I Want to Sail to Tahiti

[bytownboy]

Good luck Chris. don't know if I'm jealous of you or scared to death for you. Just one piece of advice - USE THE HEAD - don't pee over the side {I learned the hard way)'

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by bytownboy

...Just one piece of advice - USE THE HEAD - don't pee over the side {I learned the hard way)'

Glad you're still here to tell us about it!!!

[Unicorn Dreams]

CHRISTAICHI

I would just about bet that most of the people out there cruising didn't have Bluewater expereince that would meet other peoples guidlines. You learn by experience, reading and asking questions is one way to learn, Not one single person out there has not asked for info about routes, times, weather conditions. If they say they've never asked any one, then I'll tell you that they are lying.
Study and you will go far, we know that you are capable of doing things, just don't let these holier than thou people get you down. LIVE YOUR DREAM and don't let other people try to ruin it.
As for the bird, it was rescued also. Just because 1 out of 50,000 cruisers decided to abandon his pets, doesn't mean everybody does it. They could have saved the articles and taken care of their pets. They just didn't want to mess with bueracracy anf take care of business. He put the humans first.
And to piss off the experts out there, go to bumfuzzle.com and read the story. This couple pissed off almost every posting expert out there. They went on a cruise around the world with one day of sailing lessons and no experience at all. Not really required, just common sense will see you through...
Good luck and go for it. Your friend he sailor will be a good choice as he'll be able to let you have lots of info. You can't have bluewater experience until you sail bluewater and the only way to do that is to learn what your boat is capable of and put your knowledge to work

[lolanreg@smartc]

Markj, I guess you haven't been to Australia yet as you would find it's not as bad as you say, at least you can have a BBQ while burning your boat and BBQ your pets as you do it. eat the worms out of your hull as they emerge from the timber, steamed in their own juices. We have enough of foreign pests including some who believe their animals and birds won't cause any harm, like rabbits, foxes, cats, etc, that's decimated our wildlife and costs the country zillions. The burning of boats is done when some arrive, like from Indonesia, usually timber boats,lucky to survive the ocean voyage, that are full inside and out, of crawling pests, so be warned. There are many boats arriving, from all around the world, that have no problems what so ever, and are very welcome as is their crew. I've been in and out of Oz many times and if you have a clean boat and no funny stuff we'll let you in pronto.It's harder getting into the USA in the present climate. Natureboy

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by lolanreg@smartc

Markj, I guess you haven't been to Australia yet as you would find it's not as bad as you say, at least you can have a BBQ while burning your boat and BBQ your pets as you do it.

Markj is an Aussie. He recently bought a beneteau and is on his way home.

He likes to take the p!ss out of Australia. It's good natured self depracation.

[Unicorn Dreams]

lolanreg@smartc
I'll bet the local Austrailians, (Aboriginies) probably think the same thing about the scum that England dropped off on their prison island. Too much trash and they breed too much.

[lolanreg@smartc]

Santana, Sounds like you're having a go at us too! We now have a soft spot for those unfortunates who were sent in irons to this lovely country, but how lucky they were having sailing lessons on the way without charge. Today it would cost a fortune! From the stories one reads it sounds like a cruise to the Whisundays, sun sex and all the food supplied! I've also heard of a country that started well with such good intentions, also had a few problems with the locals, and went downhill from there on! Some of our lands original inhabitants built canoes but didn't take to sailing. I had a sailing school in the 70/80s and in 1987 I tried through the Aborigine Dept.to get and train a crew of aborigines to sail in our famous Sydney -Hobart race but couldn't get anyone to even learn how to sail, was told they were'nt keen on the water! It would have been a first for them and our country. I will say they are wonderful footy players, in all styles they excell. Meanwhile, enjoy life , find a place like Keppel Bay where you love sailing in and live forever. Natureboy

[sailorboy1]

Got to admit it, this whole thread with downhill. But good for a smile overall.

[PorkLoin]

I scanned the posts for key words that may be helpful for anyone new to sailing and who dreams of sailing the South Pacific. There was mention of boat size, experience, animals and weather - and these words I believed deserve some further discussion. First, regarding the dream. I doubt you will find an experienced cruiser who did not build their plans upon a similar dream. Nor will you find an experienced cruiser who has not progressively modified his original dream as he or she learned the good, bad and ugly parts of owning and sailing a boat. I do not have to really say more about this - because the experienced sailor already knows what I mean. Likewise, you will learn and your dream will change - one way or another. So, if you plan on single-handing a 40' boat - in my view a potential hazardous undertaking that is not easily understood until the s___ hits the fan - consider that depending upon the type of boat anything larger than say, 36' LOA is marginally too big. Even if the size of your sails on a ketch are smaller and supposedly easier to handle, you still have more sails to deal with if caught suddenly in rapidly changing conditions. Now, just watch as the fur flies...

I owned two Springer Spaniels at different times. I would have never exposed them to the rigors and deprived them of the good earth by taking them on a passage. Gunkholing, sure. They can go ashore every day to do their thing, run play and explore. So can you. Considering the extent of deprivation I experienced during my longest passages, 32 days from Mexico to the Marquesas for example, I cannot imagine subjecting an animal to it. It is difficult enough for me to consider taking anyone along only to endure the same. But, in the latter case a second set of eyes can keep me alive and my selfish side says go ahead - get crew. Pets. Leave them home...

The weather. On most passages you can only rely on forecasts two to three days out. After that, you have to be prepared to take what you get - whether from a passing squall or unexpected or unseasonal storm. Avoid areas affected by hurricanes during the typical active season. I say typical because I know from experience that hurricanes can occur later and earlier than historical patterns suggest. In fact, the only hurricane known to have ever occurred south of the equator off Brazil developed in 2004 after I sailed from Trinidad - after the first hurricane to occur in December developed shortly before I left there. My sailboat survived hurricane Rita in Orange, Texas after I was delayed leaving due to circumstances beyond my control. I was prepared though and sheltered her in a spot planned well in advance. Put bluntly, you have to be prepared.

Finally, before I left Mexico for the Marquesas in 2000 I considered and then accepted the possibility I could die doing what planned to do... Nobody would be to blame but me if my boat was run over by a ship or she collided with a partially submerged shipping container. Cruising is in my view, and I believe statistics were they gathered would support my belief, far safer than driving the family car. How many people as they prepare to get into their car acknowledge what they are about to do can kill them?

Enjoy the dream while you can and if possible live it. But, be prepared to modify the dream in order to stay alive and enjoy all that cruising has to offer. I would not give it up for anything.

[trinescape]

christaichi dont worry about all the knockers believe in your dreams get some experience and go for it just an idea seek out your local sailing club and ask if you can do some short off shore crewing i,ll bet they wont rain on your parade like some of the arm chair experts in this forum go for it!

[Luders33]

Condescending attitudes are like a cancer of the jealous who are already confined by their own fortress of fear.

[CHRISTAICHI]

I just got home from my first long voyage ie: VA to st pete coast. And I found out that grammer didnt help me much actually at all. funny Thing also I didn't see any of these seasoned travelers? hmmm guess there seats don't move outside. well thank you all and im planning on leave ing in the near future as im getting my boat all rigged up .. hmm oh my trip was 1 month off the Va coast out and down from deep water to crazy inlets with bad maps then to the keys then around up to st pete. And I loved it. I have a lot of learning to do but I did use my sexton was fun felt like chris colmbo. we tried daytime and night time nav with only our charts and sexton. worked great.
and I found that my backpacking,spelunking,mountain climbing survival traiining helped me alot. guess that guy was wrong but he knows I can tell from his posting lmao... we hit 2 bad squalls. 1 was real bad lost a mast... but my spelling nor my grammer helped us. but then when I made a sign up at the local bar in key west but my bad spelling did get me a cute blonde local ... sign said "eye wile work for beere" she is meeting me in st pete to go with me to my next stop mexico... hope you all have comfy chairs lmao... oh and omg the dolphins are so beautiful.. im in love with the ocean.. dove some places I have never or would have ever herd about.
good luck to you all. will drop a line later ... put down that beer and get off your chair and do something oh my dog loves the water and travel. as does my bird. are you all going to tell me I should not take the cute blonde also with :stories" you herd about danger death and trouble at sea> try spelunking a cave some time down 1000 feet with no light or repelling off a 200' water fall and back pack slips off cause you forgot to tighten the belt and you can die there also .and it does so help to have that experience to build a lean too also..panic is the number one cause of failure or death. get that grammmer lmao ... hope you all happiness and please jiggle that jelousy bell a little lighter.

[imagine2frolic]

WELL CHRIS,

Congradulations on making it to St. Pete. You got that far, and with a cutie too.....lolololol... You will get farther. BEST WISHES on getting to Tahiti. If you are doing all this lmao what's gonna hold up your trunks in Tahiti????????????????

[sailsamal]

We have sailed from mexico through French Polynesia, northern Cooks, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and down to NZ. We started from Vancouver down the westcoast of US and Mexico. We have no offshore experience when we started but my husband is good with boats all his life. We had no one to talk to in Vancouver and I read a lot of cruising guides, offshore sailing and how to read weather charts/forecasts. We prepared the boat well, with good communication system, new sails, etc. The westcoast from Vancouver to San Fran was a challenge for us, and in hindsight, I considered ourselves lucky. Our engine shifted slightly, and hubby had to quickly re-bolted it down. His vigilance and noticing it right away may have saved our lives.

Along the way, we met a lot of cruisers and I agree to the previous posts. We got so much information and learnt a lot from them. South Pacific weather, the ITCZ, the SPCZ are what you should try to learn and understand, so you are prepared. Crossing the Pacific, we were able to keep in contact with Don of Summer Passage who volunteers his time to relay weather to boats. He was a blessing to us. He actually guided us out of a huge convection area which took us 5 days to get out of. Without the interaction with other cruisers, we wouldn't have known about him. In the South Pacific side, we maintained communication with several nets there.

We have no experience from Panama, Galapagos to French polynesia, but I am sure you will find fellow cruisers along the way from Florida. Good luck.

PS Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising book is a must-have for route planning. Noonsite.com is the website to check for entry requirements. Check first the requirements before departing because sometimes you may have to have visas prior to entering a country. If you are exempt from visa, for a one month stay, it is okay. But if your sail across the country takes more than a month, then you need a prior visa for a longer stay.

[stephaneg]

hi christaichi, well i m kinda new here too but have the same kinda dream as you. but i am from france and like to sail to tahiti also but i have no experience at all and no boat yet. but i am plaining to get a 40 to 46 saibaot but i know its not a easy trip and its going to be long. so i am playning to learn how to sail and take lesons and try to go with experimented people that would take me out with them for long trip, so i could learn even better. you should do that to. it be better to learn more and be a strong sailler most of when youll sail rough see. so take one year extra and try to go sail with experimented people and go for long trip you will get the experience. maybe see you in tahiti in a few year PS sorry for my english im not so good.
S