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Old 13-05-2007, 14:25   #1
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Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

I'm thinking of buying a Hudson Force 50 (57' overall) in California or Washington State and get it to Florida somehow. (After everyone stops laughing, I'm serious).
Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of how best to do this? Trucking all the way is $22,000 so that's out. Other options are truck part way - Houston, or sail through canal, (7000 miles, uh!), or truck across the thin bit of Mexico. Any suggestions please.
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Old 13-05-2007, 15:35   #2
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The best way to proceed is to buy the Hudson Force 50 on the East Coast. You will probably be money ahead getting an east coast boat because the Force 50 is an older yacht, and the cost of moving it is just the beginning of what the yacht is going to cost. I know of a Force 50 that cost $40,000 to replace the decks and pilothouse that had dry rot before the yacht went on a circumnavigation.

I have considered buying a Force 50 for myself because it's such an awesome liveaboard with a beautiful teak interior.

If you want to have a boat on the east coast, buy an east coast yacht. You'll be money ahead in the long run.

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Old 13-05-2007, 16:57   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolly Roger
I'm thinking of buying a Hudson Force 50 (57' overall) in California or Washington State and get it to Florida somehow. (After everyone stops laughing, I'm serious).
Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of how best to do this? Trucking all the way is $22,000 so that's out. Other options are truck part way - Houston, or sail through canal, (7000 miles, uh!), or truck across the thin bit of Mexico. Any suggestions please.
Yo Rog,

having been involved with deliveries from Florida to the canal, and from Canada to Baja, I'd like to add to Dave's excellent advice.

Can we assume that you are on the west coast of the U.S., and are not free to stay in the east, or in Florida while refitting a large sailboat in preparation for a cruise in that area?

Before considering a trip of that magnitude (west coast to east coast), an older vessel will likely need a major refit. And you will then need a great deal of time for the trip as well. If you have plenty of time you can do it. If you have plenty of money you can hire it done.

If you must get to Florida, perhaps you can delay your purchase until you've relocated? Then you could begin searching short-range. Lots of boats from which to choose.

best, andy
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Old 13-05-2007, 17:49   #4
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Well, I wholeheartedly agree with Maxingout, but as far as I know there are no Hudson Force 50 or Venice's on the East Coast. There's one in Israel, but that's about as far as bringing one from Seattle. If you know one, please let me know.
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Old 13-05-2007, 18:10   #5
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7000 miles at @ 1.50 per is $10,500, canal $1500 or so, $1,000 for airfares, $1,000 for food, say $15,000 to have it delivered, 7k under your quote to truck it. Assuming the boat is up to the trip. Then subtract 7000 miles of wear and tear on sails etc.
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Old 14-09-2019, 14:56   #6
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

What about trucking to southeast Texas and then sailing it across the gulf of Mexico to wesr coast of fla. Then either around to the east coast through the keys or cross the state via the caloosahachee river?

I'm looking at a 57 Bruce Robert's pilothouse out of southern California and I live in Fort Lauderdale.

I'm discouraged by the consensus here on the notion.
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Old 14-09-2019, 15:22   #7
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

Is it in good enough shape to make LaPaz? You could start your re-fit there and continue on to other beautiful spots and do more stuff as the boat has it's problems. You could make Florida in 18 months maybe. That bow sprit is going to cost you at the Canal.
I've seen a couple of those boats and I bet you could find crew, total Captain Ron adventure.
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Old 14-09-2019, 16:26   #8
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

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Is it in good enough shape to make LaPaz? You could start your re-fit there and continue on to other beautiful spots and do more stuff as the boat has it's problems. You could make Florida in 18 months maybe. That bow sprit is going to cost you at the Canal.
I've seen a couple of those boats and I bet you could find crew, total Captain Ron adventure.
Not really. The Canal is not charged by length, but by length category. Current categories are
<50ft
50ft - 80ft
>80ft
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Old 14-09-2019, 16:36   #9
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

We sailed our Cal 46 from Long Beach, CA down the coast, enjoyed 1 1/2 years in the Sea Of Cortez, then down to Costa Rica, 3 months, then west coast of Panama for a month and through the canal. Roamed the east coast of Panama a month and then non-stop broad reach to Mobile, AL -WONDERFUL I wish we could do it again.


We had sailed from Spain to Caribbean, November 1985 in a Force 50 with friends.. We coined a phrase "Rythmic rolling is reality" When they got back to the USA they bought a Cal 46.
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Old 14-09-2019, 16:52   #10
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

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Not really. The Canal is not charged by length, but by length category. Current categories are
<50ft
50ft - 80ft
>80ft
He has a 50' boat with a 10' bow sprit! They are going to charge him for it.
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Old 14-09-2019, 18:53   #11
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

Hello, been a while, Jolly.


This isn't a terribly demanding trip, downwind to Mexico, light to Panama, with the exception of a couple of well-known windy zones, and then a pleasant sail up from Panama. If the boat is sound, you'll enjoy bringing her over on her own bottom quite a lot, I reckon. We took RS on just the route you're talking about. Never a stressful moment, really.
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Old 14-09-2019, 19:38   #12
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

I'm surprised it's only $22k to truck that boat cross country. But that's a deal if it's real. Yard fees on each end add up. Another option is shipping from Ensenada MC or Victoria BC to FL. I had a recent quote for a 36-footer from ensenada for $16k.

Canal fees just increased to $2k minimum. It's 4500 nms from SoCal to Ft Lauderdale. Last 1500 from canal to FL can be difficult.

Good friend of mine almost bought a Force 50 in San Francisco several years ago. Deal fell through and he ended up with an Irwin 52. Better sailer, minimal brightwork, and still a great liveaboard. He spent 2-years cruising from SF to FL and the Bahamas.
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Old 15-09-2019, 04:38   #13
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

Quote:
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He has a 50' boat with a 10' bow sprit! They are going to charge him for it.
They measure overall length. With the current rates a 50ft boat costs the same as a 60ft. So no, bowsprit doesn't matter in this case. It is not a per-foot fee.
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Old 15-09-2019, 04:49   #14
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

You do realize that this thread is over 12 years old...costs have gone up, and the OP has already bought a Downeast 45, and is in Florida already..??
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Old 15-09-2019, 05:02   #15
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Re: Anyone ever moved a large sailboat from California to Florida?

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Originally Posted by Lauderdaler View Post
What about trucking to southeast Texas and then sailing it across the gulf of Mexico to wesr coast of fla. Then either around to the east coast through the keys or cross the state via the caloosahachee river?

I'm looking at a 57 Bruce Robert's pilothouse out of southern California and I live in Fort Lauderdale.

I'm discouraged by the consensus here on the notion.
Check your mast height before trying to get under Port Mayaca in L Okeechobee... think it's around 50 feet? The sail around is nice too - don't forget to stop at Dry Tortugas on the way.
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