea Compendium      
Rev 2023.1
pdf 5.5 MB 292 Pages
Last updated June 23, 2023
The Solomon Islands Compendium     
Rev 2024.1
pdf 3.5 MB 211 Pages
Last updated Jan 2024
Vanuatu Compendium   
Rev 2024.2
pdf 1.5 MB Fully revamped
 Feb 15, 2024
Satellite Charts for PNG and Solomons KAP   Extensive Collection from 2019
(note, all our waypoints are in Valhalla's Waypoint files)
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts for Solomons and Vanuatu
Valhalla's Charts & Waypoints gpx & mbtiles   Extensive Collection

  
North Pacific Cruising Information

Federated States of Micronesia and Palau

The Micronesia Compendium
Rev 2016.4
pdf 2.7 MB Still a little rough, but lots of good info somewhat organized. Updated Aug 20, 2016
Google Earth Charts     Soggy Paws' (and friends) home-made Google Earth based navigation charts for this trip (still under construction)
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts for Micronesia and Palau
Sherry's Skin Infection Micronesia zip 1.2 MB Sherry got a serious and persistent skin infection in the outer islands of Micronesia.  Might have been mycobacterium marinum aka fish tank disease.  Here is her research.

Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands Compendium 2023.2 pdf 3.2 MB About as complete as it will get unless I get more inputs from others.  Nov 2023
Mr. John in the Marshall Islands pdf 6 MB Last updated Nov 2011
Practical Marshallese pdf 1.5 MB WorldTeach manual for Marshallese copyright Peter Rudiak-Gould
Google Earth Charts     Soggy Paws' and others' home-made Google Earth based   navigation charts
Bruce Balan's Chart Locker link   New mbtiles charts for the Marshall Islands


Hawaii
The Hawaii Compendium
Rev B.1
pdf 240K A bit rough around the edges, but lots of useful information
Last Upd June 30, 2014
A Boater's Guide to Oahu pdf 11 MB A companion document to a cruiser's Youtube about Oahu (2021-2022).  Youtube


SouthEast Asia Cruising Information


Philippines
Valhalla's Charts & Waypoints
Updated Monthly
web page   Extensive Collection of "How to's", gpx waypoints, & mbtile satellite charts.
The Philippines Compendium
Rev 2024.1
pdf  6.1 MB Over 300 Pages!
Updated Jan 20, 2024
Cruising Guide to the Philippines - Conant Webb pdf 2 MB Nice guide self-published by a longtime cruiser in the Philippines.  Last updated 2009.
Presentation: Cruising the Magnificent Philippines pdf  17 MB 180 Page presentation on our 6 month cruise through the Philippines in 2018

Indonesia
Valhalla's Charts & Waypoints
Updated Monthly
web page   Extensive Collection of "How to's", anchorage waypoints, & mbtile satellite charts
The Indonesia Compendium
Rev 2024.1
Upd 05-Jan-2024
pdf 11.3 MB Over 500 pages of useful information on cruising Indonesia. 
Totally free, no ads, no gimmicks
Online eVisa Guidebook
Jan 2024
pdf 5 MB I downloaded this January 20, 2024 from an Indo evisa website, but can't find it anywhere now.  So posting a copy here.
Notes on Indonesian Clearance 2022
v1.7 03-May-2022
pdf 1.5 MB The full process of getting a visa through an agent, and checking in Indonesia. Brand new info from our check-in Jan 2022 and Visa Extensions in March and April 2022.
Indonesian Immigration Offices 2022
Upd 21-Apr-2022
pdf 1.4 MB Scraped from the Indo Immigration Website March 2022, formatted for offline viewing.  Organized by region and province. Addresses, phone numbers, websites and email addresses.
Indonesian Immigration Offices GPX
Upd 21-Apr-2022
GPX 45 KB Rough locations of the Indonesian Immigration Offices (note: does not include the "21 Ports of Entry"). About
Dec 2021 Agent Cost Comparison pdf 50 KB A spreadsheet trying to compare offerings and costs for various visa agents in Indonesia.
sv Ocelot's excellent notes on cruising Indonesia Link   Notes, waypoints, tracks, anchorage info.
Rock Art in West Papua pdf 24 MB A 2004 publication by UNESCO detailing the "rock art" found in West Papua, Indonesia. Includes maps with locations.
Sail Samal 2 Raja Ampat Rally Info Booklet for 2016 Rally pdf 1.7 MB The old Rally Information Booklet, with some useful info in it.  There was no Rally in 2017 from Samal (not enough boats).  Last updated Feb 2017

Malaysia
Valhalla's Charts & Waypoints
Updated Monthly
web page Extensive Collection of "How to's", gpx waypoints, & mbtile satellite charts
The Malaysian Compendium - Rev 2024.1 pdf 3.2 MB A bit rough. Last updated  
13-Jan-2024
Sail Malaysia Rally Cruising Guide - Rev April 2023
Alternate Source
pdf 1 MB Last updated  04-April-2023

Thailand
Valhalla's Charts & Waypoints
Updated Monthly
web page   Extensive Collection of "How to's", gpx waypoints, & mbtile satellite charts
The Thailand Compendium
Rev 2023.2
pdf   Very rough.
Updated 05-Oct-2023

SE Asia Facebook Groups
Sail SE Asia FB   Primary FB group for cruisers in SE Asia
Women who Sail SE Asia FB   FB group exclusively for women sailors in SE Asia
Sail the Philippines     For cruisers sailing/cruising within the Philippines

Indian Ocean to South Africa and the Red Sea
Valhalla's Charts & Waypoints
Updated Monthly
web page   Extensive Collection of "How to's", gpx waypoints, & mbtile satellite charts
Soggy Paws' Red Sea mbtiles     A collection of satellite charts for the Red Sea, including tracks and anchorage waypoints. New waypoints and charts May 2023
Red Sea Compendium
v 2024.1
pdf 10 MB Cruisers notes on passage up and down the Red Sea. Oman, Yemen, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan.
Updated Jan 17, 2024
Red Sea Pilot
New Color Edition expected April 2024
2002 version
    Morgan & Davies Red Sea Pilot (Currently out of print and unobtainable, is being updated and re-issued in late 2023)
Imray is planning a digital version as well as book form.
Red Sea Maritime Security Chart Q6609 (2020v) pdf 4 MB A fairly high resolution version of the 2020 edition of the 6609 chart.
Red Sea and Northern IO Grib Files zip 16 MB A collection of 14-day GFS Grib files saved at various times 2021-2023
Red Sea Passage Facebook Group     PRIVATE GROUP! You MUST email wade@joana.ca with your boat info and cruising plans to be admitted to this group.
Indian Ocean Crossing Compendium pdf 6 MB Cruiser's notes on Myanmar, Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka, India (Kochin), Maldives, Seychelles, Mayotte, Chagos, Maritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Christmas, Cocos Keeling, Rodrigues, and parts of East Africa.
Updated Nov 6, 2023
Crossing the Indian Ocean On Passage Facebook Group     Public Group, apply to join group as normal. 
Indian Ocean Crossing Facebook Group     PRIVATE GROUP! You MUST email sherry@svsoggypaws.com with your boat info and cruising plans to be admitted to this group.
South Africa Compendium pdf 1.2 MB Rough collection of notes from cruisers going via S Africa, includes some info on Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Namibia too.
Last updated 2021.
Sail to South Africa Whatsapp Group     Contact Jenny Crickmore-Thompson on Facebook to be added.

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Panama, Ecuador, and Galapagos Information

From s/v Sarana
Central America Guide
Other Free Guides
pdf   May be more up to date than the below Ecuador guide.
From s/v Serenity
Panama-Cruisers-Resource-Guide
pdf   Lots of "where to find what" in Panama City, Panama. 2019
Ecuador Cruiser's Guide (includes the Galapagos) pdf 740 K Last Upd October 2013.
Also includes some great info on backpacking / touring in South America from Ecuador.
Puerto Lucia Cruising Information   pdf 446 K Updated Info on Puerto Lucia Ecuador from s/v Dreamer 2019, includes info on Fr Poly visa in Ecuador
Galapagos Arrival Notes from Hawkeye pdf 2 MB New! Updated info on what happens when you arrive in Galapagos. January 2024
La Libertad Port Guide pdf 160 K Last Upd Nov 28, 2009
Extending Your Visa in Ecuador pdf 76 K Probably Obsolete, Last Upd Nov 28, 2009


Anchoring & Surviving Hurricanes in Port

Name Format Size Comments
Creative Anchoring by Captain Fatty Goodlander ebook   A great book on anchoring tactics from all aspects by one of the masters of cruising. (Amazon)
How to Prepare Your Boat for a Hurricane in the VI pdf 6 MB By Cap'n Fatty Goodlander for the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (Written ~2000)
Presentation on Surviving Big Storms in Port pdf 20 MB By Dave McCampbell s/v Soggy Paws. Presented at SSCA Melbourne Gam 2012
Presentation on Modern Anchors and Ground Tackle pdf 16 MB By Dave McCampbell s/v Soggy Paws. Presented at SSCA Melbourne Gam 2013
Blogged Summary about Preparations that Work, from Irma in 2017 link   Good stuff here, worth reading.

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Technical Articles on SSB/Ham Radios Afloat--Antennas, Grounding, Tuners

Name Format Size Comments
Stan Honey's Marine Grounding Article PDF 1.3 MB Originally published as part of West Marine's Advisor series, an EXCELLENT article that explains the differences between Electrical Grounds, Lightning Grounds, and Radio Grounds, and how to set your grounds up properly.
.15uF Capacitors $.33 ea     A source for the capacitors for the RF Ground Stan Honey Mentions in his article.
Gordon West on using a Sea Water Ground PDF 115 K Stan Honey's idea for a HF ground plane with pieces of metal connected together inside the boat is old and was useful for older HF systems with manual tuners.  It is now superseded by Gordon West's testing on using sea water as a much more effective ground plane for modern HF radios with automatic tuners .
Gordon West on Antenna Tuners PDF 3 MB A 1987 Practical Sailor Article about Antenna Tuners and how to hook them up on a boat.
Clyde Kirlin on Marine Antennas PDF 280 K A few good tidbits in this 1987 article from Cruising World
How Long Should My Backstay Antenna Be? PDF 283 K Discussion from SSCA Bulletin Board between experts & newbies.
Using Auto-Tuners PDF 234 K Martin-G8JNJ explains the differences between different kinds of Auto Tuners
Icom 802 "Clipping" PDF 234 K Discussion from SSCA Bulletin Board about the Icom M-802 Clipping Issue

The Sailmail Primer

The Winlink Book of Knowledge

Diesel Engine Stuff

Perkins Engine Codes PDF 263 K How to read the codes on your Perkins engine to determine year and place of manufacture
Spanish Engine / Mechanical Terms PDF 57 K Handy reference for Spanish words relating to engines.  (For more complete copy: SpanishForCruisers.com)
Links to Engine Parts Suppliers     A collection of links to suppliers of engine parts, transmissions, props, etc.

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Winch Service Manuals

Name Format Size Comments
Identifying Your Lewmar Winch PDF 134 K From PYacht.com, how to tell what version of Lewmar winch you have  Direct Link to PYacht's Page
Pre-1980 Lewmar Winch Service Manual PDF 2.6 MB Has many Vol I and Vol II Winches
Thanks Dream Away for letting us scan!
Lewmar Winch Service Illustrated ~1999 PDF 1 MB From the Catalina Owner's Association, Lewmar 48's and 30's late 1990's design (no longer online at COA)
Lewmar Winch Parts List v10 1992-2002 PDF 750 K Official Lewmar Document
Lewmar Ocean Winch Service Manual 2002 PDF 500 K Official Lewmar Document, multilingual "Issue 5"
Lewmar Ocean Winch Service Manual 2005 PDF 1.6 MB Official Lewmar Document, multilingual "Issue 6"
Barient Winch Service Manual Model 27 2-sp PDF 250 K  

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Medical Reference Material

Name Format Size Comments
International Medical Guide for Ships - 3rd Edition pdf 2 MB Too much info!
Offshore Medicine eBook (Excellent, Simple!) pdf 3 MB Excellent, geared for the yachtsman
Where There is no Doctor pdf 15 MB Geared for people in remote locations
Where There is no Dentist pdf 12 MB Geared for people in remote locations
Your Offshore Doctor (Amazon Link) ebook   A cruising doctor (circumnavigator) published book

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The New Soggy Paws in Raja Ampat June 2016

Soggy Paws Under Sail

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing in the Galapagos

 

 

 

 

Soggy Paws in the Tuamotus

 

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