Tips for yachts visiting Phuket

Below are contractors and tips I find useful for any yacht visiting Phuket.

PROVISIONING:

Supercheap - a non airconditioned superstore with practically anything you can imagine to need. I did all provisioning from there and ended up with a weekly expense for 10 crew at around 6-7000THB. Go early in the morning (~0715hrs) and you will get fresh vegetables and fish before they run out.

They also have a huge department for medicines, so any yacht looking into replenishing their medical chest, that is the place to go to. They accept credit cards.

Location: Drive along the main road towards Phuket town, pass the Patong junction, over the hill towards Phuket town, keep an eye on the right side and u-turn after u seen the sign "Super cheap", there's a gas station just before.

Central: the department store here is excellent for finding western products (ham, salami, cheese etc.)

Location: Turn towards Patong and drive to the next crossing, you will see Tesco Lotus, continue past it and U turn once you see "Central".

Master Butcher Shop, providing 1st class meat products with associated pricing, a must when you are getting stuff for the Guests.

Location: 16/14-16 Moo 3 Chaofa Nai Road, Vichit, Muang Phuket 83000

Tel: +66 76 282 039, +66 76 264 043, Fax: +66 76 263 935

Mobile: +66 81 737 6931, +66 89 648 1256

http://phuketindex.com/phuket-travel/service/butcher-shop.htm

In Tesco Lotus there is an excellent wine shop with great selection. Wine shops can also be sighted on the way to Ao Chalong or towards Ao Surin.

Phuket map

METAL WORKS:

P-S.T.L. Mr. Chatchai or "Peak"

Location: 64/47 Moo 7 Rassada Distrcit, Muang, Phuket 83000

Mobile: 08 9592 5071

I have used this guy for several steel works, plain steel and stainless. He did e.g. a swimming ladder to my tender boat and renewed plenty of piping in the engine room. Very amiable chap and honestly says whether he can take on the job or not. English speakers probably needs an interpreter as K. Chatchai is not too proficient in english. Very competitive pricing of services compared to the guys in Boat Lagoon.

AGENTS:

Asia Pacific Superyacht Services - the evolvement of SEAL to APS, run by Gordon Fernandes. Expensive.

http://www.seal-superyachts-asia.com/ for contacting any of the APS agencies.

South East Asia Liveaboards Superyachts (SEAL) is the oldest agency in Phuket

http://www.seal-superyachts.com for contacts.

International Super Yacht Services (ISYS) represented by Gareth Twist in Phuket as "Yachtsolutions".

www.yachtsolutions.net

Din (known as Dodgy Din), sometimes employed to do ship clearances. Works very cheap but can end up being more expensive when doing "dodgy" deeds.

+66840531418

MARINAS:

Yacht Haven Marina, run by Nick Wyatt and Zara Tremlett, a lovely couple that goes the extra mile to secure a berth for you. Big marina in N part of Phuket, very quiet and safe with all the trimmings that goes with a marina. Downside is that if you have depp draught then you need to wait for high tide to get in and out from the marina.

http://www.yacht-haven-phuket.com/ for contacts.

Ao Por Grand Marina

Opened this year near Ao Por pier and not tried and tested for the NE monsoon. Built on a spot that is exposed to the monsoon and also has very strong currents. Could be a bad place to moor during extreme situation (wind combined with spring tides and perhaps rain squalls). No restrictions for coming and going depthwise. More expensive than Yacht Haven but I'm sure prices can be negotiated.

http://www.aopograndmarina.com/

Berama Bay:

Being built on the Island opposite Ao Por Grand Marina. Not opened yet but marina will be very sheltered and have no restrictions tidewise. Whole project gone bankrupt and waiting to see if it ever will be developed.

Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket Marina

Two marinas at the end of a dredged ditch going through a mangrove forest. Very swanky places, good for low draught smaller yachts.

http://www.royalphuketmarina.com

Electronics and electrics:

Electrical Marine Co Ltd, run by Damian Barrett. Very good service and gets things fixed. Price accordingly.

http://www.electrical-marine.com/ for contacts.

Maretron, run by Arto Holappa, a rambling Finn that is more interested in the sale than after sales satisfaction.

http://www.navasia.net for contacts.

SHIPCHANDLERS:

OH service & Marine Hardware run by Sarit Dechakul a.k.a. "Oh"

Location: Ban Kho Aen village adjacent to Yacht Haven marina.

Small shop that provides all small things needed to maintain a yacht, same prices as in Boat Lagoon.

Opposite Boat Lagoon entrance is a big Surapol Shipchandler, has all stuff one can imagine, but as this is the area for yachts and supplies, pricing is accordingly.

In Phuket Town there are also Shipchandlers, a bit hard to find but the one who seeks shall find. Sorry, for the vague directions.

PERSONNEL:

Agencies mentioned above, some of them provide crew in case needed. Otherwise sometimes dayworkers can be inquired from marina offices or they might approach the yacht for any work available.

I could write volumes more about what to find in Phuket, I would recommend many of the guides available, e.g. http://www.andamanseapilot.com and Phuket Gazette as well as Phuket Calendar, they are full of advice and contacts.