Here are ten essential items that will make your life onboard much easier and safer in Indonesia

Embarking on your first sailing adventure into Indonesia is an exciting journey, but preparation is key for a smooth sailing experience.

Before embarking on a sailing adventure in Indonesia, here are the top ten essential items you should have or arrange beforehand. These may not be the items you would  be expecting.  This list, based on our current one-year experience sailing in Indonesia, and back in 2011, it includes items that may surprise you due to their scarcity or high cost in the region.

You can Watch the Episode here ▶️ https://youtu.be/8WAawGntkp0

We will start with the cheapest and something we are sure you wouldn’t expect on this list. Double strength white vinegar, this we use for all of our cleaning onboard. It’s safe to use in our toilet systems, timber floors and it keeps mildew at bay. Double strength vinegar is not available in Indonesia, sure you can get cleaning products but they are all chemical and bleach based. If you want to be environmentally conscience whilst living on the ocean stock up on your cleaning vinegar before you leave.

Sunscreen. Living onboard a boat is one of the harshest conditions we put our skin through. With the rise of melanoma still on the rise we have to be extra careful. Sunscreen if you can find it is so expensive in Indonesia. A small tube of sunscreen 15+ will set you back $15-20. The general population don’t use it they just coverup. We on the other hand like to wear shorts and singlet tops. So stock up so you can slip on a shirt, slop on the sunscreen and slap on a hat.

Motorcycle license. We find one of the best ways to sightseeing is by motorcycle. They are cheap to hire and you have the freedom of movement around the area you are visiting. Without a motorcycle licence you are not covered by your health/travel insurance if you have an accident. Indonesia does not have free medical services so hospitals and doctors can be very expensive if required. Repatriation to your home country is just prohibitive, so get your licence before you leave. 

A good trolley. A good sturdy trolley that can transport, jerry cans of fuel, kilo’s of washing and provisions. Seldom are the items you need close at hand. Fuel docks do not exist so if you need fuel you are sometimes doing 6 trips to the service station to get the quantity you require. This is not an easy job in tropical heat. A good trolly is an absolute must have.

Spare Dinghy props. This is an item that in Australia you very rarely need to replace. If you do need to replace it they are relatively easy to find. Not so here. Not only are they difficult to purchase they are something that gets damaged easily here. It is easy to get fishing line, rope and the worst plastic bags wrapped up in the prop. This destroys the bush and a new prop is needed.

Depending on your like for Alcohol this could be cheap on expensive. So the law says when entering into Indonesia you are only permitted 1 liter each of alcohol. Flying into the country you are heavily scrutinised on the duty free products you bring into the country. 

However coming into Indonesia by boat the rule still applies. However on a boat there is plenty of places to store wine and spirits. When asked about alcohol on both occasions we have entered via boat we have showed the contents of the cocktail cabinet. 

The bottles in there contain very small amounts, we have never been asked if we have more. What we have been asked to do, is to not take it to shore. Sure no problem. You can’t freely buy alcohol here, as the majority of the population is Muslim. But even for the remainder of the population alcohol isn’t in their culture. Finding somewhere to purchase beer is like a treasure hunt. To find wine or spirits is darn near impossible.

Handheld depth gauge. The Navionics charts in Indonesia are useless. We are frequently putting our dinghy down to check depths before we proceed into an anchorage. This is a country where either the islands are surrounded by coral with massive drop offs or mud flats with murky water that you can’t see the depths. The handheld depth gauge has saved us and the boat on many occasions.

This is Hawkeye DT1H Handheld Depth Finder with Temperature, 300 Feet that we use onboard Our Dreamtime. You can find further details here ▶️  https://amzn.to/458ipkl

Satellite imagery programs. As for the handheld depth gauge having the access and knowledge on how to us these whilst navigating through these waters is imperative. We can’t express to anyone coming to Indonesia how important this skill is. Practise using the satellite imagery prior to coming, have imagery downloaded before you need it. Last thing you need is after a long passage, technology has a hissy fit and you can’t get the images you need to safely enter the anchorage or you are on passage and an uncharted reef appears. Trust us they are there. For your SAT Maps to be able to locate you on the computer screen you will need one of the following, we explain why in the YouTube Episode.

This is the up dated model of the GlobalSat BU-353N-10Hz USB GPS Receiver, that we use on Our Dreamtime. For further information ▶️  https://amzn.to/4c4gAaf

Shorelines. Many places in Indonesia you require a stern line to tie back to the shore. This in-effect is very much like mooring in the Mediterranean. Where you drop your anchor and reverse back using lines to the dock to secure the boat. The only difference here is there is no dock. Mostly you are using trees or rocks to tie off too.

Have your Money sorted. Indonesia is a cash economy, everything is paid by cash. Most supermarkets only take cash. Fuel stations only take cash. So you will spend a lot of time at ATM’s. ATM’s of course are your first option to get cash. 

However most ATM’s in Indonesia have a limit on withdrawal amount 1 million - 2 million is the usual, sometimes you will get a 2.5 million ATM. Ok so what does this mean. Well in Australian dollars that means $100-$200 and occasionally a $250 at a time. If you are buying a boat load of fuel that’s many trips to the ATM, plus Fees. 

Know your banks international withdrawal fees before you go. Even with say 5 free withdrawals a month you can use them up really quickly. Then you can arrive somewhere and yep “ATM out of order” some towns and villages only have 1 ATM or none at all. So what other way can you get cash. 

Unlike western society Indonesia still have post office’s. At all post office’s you can use Western Union. Yep the same company you used whilst backpacking so many moons ago. They have great exchange rates and low fees. We transfer money from our bank account through Western Union to collect as cash at the post office. You can pick up large amount at one time, freeing up your time to do other things and not hunting for ATM’s at every stop. We have also set up a WISE account so we can transfer from our bank to the WISE account and then transfer to international banks such as our Imagination Agent. Many say just get a WISE card as well, yep great, but you then can only use ATM’s again.

Through our social media, YouTube, blog and books, our goal is to provide valuable insights to help future sailors prepare effectively. If you are heading this way you maybe further interested in 2 of our interactive Ebooks we have written. 

Indonesia Awaits - This is an interactive EBook and it is full of the information you need for visas to enter Indonesia, for yourself and crew. What boat paperwork you need and additional paperwork you will need to supply. There are links to the Government Websites for downloading or completing  online documentation. We take you through what you need to complete on these form and contacts for visa agents.

the other book 

It’s Time to Set Sail -  This is an interactive EBook and it is full of the information you need to know so that you can leave Australia via boat. The interactive links take you to the relevant government department pages to either download or complete online documents. We take you through what you need to complete on these form and contacts for export agents.

You can find both books on PAYHIP DREAMTIMESAIL  ▶️https://payhip.com/Dreamtimesail

Additionally, we are sharing bi-weekly episodes of our "Dreamtime in Indonesia" Series 4, detailing our journey from Thursday Island to various Indonesian destinations. Each episode offers practical advice and showcases the remarkable people and places we encountered in Indonesia. We hope you find our content informative and enjoyable. 

• We talk about essential items such as spare parts, tools, safety equipment, and navigation aids.
• Provide tips on where to source supplies and provisions before setting sail in Indonesia.
• Share personal anecdotes or stories about unique experiences while sailing in Indonesia.
• Highlight the importance of preparation and planning for a successful sailing adventure.
• Offer insights on cultural aspects, local customs, and navigating Indonesian waters.
• We invite audience engagement by encouraging questions or comments about sailing in Indonesia.

DREAMTIME SAIL YOUTUBE ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/c/Dreamtimesail

If you would like more from us consider becoming a Patreon where you have personal contact with us through email, live FaceTime and a private group where you can ask just about anything 😜. This group gets up to date information as it’s happening, with live interactive tracks and waypoints.

Patreon’s receive many other benefits including the books we have just mentioned for free. So if you think this might be for you come on over and have a look at our Patreon Page.  

DREAMTIMESAIL PATREON ▶️ https://www.patreon.com/DreamtimeSail

Thank you for reading our latest blog update Cheers R&K 

You maybe also be interested in the following 🔽

We found paradise but we may never leave as our anchor is stuck solid. You can watch it here. 

▶️  http://tinyurl.com/DreamtimeSailEp87

All you need to know about Provisioning - if this is your first big adventure, provisioning can be a little daunting. This EBook helps you work out what you need, with a full interactive provisioning spreadsheet. Passage plan meals, with recipes. 

You can find more detail on this book ▶️ https://payhip.com/b/SvXry

This interactive Ebook takes from Brisbane to Horn Island without a night passage, discovering beautiful parts of the Queensland coast rarely visited. The EBook supplies all of our tracks and anchorage waypoints, with what anchoring conditions we were in. But it also gives you full details of what to see and do at each remarkable destination.

You can find out more about this EBook here ▶️  https://payhip.com/b/pxLMX

If you would like to buy all 4 of the above EBooks to help your sailing journey you can at a discount. Because you have read to this far on our blog, as a thank you we say here’s 20% off the bundle price!

So head to our book store ▶️ https://payhip.com/Dreamtimesail 

and use this code at checkout  ▶️ WOTZCNM6JL

Other books you might enjoy 

Thank you to all who support us through watching our videos, reading our blogs or who step up and support us though Patreon and Ko-Fi. You inspire us everyday to be creative 🙌

You can help us out and support our creative work for FREE. 

By watching, 👍, 🔔, Subscribing, Commenting and best of all Sharing this video or blog with your friends 

If you would like to make a donation towards our creative work, you can by heading over to Ko-Fi they take no fees so the support goes directly into helping us buy and upgrade equipment 

Do you want more? 

Patreon gives you that … you get behind the scenes updates, 

Patreon only photos and posts, you can watch our 

episodes ad free and before they go public … you get it first!

Our Galley a cleaner greener space

Join the "Our Galley Challenge" and eliminate single-use plastics. Our Galley is ready to take on this challenge and, although we are doing well, I want to lead by example and create a cleaner, greener environment in Our Galley.

To tackle this challenge, I believe that creating an eco-friendly Galley involves more than just getting rid of plastics; it also includes adopting sustainable eating habits and practices. Prioritizing energy-efficient food preparation and cleaning methods, using equipment made from sustainable materials, and avoiding harmful chemicals are crucial steps towards achieving a healthier Galley and reducing our use of single-use plastics. Fortunately, making choices that benefit our health also positively impacts the environment and our small Sailing Kitty.

When planning for Plastic Free remember:

• Minimise: Use fewer resources and conserve more. Identify areas where you can reduce consumption, such as makeup, printer paper, and more.
• Maximise: Utilize items fully, make the most of what you have, and avoid unnecessary waste.
• Prioritise: Focus on what truly matters. Eliminate distractions and invest your time, money, and energy in things that hold significance to you.

FROM THIS ⬆️ TO THIS ⬇️

You can read the full post here on Our Galley Blog ▶️ Making Our Galley Greener 

Our Galley refurbishment for under $500 we give you the lowdown after 2 years of wear and tear.

Shortly after moving onboard we made a few small changes to the galley just to make it feel a little more like our home. But on a boat there needs to be time to adjust and get to know how a galley functions before you make any drastic changes.

So after 8 years yep 8, we decided on a couple of changes, you maybe shocked but these aren’t major. The naval architect Ted Brewer, really knew a thing or two about how a galley should function at sea. No our changes were simply to bring a 40 year old boat up to some modern decorator styling. Now here comes the hard part, boats have character and they fit into a particular style that flows throughout the entire boat. Most of that styling can be seen wherever you stand so if you modernise one area you may need to keep that flowing throughout. This we didn’t want to do.

The original look of the galley a classic Bluewater boat layout.

So here’s the challenge. Choosing to keep the boat still in its classic 1980’s styling but bring it up to date mean’s even though we would love to change out some of the timber we can’t. So what can we do?

The main colour of the galley is a eggshell cream laminate. It is a huge job and massive expense to tear all of this laminate out and reinstall another colour, and for what purpose, just a colour change. the main area of wear is the countertops. After 40 years of scrubbing they are looking a little dull. Ok so we could relaminate them. However that means, resealing the fridge and freezer, removing the sink and stove including gas lines. 

Not that there was anything wrong with the light colour. It’s just that there was too much of it.

Nope …. there has to be a better way. After much research we found countertop paint and vinyl stick on tiles. Oh yeah ……. just like you we were very skeptical. That’s why we have waited two years to write this blog. 

See details in the product listing at the end of this blog

Two years ago we set out to transform the functioning galley space into a more beautiful space to work in. This galley gets a workout, in rough seas pots and pans can sometimes slam onto the countertop and lets not mention the sliding dishes, spilt liquids and all the other mishaps that happen while living your life at a 25 degree angle. Whatever we used on the splash back and countertops had to be durable.

Working out the tiling order. They are installed in a certain direction.

First we ordered the tiles. When they arrived we were very impressed with the thickness and the extra layers of clear to enhance the depth of field. They really feel like tiles when touched and they have fooled many when seen for the first time.

The tiles are installed in a certain direction so that the overlapping isn’t visible. Once the plan of attack was sorted we went about putting them on. We already had a squeegee that is useful for apply decals, our suggestion is that you grab one. It makes the job of removing air-bubbles easier. We had four holes where Karen had put up the blackboard (seen in the before photos) even though we pre filled these with silicone an air bubble formed. True to the word of the directions, pieced with a sharp needle, squeeze the air out the tile “healed” due to the extra sticky backing. This is only recommended when you have a subsurface interference, such as our silicone.

Our tips

Purchase extra tiles in case you stuff up

Purchase a squeegee used to apply decals

Work out the direction of application first 

Use a really sharp Stanley knife for cuts

Have a sharp needle on hand for piercing any persistent air bubbles 

It’s a two person job 

The box of products we ordered for the countertops arrived. Karen read and reread the directions. She decided that she would have a test run on a small piece of the same laminate in our rear cabin. That way if we didn’t like the process or the outcome we only needed to replace one small piece of laminate. After she put the first coat on her words from the aft were, “Well this better work otherwise we are stuck with this black”.

Not realising that the first coat the primer and undercoat is jet black it sets your heart racing knowing its a long way back to eggshell cream. The next coat went on with a sponge and things were really not looking any prettier in fact it looked like our youngest grandson had sponge painted our table top. “Your not going to like this” she called forward when the third coat went on. Then after being in the aft cabin all day Karen emerged saying “well that’s better than I expected”.

So it was onto the galley countertop, this Karen did in sections so she could concentrate on getting the sponging effect right. We decided to run the paint effect right into the cupboards, fridge and freezer lips. This way when you open them it is a continuous look.

Our tips

Like with all painted surfaces the preparation is key. 

Follow the directions precisely and the result will be rewarding. 

If you haven’t applied paint by a sponge before, practice on a piece of cardboard. Practice util you have the desired look. It’s not as easy as it looks.

Be patient wait for the layers to dry or you will have a mix of colours that won’t be what you are expecting. 

Go easy with the amount of paint on the sponge, you can easily add more but you can’t take it off.

You also want the surface to be relatively flat not lumpy paint deposits.

Next the clear top coat sealant. This is wear we varied from the instructions. This countertop needs to be very durable so we purchased separately a clear coat. We put 7 coats on, waiting 24 hours in between each coat and lightly sanding and cleaning down with a tack cloth before applying the next coat. Yep we know a week of clear coating but it was worth it. 

The final step was to seal around all of the edges with clear silicone. This will stop any water ingress between the tiles, timber and sink edges with the countertops. 

Two years later we are still happy with the finish. There is no chipping, discolouration or marks. We are happy to recommend the products we used to change up Our Galley with its new look.

Today’s Photo.

You may see something that is worst for ware though. The poor ol’ compost bin has had a hard life.

Below the day we revealed the new look Our Galley.

The day we revealed the new look Our Galley.

Below

Today’s Photo. The lovely salt and pepper grinders didn’t last the test of time.

The galley gets a real workout on Our Dreamtime 

The next items too resolve was storage. Our main pantry for everyday use canisters, was behind the couch (like most boats). This really needed to be changed. We had a full size locker in the main salon that housed a lot of boxes with stuff, stuff that wasn’t used all that often, like spares etc …. Moving these to behind the seating would cause no concern. Making the locker a stand up pantry would be so much more efficient and better for Karen’s back.

These are the holes that are behind the seating area
Inconvenient and impossible to find and keep every thing in order

Below. Where the pantry use to be, behind the seating.

The locker already had shelving at the back, with the standard hanging space forward. By extending the shelves the pantry is super deep, giving room for three canisters deep and further storage to the back for items like paper towel and the like. With a little bit of organisation this works perfectly with a pantry that holds double what the old pantry area held behind the seating. We used bamboo bath mats to extend the shelving in the pantry. They are lightweight, the slats allow for light to filter through from the internal locker light, plus they were prefab and cheap.

Cut to size these bamboo Bath Mats were a perfect solution
to extending the existing shelving.
Stained to the colour of the rest of the boat timber they look like they have always been there.

Below. Aluminium angle was screwed to the sides of the locker.
The shelving was then screwed to them.

A perfect solution to creating an efficient pantry

As any cook will tell you good lighting is essential. Yachts are notoriously bad for lighting especially in the galley. There is very little natural light and galley’s are normally tucked away. New LED lighting strips were installed, one over the fridge/freezer workspace, a small one over the stove and the final one over the sink area. When all are turned on we don’t need any extra lights for filming, an extra bonus that wasn’t even thought of.

The new shelving that was installed once the Microwave was extracted has been a game changer every time we make a coffee. Cnisters are now so easyily acessed and the simple joy of having a cuppa has been restored. The key with small living is to make every space count and for everything to be easily accessed and to be put away.  If things can’t be placed back into their place conveniently,, they either won’t be used or stuff is always left out making your small space even smaller very quickly. Once again we used the bamboo bath mats, we can honestly say this is one of our best “hacks” ever.

The new tap head was the final upgrade, with its flexible extension hose and spray nozzle has mad cleaning in the galley a much easier task.

What are the key things you love about your galley? 

Let us know in the comments below.

Cheers R&K 

Products we have used on Our Dreamtime in Our Galley Makeover 

The Galley Renovation 

This counter top paint after 2 years is still wearing well. We used it in the heads (bathrooms) and galley. We would certainly recommend it. The only thing we did different was we put extra clear coats of the following over the painted surface and we lightly sanded in between each coat.

You can find the full details of the product here ▶️ https://amzn.to/3K7cwKM

We used this top coat in satin. It is designed for painted prefaces, particularly furniture so we thought it would do the job and it has stood the test. You can find more details on the product here ▶️ https://amzn.to/3WK0v5t

The tiles we used in the galley are stick on. Saving weight and the chance of cracking this high quality vinyl tiles fool most who come onboard. They are easy to apply, easy to clean and make a big difference to your look. You can find out more about these tiles here ▶️ https://amzn.to/3QOlvUB

It’s so great to have the extra light in the galley especially over the workbench

 ▶️ https://amzn.to/4bjV2GM

We used 5 of these in total 3 for the Pantry conversion and 2 for the shelving in the once microwave cupboard. ▶️ https://www.kmart.com.au/product/bamboo-duck-board-42272748/?

No use buying large pots of stain for onboard jobs, we don’t have the room to store it and it goes off in no time. We have these little sample pots they do the job nicely.

 ▶️ https://amzn.to/3QPH8nv

We had some Aluminium L bracket onboard from a previous job. These small brackets would do the job as well using a number of them to support the shelf. ▶️ https://amzn.to/4dMHx3U

The final seal of approval 😜  ▶️ https://amzn.to/3V2VWlq

Affiliate Program Explained 

You maybe also be interested in the following 🔽

We found paradise but we may never leave as our anchor is stuck solid. You can watch it here. 

▶️  http://tinyurl.com/DreamtimeSailEp87

If you are travelling to Indonesia by boat you maybe interested in the following guides.

It’s Time to set Sail is a guide to completing all of the required 

paperwork to leave Australia with your boat. 

You can find further details ▶️ https://payhip.com/b/oYr5h

All you need to know about Provisioning - if this is your first big adventure, provisioning can be a little daunting. This EBook helps you work out what you need, with a full interactive provisioning spreadsheet. Passage plan meals, with recipes. 

You can find more detail on this book ▶️ https://payhip.com/b/SvXry

This interactive Ebook takes from Brisbane to Horn Island without a night passage, discovering beautiful parts of the Queensland coast rarely visited. The EBook supplies all of our tracks and anchorage waypoints, with what anchoring conditions we were in. But it also gives you full details of what to see and do at each remarkable destination.

You can find out more about this EBook here ▶️  https://payhip.com/b/pxLMX

Is this your first time into Indonesia? This amazing country has so much too offer the cruiser. What we can say is sometimes paperwork can be overwhelming. This interactive guide is to help you wade through the 

officialdom and come out the other side without tearing your hair out.

You can find out more about this guide here ▶️  https://payhip.com/b/YEeQ7

If you would like to buy all 4 of the above EBooks to help your sailing journey you can at a discount. Because you have read to this far on our blog, as a thank you we say here’s 20% off the bundle price!

So head to our book store ▶️ https://payhip.com/Dreamtimesail 

and use this code at checkout  ▶️ WOTZCNM6JL

Other books you might enjoy 

Thank you to all who support us through watching our videos, reading our blogs or who step up and support us though Patreon and Ko-Fi. You inspire us everyday to be creative 🙌

You can help us out and support our creative work for FREE. 

By watching, 👍, 🔔, Subscribing, Commenting and best of all Sharing this video or blog with your friends 

If you would like to make a donation towards our creative work, you can by heading over to Ko-Fi they take no fees so the support goes directly into helping us buy and upgrade equipment 

Do you want more? 

Patreon gives you that … you get behind the scenes updates, 

Patreon only photos and posts, you can watch our 

episodes ad free and before they go public … you get it first!