East Coast to West

[John A]

Originally Posted by jmgal220

I'm enjoying the discussion on sailing Fla to Calif via Canal. I'm looking at an Irwin 42 Ketch in Fla to possibly buy, and need to get it out to So Calif. Sounds like an April trip down through the canal will be tough and expensive. Perhaps the idea to sail to Houston and truck it to San Diego might be best. But truck cost for this size boat is around $6K, with hauling and mast stepping down and up adding up to another $2k total. I'm also concerned that an older (1970s) boat might have some fiberglass issues, not to mention rigging. Should I stay away from the whole deal?
John

Transporting your boat from Texas is a sensible approach if you don't want to experience a year plus of sailing through some realy interesting places.
A friend of mine purchased a new 42' hunter and trucked it to SF where they lived aboard for several years and then trucked it back to settle in Flordia.
The hull suffered damage when the truck took a speed bump at speed, but I think the fiberglas hull of your 1970's boat is built like a tank.

[Pete the Cat]

As someone who has done the trip, you will find trucking the boat much cheaper than sailing it when you figure in the equipment, food, fuel (you will be motoring a lot off the West coast) fees for ports the Canal etc, and general travel. If you are making a vacation out it, do it and do it slowly and enjoy it. I figure it cost me twice as much to sail my boat from West to East as it would have to have had it trucked. In my case, worth it for the experience, but not cheaper.

[canuck dennis]

When I did that trip from Ft Lauderdale to Vancouver BC, it was necessary to have a "zarpe" (exit permit) from last port prior to Panama or no entry...

[John A]

Originally Posted by canuck dennis

When I did that trip from Ft Lauderdale to Vancouver BC, it was necessary to have a "zarpe" (exit permit) from last port prior to Panama or no entry...

When I was there an agent had tried to forge a "zarpe" for a boat arriving from Costa Rico, for a fee. The boat was sent back to Costa Rico, but they'd never checked into Costa Rico, infact they'd never checked out of Mexico! I never heard what happened to them ( a 70 footer with paid crew).
The agent was fined and blacklisted by the Government..