Life aboard the Huey
The Huey
Huey is an 82 ft ex customs patrol vessel customised for surf charters. Built and launched by the Japanese Government in 1978 HUEY is one of the faster boats servicing the Mentawai Islands.
82ft long
20ft wide
11.000L capacity
Cruise speed 9 knots
"Benny Laut" 7.4m Tender
Huey's steel hull and aluminium deck and wheelhouse provides a low centre of gravity. Huey’s stability makes it a cut above the rest for seaworthiness.
Since Sooly purchased Huey-1 in 2005 she’s undergone 5 major refits with the 5th one just completed in Jan 2023.
Main engines were overhauled, new generators installed and numerous improvements have been made.
We are constantly renewing components and improving Huey to give our guests the best possible Sumatran Surfing experience. Our safety record is flawless and we have never lost a days surfing due to mechanical failure.
Back up systems for every operating system are on hand. With 24 seasons under her belt Huey is fully setup and constantly improved to make your journey as comfortable as possible.
The hull is made from steel with an aluminium deck and wheelhouse, which provides a low centre of gravity. The Huey’s stability makes it a cut above the rest for seaworthiness.
Since Sooly purchased Huey-1 in 2005 she’s undergone 3 refits with a 4th one just completed in Dec 2018. New engines were installed in 2015 and just recently new generators, propellers and numerous improvements have been made.
We are constantly renewing components and improving Huey to give our guests the best possible Sumatran Surfing experience. Our safety record is flawless and we have never lost a days surfing due to mechanical failure.
Back up systems for every operating system are on hand. With 19 seasons under her belt Huey has been fully setup and constantly improved to make your journey as comfortable as possible.
Your downtime quarter
It's important to recharge properly to fully give it your all in the line up. We make it a priority to keep our systems up to speed to keep you as comfy as possible.
Air conditioning in all 3 sleeping cabins, plus the TV room with surround sound, satellite TV, SMART TV so your surfing downtime is in absolute luxury.
Our above deck dining area with full views to the surf is a perfect spot for reliving those stories of epic surf and our huge shaded front deck area is a favourite for kicking back with an afternoon drink or just lazing about in the hammock with a book.
Facilities
| 1x8 Berth Cabin | AC in all cabins |
| 1X Double Cabin | Separate Crew Cabin |
| TV Room | Bluetooth Amp |
| 2 x Deck Showers | Speakers Front and Back Deck |
| 1 x Head and Bathroom | Multiple Chill Zones |
| Wifi Internet | Ice Machine |
| BBQ | Fishing Gear |
Who's running the show?
A mix of Indonesian, Australian & American Surf Charter Experts
KM Huey-1 is owned and operated by Steve (Sooly) Sewell and his wife Mel.
With over 30 years experience travelling through Indonesia and it’s waters and Mels local Padang knowledge the operation runs like clockwork.
When Sooly is not onboard our tour manager Max "Bubba" Wilshinsky is at the helm. Hailing from Santa Barbara, Bubbas forecasting, surfing and people skills are up there with the best.
2024 will be Bubbas 3rd year guiding Huey into the best surf on offer.
Long time legend Capt. Amril has hung up his hat to spend more time with his family.
Captain Andi has been steering guests into surf breaks and safe anchorages for 12 years and is a new welcome member to the team.
Khairul our Chef and all-round good guy will provide the food. His cooking is second to none. After finishing his trade certificate in Bukkitingi he started work on Huey in 2000 and has been with the boat ever since.
Yudi is our all rounder, he’s been with Huey since 2013 and there's no job he can't handle. Brother Ul takes care of the engineering and Arnol is our new dinghy driver.
All our crew are certified and trained with the relevant governing bodies.
Serious stoke for everyone
No matter what your skill level or preference there is something for everyone in this amazing chain of islands.
If you like serious waves, peak season is the best opportunity for this to happen. May to September.
If you like mellower waves your scope can be extended to include March to November.
If you want waves in the 2 – 5 foot range December – February is great with less people in the line ups.
Huey’s 7.2m tender is perfect for splitting up the guests with different abilities so if the waves are too heavy or too soft it’s off to a different break nearby.
With more boats plying the islands and more land camps popping up there are a lot more surfers than the glory days.
Huey goes the extra mile to break away from the pack and there’s still plenty of lesser known breaks with less people.
What is included
- Transfers to and from Padang or Sibolga Airport.
- You can fly in and out on the dates of your charter.
E.g. Charter May 11 – 22. Fly in on the 11th and fly out on the 22nd. Trips - 3 Awesome meals per day including snacks, desserts, soft drinks etc
- 6 pack of Bintang per day per guest.
- Extra guests can be accommodated for.
Please enquire for details. - Full use of all amenities on board.
- Use of Canon EOS 7D MkII and 400mm lens.
Bring a laptop and or a hard drive so you can take your photos home. - Unlimited use of our speedboat for accessing different breaks and fishing.
- Towels and basic soap and shampoo onboard.
What is not included
- Mentawai Tax $200AUD per person
- Flights
- Visa
- Travel insurance, which is mandatory for all guests onboard.
- Sat phone usage.
- Internet costs.
- Extra beers are stocked onboard.
- Wine and spirits. These can be ordered for you with 60 days notice.
- If you require a professional photographer we can organise one for you.
90 days notice required and prices vary.