US to Australia in One Year Starting February 2012

[dennisail]

OK. I will be in the USA in just over a week. There a few boats I am looking at. But my favorite is still the C&C 44 in Nova Scotia. I would have it delivered down south to say NY or further as part of the sale. (no way I am sailing from NS in march) So far I have no ticket to NS. But that can be arranged.

What do you think? The C&C 44 is in the pic 2 posts up. It has all the cruising gear you need, shallow draft for when I get it back to Moreton plus bay new rigging. It appears turn key. You guys know how particular I am about new rigging. I just love this style of boat. For Nikki and I it is more appealing than any ben/jen/bav. It will be large enough to live on when I return to Brisbane.

Next is the line is this http://au.yachtworld.com/core/listin...url=&imc=pg-fs Its much cheaper, but older and smaller. It had a major refit in 2004 with most essential items being new from 2004. Rig, engine, electronics. Main thing it does not have is dodger an bimni. Will also need life raft etc.

Thoughts.

[donradcliffe]

This boat has already found the high spots in Moreton Bay, and we even took the inside route from the Gold Coast a couple of times. Fill the tanks and its ready to go to Oz again.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...0-a-66753.html

[meyermm]

Originally Posted by dennisail

OK. I will be in the USA in just over a week. There a few boats I am looking at. But my favorite is still the C&C 44 in Nova Scotia. I would have it delivered down south to say NY or further as part of the sale. (no way I am sailing from NS in march) So far I have no ticket to NS. But that can be arranged.

What do you think? The C&C 44 is in the pic 2 posts up. It has all the cruising gear you need, shallow draft for when I get it back to Moreton plus bay new rigging. It appears turn key. You guys know how particular I am about new rigging. I just love this style of boat. For Nikki and I it is more appealing than any ben/jen/bav. It will be large enough to live on when I return to Brisbane.

Next is the line is this
http://au.yachtworld.com/core/listin...url=&imc=pg-fs Its much cheaper, but older and smaller. It had a major refit in 2004 with most essential items being new from 2004. Rig, engine, electronics. Main thing it does not have is dodger an bimni. Will also need life raft etc.

Thoughts.

Do you really want other opinions, I think you have made your mind up. You like these type of boats and as long as you are not blinding yourself to the problems $$ associated with old boats then go for it. But make sure you thoroughly inspect the boat and get an out of town surveyor to survey the boat.

[dennisail]

Yes it is obvious that I like these types of boats. But if there really are underlying obvious probs I can be persuaded otherwise. Just because I like these styles of boats does not mean I am a prod boat hater, far from it. I like them too, but there is nothing out there that grabs my attention ATM.

[hoppy]

The Islander is the same age and length as a Farr 1104 but substantially cheaper and looks to be massively better quality. No wonder you are looking abroad.

I really can't understand the pricing in Aus. I accept Aus prices should be higher, even by say 50%, but it seems to be 50% more expensive to buy a boat the same size and the quality is substantially less.

[dennisail]

I simply can't afford (well not responsibly when looking for a sound financial future) a decent size yacht in AUD. Buying OS not only fulfills my primary goal for extended international cruising, but it does so in a more financially responsible manner. I am not intending on getting rich. All I want is some arbitrage to recoup the cost of the adventure, and possibly have a nice yacht to live on when I return that can still be thought of as an investment for a few years.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

If you have a $100k for your boat, it sounds like you have a very realistic plan. Only thing I would be concerned about is leaving enough time to find the boat, shake it down, and fix all the things that are wrong with it. I don't think you can realistically walk up and find a turn-key boat in a week or two.

People do it -- "buy and blast" as Bash said -- but you take huge risks, especially, the risk of spoiling a lot of the enjoyment of the trip with the discovery and liquidation of problem after problem after problem.

The process of shaking down, repairing, upgrading a used sailboat can go on almost forever -- months, or years. To be really happy setting off on such a long trip, I would think you would want at least two months for that part of the process, and to do it in two months you would have to be really working intensively, and also sailing the boat, so that you test the gear, get to know the boat, find out what's going to break, etc.

I'm not including buying the boat. I spent the better part of a year choosing and buying my present boat. I did a lot of travelling. I mean, it's possible, of course, to pick something out in the Internet, and just fly in and buy it after passing survey. But your chances of choosing really the right boat that way are probably not so high.

So in short -- the more time you can allocate to that part of your project, the better. You will need at least several months, I think. The more carefully you choose the boat you ultimately buy, and the more carefully and thoroughly you are able to prepare it before setting off, the happier you will be on passage, and the less unpleasant distractions you will have from your adventure.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by dennisail

It appears turn key.

Just remember: There is no such thing as a "turn key" sailboat. Any sailboat, even a new one, no matter how well maintained or recently refitted, has always got a list of things which need to be repaired, maintained or upgraded, usually a long list. A really good survey (the kind which takes two or three days and costs a couple of thousand) will give you a reasonable start on a first draft of that list, but the final and valid list of things requires spending quite some time with the boat to put together.

[meyermm]

Originally Posted by dennisail

Yes it is obvious that I like these types of boats. But if there really are underlying obvious probs I can be persuaded otherwise. Just because I like these styles of boats does not mean I am a prod boat hater, far from it. I like them too, but there is nothing out there that grabs my attention ATM.

I guess what I am saying is once people head in a direction it usually becomes pointless to dissuade them regardless. Over the years I have found this to be the case whether boats, cars or houses. Just for the record my argument against the older boats is yes they are cheap to buy but then the spending starts and turns a cheap boat in to expensive boat but an old expensive boat. Old boats are harder to repair due to bad design and in many cases over complication not to mention just plain badly built something many who preach about these boats will not admit. I am sure some will challenge me on these points but start talking to boat builders off the record and the truth will come out. Hence my comment about survey quality.

[Boracay]

If you really like the classic yankee yachts why not consider...

1985 Nauticat Pilothouse
36

1992 Pacific Seacraft 37

1986 Tayana Vancouver 42

1989 Island Packet IP 35

1996 Cabo Rico Durbek 41

[dennisail]

Thanks for the links Boracay, they are much appreciated. Some of those boats are beautiful. But the aspect of the C&C type yachts I really like is the sleek racy look and performance. I wouldn't mind doing some bay racing back home. However the cruising ability of many of those yachts is much better and they would make a much better home.

[holmek]

Hey, Dennisail, Wow , I envy you. I am dying to do another trip.

Don't get too hung up on other peoples opinions. I have bought boats 3 times, sight unseen and without surveys.(a 30ft finkeeler, and 2 O'Day 40's, both for $40k each)

If there are major troubles you will see them for yourself and cancel the sale. If there are minor defects that you dont see right off,- tough,- fix them.

I bought 2 boats in the Caribbean and sailed them back to South Africa- nonstop singlehanded. And the third in Connecticut- same thing.

I believe in SIMPLE cruising.
No electronics, windvane, O.K.-GPS, but that's it, -alright, and a Solar panel.
Run the engine once every 2 weeks just to be sure it still starts and hasn't siezed!
No insurance,- you're taking a risk in crossing an ocean,- be man enough to take the financial risk too,- and use the money for gear.
Liferaft,- have you thought of rather taking an unsinkable hard dinghy with it's own sails (an Optimist is ideal) and grab-bag lashed inside. A liferaft is just an inflatable dinghy, all of which IMO are rubbish.
Water, I use 3lt per day.Propane, 20lbs for a 90day trip.
Diesel, I like to take a few extra jerry jugs as each time I was crossing the Azores high and the ITCZ and it can be a B-ache sitting for days waiting for wind.

Have fun buddy, get up and GO, don't sweat the small stuff. That C&C40 looks GREAT. I almost bought one instead of my 2nd O'Day.

[dennisail]

Thanks for the insight Holmek. Great to hear from someone who has the runs on the board. Were you doing it to take advantage of arbitrage too? I saw a few Oday 40s and liked them. That's the exact sort of style we like. I take it you like them having owned 2, are there any FS at the moment that you would consider? There are a few for sale. Most over 50K. Are they all shallow draft, and do they still sail well particularly to windward with the 4-11' draft??

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by holmek

Hey, Dennisail, Wow , I envy you. I am dying to do another trip.

Don't get too hung up on other peoples opinions. I have bought boats 3 times, sight unseen and without surveys.(a 30ft finkeeler, and 2 O'Day 40's, both for $40k each)

If there are major troubles you will see them for yourself and cancel the sale. If there are minor defects that you dont see right off,- tough,- fix them.

I bought 2 boats in the Caribbean and sailed them back to South Africa- nonstop singlehanded. And the third in Connecticut- same thing.

I believe in SIMPLE cruising.
No electronics, windvane, O.K.-GPS, but that's it, -alright, and a Solar panel.
Run the engine once every 2 weeks just to be sure it still starts and hasn't siezed!
No insurance,- you're taking a risk in crossing an ocean,- be man enough to take the financial risk too,- and use the money for gear.
Liferaft,- have you thought of rather taking an unsinkable hard dinghy with it's own sails (an Optimist is ideal) and grab-bag lashed inside. A liferaft is just an inflatable dinghy, all of which IMO are rubbish.
Water, I use 3lt per day.Propane, 20lbs for a 90day trip.
Diesel, I like to take a few extra jerry jugs as each time I was crossing the Azores high and the ITCZ and it can be a B-ache sitting for days waiting for wind.

Have fun buddy, get up and GO, don't sweat the small stuff. That C&C40 looks GREAT. I almost bought one instead of my 2nd O'Day.

Refreshing

[holmek]

Haven't sailed a shoal draft O'Day. But the deep draft version is only 6'8" so not too extreme. The exchange rates are in AUS and SouthAfrica's favour at the moment and with the US economy where it is you can negotiate a great deal, but, having said that, by the time you factor in airfares/preparations/additional gear/provisions and import taxes, you can't really expect to come out on top when you sell back home, ; BUT you would have had a GREAT adventure that money can't buy and (almost) for free.! Oh, and ebay is great for used gear, I bought my windvane and other stuff through ebay, it was shipped across the US-no trubs,- and was waiting for me when I arrived at the boat.