PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO AUSTRALIA ...
IN A JOHSUA 6.5m CENTRE CABIN.

After months of research David decided on a 6.5m Joshua Boats Walkaround model with a Hard Top. There were three main reasons for this decision, Joshua Boats reputation for an exceptionally dry and stable ride, the large cabin comfortable enough for sleeping, and a big and strong Hard Top to carry his radar, solar panel and life raft.

David was living in Papua New Guinea at the time of ordering his boat, and found that dealing with Joshua Boats (in Brisbane) was an easy and pleasant experience.

Some of the options that David requested were; toilet, front & side clears, electric anchor winch, out riggers, and an extension canopy.

Electronics included GME VHF radio, Raymarine sounder / chart plotter, auto pilot, GME CD / radio / DVD, all set in the cabin with integrated stereo and LCD Screen.

Two fans in the cabin created a lovely tropical breeze while watching movies on summer nights.

David’s choice of motor is the ever reliable 150hp 4 stroke Suzuki as a main motor, and a 15hp 4 stroke Suzuki as an auxillary.

David and his family had many months of enjoyable boating from their base in Port Moresby, PNG.

David was then transferred by his work to Canberra. He always has in his mind an adventure trip in his boat from PNG to Australia. So with some encouragement from Nance, early on the morning of Wed 5th December 2007, David left Port Moresby, Australia Bound!

On the 15th of December 2007, Joshua Boats received an email from David, and it read:

“I did it! 3 mates and myself have just arrived in Cooktown, after motoring Odyssey (the name of his boat) down from Port Moresby. We went via Baimuru (Pie River, Gulf of Papua), Daru, Thursday Island, and Lockhart River. Nine hundred nautical miles, in nine days.”

“We had to battle South-Easterlies all the way, apart from one day where we covered 200 nautical miles, in excellent conditions.”

“Only damage suffered was two life raft mounts broken (life raft braced with strap for the remainder of the trip), starboard outrigger mount screws sheared away near the Flinders Island Group on the last day (outriggers stayed attached, and were stowed for the rest of the trip), and the autopilot linear rudder sensor failed on the last day due to a pinched wire.”

“Apart from those glitches, the whole package performed without a hitch, which was especially comforting for the twelve hours we were battling across the Gulf of Papua. For twelve hours with a 1.5 – 2.0m sharp swell on the beam.”

“Merry Christmas”

“David Howard”

Suzuki Australia have had an extraordinary 4 hour meeting with Joshua Boats and David Howard, and intend to produce a press release detailing both the Suzuki Motor, the boat, and the voyage.