Pacific cruising routes

[beau]

I have a copy of Jimmy Cornells book "cruising routes" but it is all based on sailing and hense mainly east to west around the world.(following the wind)
With a motor boat with a range of 2,500 n miles, I was wondering what options there might be getting close to the equator (follow the doldrums) and head west to east.
For example I am based in Australia. It is difficult to motor to Fiji, Tahiti etc from Australia.
I thought I might consider going north to New guinea and the equator and then west (in the doldrums) before heading south to Tahiti and then follow the usuall route west to Australia.
Any Ideas, Comments.

[alohaboat]

I am researching that question too. However, I plan to go east to west from Mexico to the South Pacific in my trawler. With a power boat, the less wind the better. You might want to drop Steve Dashew a note at SailFlow.com. I know he transited from New Zealand to west coast of US in his Unsailboat. Let me know what you find out.

[dana-tenacity]

Get Ocean Passages for the World, British Admiralty, has routes for power vessels (IMHO Cornell plagiarised this volume anyway)

[delmarrey]

Maybe this will help!



Ocean Currents and Climate

It looks like you would have to head N. to the Philippines,
then head E. and down to Fuji.
.................................................. ..........................._/)

[alohaboat]

Sorry about the brain fart in my post above. Steve Dashew's site is setsail.com

[smm]

Originally Posted by beau

I thought I might consider going north to New guinea and the equator and then west (in the doldrums) before heading south to Tahiti and then follow the usuall route west to Australia.
Any Ideas, Comments.

Read up on the convergence zone (ITCZ). Basically this is where old cold fronts go to die, where the NE trades meet the SE trades. Sometimes quite unpleasant and a bit hard to predict.

Why not go Brisbane to New Cal (about 800 miles), the New Cal. to Fiji.

The South Pacific trades usually have a reasonably predictable cycle and with a bit of practice you should be able to make most of your easting in light conditions.

-Scott

[beau]

Scott,

Australia to New Cal is not easy, particularly from northern Australia, I know a number of sailing boats that gave up on that trip. with E-SE 25-30 knots beating upwind. New Zealand to new Cal is Ok but I have to cross the Tasman sea to New Zealand from Australia, and that also can be pretty rough.
If I head further North to the east coast of New Guinea from Brisbane and then to Rabaul and the ITCZ then east and then down to Fiji/ Tahiti?

You mentioned the ITCZ, I understand it moves north and south depending on the season. The word "unpleasant" was mentioned I assume that is tropical squalls and thunderstorms, am I correct.There are no cyclones in this area.
Beau

[GordMay]

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is an area of low pressure that forms where the Northeast Trade Winds meet the Southeast Trade Winds near the earth's equator.
As these winds converge, moist air is forced upward. This causes water vapour to condense, as the air cools and rises, resulting in a global band of heavy precipitation.
This band moves seasonally, always being drawn toward the area of most intense solar heating, or warmest surface temperatures. However, the ITCZ is less mobile over the oceanic longitudes, where it holds a stationary position just north of the equator. In these areas, the rain simply intensifies, with increased solar heating and diminishes as the sun moves away.
An exception to this rule occurs when there is an ENSO* event, during which the ITCZ is deflected toward unusually warm sea surface temperatures, in the tropical Pacific.

* El Niño/Southern Oscillation

[smm]

Originally Posted by beau

Scott,

Australia to New Cal is not easy, particularly from northern Australia, I know a number of sailing boats that gave up on that trip. with E-SE 25-30 knots beating upwind. New Zealand to new Cal is Ok but I have to cross the Tasman sea to New Zealand from Australia, and that also can be pretty rough.
If I head further North to the east coast of New Guinea from Brisbane and then to Rabaul and the ITCZ then east and then down to Fiji/ Tahiti?

You mentioned the ITCZ, I understand it moves north and south depending on the season. The word "unpleasant" was mentioned I assume that is tropical squalls and thunderstorms, am I correct.There are no cyclones in this area.
Beau

My basic strategy for Brissie-Noumea would be to jump off on the last day of reenforced trades (ie. as a high begins to squeeze past NZ), then go like hell keeping south of the GC. If you're motoring, it would probably make more sense to go straight down the GC to Noumea. Anyway, if you can do 8 knots, all you need is four days and a touch. If you can be patient, you should be able to find those conditions once a month. So go drink at the Southport YC for three weeks and off you go. My actual experience is with the Newcastle - Lord Howe - Noumea, so perhaps I'm talking through my hat. I'm pretty sure about the Southport YC part.

If bashing through 20 - 30 knots bothers you, then, yes, the ITCZ can be unpleasant. If freshly energized it can dish out miuch worse than that. When we were in NC the Kiwi weatherfaxes were consistently better about showing the ITCZ

You're right that cyclones are rarely found north of 10 south so you could lounge around in the tropics all summer, assuming you could find someplace to buy diesel...

-Scott

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by smm

My basic strategy for Brissie-Noumea would be to jump off on the last day of reenforced trades (ie. as a high begins to squeeze past NZ), then go like hell keeping south of the GC. If you're motoring, it would probably make more sense to go straight down the GC to Noumea. Anyway, if you can do 8 knots, all you need is four days and a touch. If you can be patient, you should be able to find those conditions once a month. So go drink at the Southport YC for three weeks and off you go. My actual experience is with the Newcastle - Lord Howe - Noumea, so perhaps I'm talking through my hat. I'm pretty sure about the Southport YC part.

If bashing through 20 - 30 knots bothers you, then, yes, the ITCZ can be unpleasant. If freshly energized it can dish out miuch worse than that. When we were in NC the Kiwi weatherfaxes were consistently better about showing the ITCZ

You're right that cyclones are rarely found north of 10 south so you could lounge around in the tropics all summer, assuming you could find someplace to buy diesel...

-Scott

Exactly my strategy when I go Scott, mind you the diesel prices in New Cal and further afield freak me out a bit, Langkawi at .55c/litre Aud are a bit more kindly.

Beau will have outboard power, so unleaded will be the poison of choice, but that could well be easier to come across.

Dave

[beau]

Thank you Scott and Dave.

I will have a 39ft powered trimaran (dual outboards) with sail assist (downwind).
I would like to cruise the South Pacific (Tahiti) but from Brisbane it is all in the wrong direction, east.
My boat can fit inside a 40ft container but to freight it to Fiji or the Solomonds would cost over USD $5,500. Whereas I can send the container to San diego or New Zealand for only USD $2,000.