How Big of a Boat do we Need?

[jm21]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Unless crossing the pacific is "your" deal think about buying something in Asia.

There was a westsail 32 here a couple of years ago. Step aboard ready meeting all your specs for $30k

When cruisers hang it up deals can be had. Asia is an awesome cruising area and the trip to Oz isnt that hard. The spouse will definitely fall in love with Phuket, Langkawi and the surrounding areas. All separated by easy day or evernight sails.

We would MUCH rather buy something in SE Asia....we actually met in Thailand and one of the big selling points for her is the ability to take a jaunt up to indonesia/thailand/malaysia.

Just worried it's hard to check out a boat in SE asia when I'm here. Pictures are totally deceiving. And not that much selection.

Maybe something to look into more.

EDIT:
Any good websites to look for boats there?

[Sam Plan B]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

If you're going to cross from the US to AUS you'll want a windvane and an electric autopilot. You're looking at maybe, nonstop, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, 62 days of sailing to get from Baja to Australia.
From Google earth the route is 6700 miles ish,

You are looking at a very long voyage and understand that you are taking your life in your hands. Lots of people have tried a passage like that and were never heard from again. You should look for a boat a minimum of 40 feet in length and in first rate condition. No compromise on anything. The sea does not care that you are a nice person.

There is no replacement for displacement. You will be 62 days at sea. At one-half gallon of water per person per day, you will need 62 gallons. This assumes that you will not be washing for the entire passage (good luck with that). Besides that, you will need a minimum of 3 pounds of food per person per day. That comes to about 375 pounds. There is also reading matter, clothing for both of you, navigation instruments and tables, nav. staton, all sorts of emergency repair supplies, bedding and on and on and on. All these things take up space. And so, a boat less than 40 feet in length will get too small too fast for you.

To summarize, if you don't have the money to fund your project properly it is best to put it off until you have saved the funds you need.

[eaglemac]

Ex Calif has a very good Idea. Many sailors make it to Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, or other Pacific waypoints and find that the reality of long distance cruising does not quite live up to the fantasy expectations. The result is there are often good buys on well outfitted boats in those locations. It is definitely worth the search.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by jm21

We would MUCH rather buy something in SE Asia....we actually met in Thailand and one of the big selling points for her is the ability to take a jaunt up to indonesia/thailand/malaysia.

Just worried it's hard to check out a boat in SE asia when I'm here. Pictures are totally deceiving. And not that much selection.

Maybe something to look into more.

EDIT:
Any good websites to look for boats there?

It can be tough picking the boat remotely. The good news is once in the region with 2 or 3 good prospects it is a very cheap region to hang out. Hotel rooms can be had for $30 a night in phuket.

Getting a local CFer to have an initial look often can help. I'd be happy to look at anything regionally if I am traveling.

I mostly use boats.com but all the sites have the ability to regionally search.

[jm21]

I/we don't really have any fantasies about a pacific crossing. Neither of us really wants to do it but boats are much cheaper here compared to AUS. If I did it I would stop at pretty much every possible point to supply. No desire to go straight across and besides it sounds like going straight across would screw us as far as AUS taxes go.

We went to one hotel in phuket that was the first hotel with an elevator...can't remember the name....has a museum downstairs...it was about $15/night when we were there a few years ago and not so bad. Have no doubt my wife could find a hotel for $200/month or so.

[SkiprJohn]

Having had boats in many size ranges I'd recommend 32-36 and if you come across and exceptionally good deal then maybe a little larger. You don't need anything bigger. Westsail 32 will take you anywhere safely as will a Mariner 35 or 36. Depends on the design and condition of the boat.
kind regards,

[rgscpat]

Do you see any good boat deals in Hawaii? That could save you a third of the distance across to Australia.

[prof_mariner]

...Neither of us really wants to do it but boats are much cheaper here compared to AUS...

I've got to believe that it will be much easier (and cheaper) in the long run to pick up a second job here on "terra firma" to cover that extra cost, rather than sail nearly 7,000 miles just to save some money. Ocean crossings in a small boat (and anything under 100 foot in my book is a small boat) is hard work. It's sometimes fun hard work, but also sometimes terrifying hard work. People who do it almost always do so because they love it, not because it's cheaper than doing something else. I've lost count of all the people I've met who have left home with romantic notions of what ocean crossings are like only to have their dreams dashed by a heavy dose of reality. I think you need to take an honest look at your motivation and re-evaluate your reasoning.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Probably want to check out how long you / the boat can stay in Oz before it gets taxed as an import (quite a few threads on that).

[Delancey]

Don't pay too much! Despite the optimism that always comes with spring, the economy still sucks and the boat market reflects that fact. There are people out there who have been trying to sell their boat for years.

In that time people have come and looked at the boat but no one has made an offer, the owner has lowered the price and all he gets is crickets. Your offer may be half of what he had hoped but it is the first one that has a deposit check attached.

Don't deny them the opportunity to give you a great deal on your dream boat! It may take making several offers and you should expect to have a few rejected but there is no other way to find that great bargain that is out there waiting for you.

No one is going to leave money on the table which is why no one lists their boat at half the price of everyone else, but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Money talks.....

When I was looking at the Cherubini designed Hunter 37 Cutter, a very capable boat that you should check out, I found 17 of them on the market on the east coast through various web sources.

Of those 17 boats I found at least three that had been out of the water and for sale for more than eighteen months, the owners were sick of paying yard bills.

Trust me, there are people who want to negotiate with you. You will end up with a bigger boat than you thought you could afford or the money you need for that refrigeration or whatever else suits your fancy.

Good Luck!

[jm21]

Not saying I don't like sailing or something, I would just rather avoid a long pacific trip if I could. I like the gunkholing part more. But I can put up with a long crossing if it means I can actually accomplish the dream I want.

The selection of old 32-36 foot fiberglass boats here in the PNW is enormous compared to AUS, and prices are significantly better. Boats in AUS cost a lot more right now, sometimes 2-3 times as much as in the PNW. Plus all the extras/upgrades cost less here and there is more selection of secondhand items. And we would be able to bring a lot of items that we simply couldn't on an airplane (example I have some high end scuba gear and a 7 year old 9.9hp motor with about 10 hours on it...I would take a big hit on selling them and they're in perfect shape). So total savings could be $20-30k even after paying the tax and fees to import the boat to AUS. That's a ton of money for us. We are not rich people and it would take us several years to save that much. Furthermore, I know myself well enough to know that I'm not going to get a second job.

We have some ideas about making really low offers and wait until something sticks. I know there is someone out there listing their boat for $30k, paying $350/month moorage, been on the market for 2+ years, and just sick of it all....I got my last boat basically for free...a cheap old boat that's not being used is a major liability that needs to be gotten rid of....

[Delancey]

Offer them $15k, the worst that can happen is they say no!

[prof_mariner]

@jm21 - I hear what you're saying and understand your situation. I still recommend that you both crew on a boat for the Vic-Maui and the return delivery before you set out on such a massive undertaking. The lowest cost experience you'll find is on OPB (Other People's Boats). Get those 5,000 nautical miles under your belts and I think you'll both have a much better idea of whether that sort of thing is your cup of tea, and if it is, how much you should spend to do it. The docks in Honolulu are littered with boats that got that far but no further, you don't want the same thing to happen to you. The price of boat "A" in Washington versus boat "B" in Australia is irrelevant in my opinion. The real question is whether you two are up to what is likely a very long and challenging task.

[jm21]

She is not up to it and I would not put her up to it. Like I said, I would be doing it myself. Or maybe with a friend or family member. I have taken long camping and sailing trips before, often in very bad weather, and have some inkling as to what I'm getting myself into. I will definitely try to crew on a boat in the vic maui but not 100% sure if I can this year as I don't really have the vacation time. We'll see though.

I think it might be a good idea to look into boats for sale in Hawaii though. that cuts 2,200nm or so out and maybe some good deals...inexpensive flight from here.

[Hud3]

prof mariner is offering you some pretty good advice. Your first time sailing offshore in a storm will be like nothing else you've ever experienced. Getting offshore passage experience with an experienced captain and crew in a proven boat is invaluable.

Most people that become long distance cruisers get used rough conditions offshore, and some even come to enjoy it. Others throw in the towel and sell the boat. It'd be a good idea to find out which category you and your wife fit into before making decisions that might be difficult and expensive to reverse.

Hope things work out for you!