Crew Wanted: Cost of Skippered Delivery Australia to West Coast USA

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Island Girl 1

Many thanks to you all for the excellent advice, which seems to confirm the idea of selling and re-buying in Florida is best. Shame, we love the boat, but there are others I'm sure.

Best wishes

Mike

Probably be better but it isn't cheap. The transaction costs on the sale and the purchase are pretty steep. Say 10% on each for brokers, 6-8% sales tax on purchase, the carrying costs while boat 1 sells, the pretty up costs of boat 1, the upgrade costs on boat 2. You are still up there in the same ballpark (or cricket pitch) as shipping. It just isn't a low cost hobby.

[Uricanejack]

Just a couple of thoughts.
You live in Australia so long term you will probably want to have your boat in Australia so in the long run it’s a two way trip. Unless you intend to sell in the Caribbean or to sail it yourself from the Caribbean back to Australia.

I suggested deck cargoe as a possiblity. You would have to shop around. Contact some cargoe brokers and see what they say.
My Brother in law. Shipped his truck and camper to Australia. Drove it round Australia and shipped it back. I spent to much time laughing and telling he should have bought a used land cruiser with the steering wheel on the Australian side in Australia. For him to provide accurate numbers.
But I believe it was around 10G.

At 38ft you are shorter than a 40ft container. You will be to wide for a single container stack, you might fit on top of two. Or on top of a single stack with a cradle. The sides of the boat overhanging. The adjacent stacks.
Top of the stack should be possible. How much they will charge for width?

You might be surprised about what can be stuck on top it might require a special cradle. Built to fit the twist locks on a container stack.

Might be something you can rent or you have to get made. If you have to get it made. Make sure it’s included in the bill of lading. So it’s not dunage. This way it’s yours and will be unloaded with your boat. JIK you want to ship your boat again.

Finding a ship going direct might be difficult. Finding a shipper who can send it via somewhere might be possible.

Geared bulkers Can Cary deck cargoe. Hard to find one going from Australia to the Caribbean direct though. But some do. Container more likley.

I keep my boat in the PNW.
An Australian couple kept thier boat next to me for the winter last year.
They have a boat at home in Australia.
The boat next to mine was a 40ft cruising yacht of similar vintage to mine.
They boat it in the PNW with the plan to cruise it up to Alaska. They set of in the Spring. They plan to spend a couple of summer seasons cruising here. While they lay the boat up for the winter. (Next to mine) and returns to Australia and sail thier boat in Australia for the summer season.

If it’s just the Caribbean you wish to sail. Why not consider a buying a local older boat in the area selling it when you are done.

Otherwise the economic way is to sail your own boat around the world. Which might take a while. Of course for some of us there is still a huge cost to take the time off to do this we might consider uneconomical.

Or do it over a few trips. Broken up sections.

E.g.
Queensland to Darwin. Or even Dampier.
From there to Singapore lots of choice on route.
Ride the NE Monsoon. Not sure how the piracy situation is now. To the Red Sea.
Transit Suez.
Spend some time cruising the Med.
gib to the Canaries.
Join the ARC.
Two or three years?
Heck of a long way.
Got to time it right. To catch the right winds and avoid the wrong winds. Particularly TRS. Apart from anything else insurance will possibly have an issue with TRS seasons.

I couldn’t guess what an actual delivery skipper would charge. It will take months non stop to get there. Maybe three.
Your going to need more than a Skipper.
He will need crew.
How many crew?

What kind of budget would you consider?
There are probably older boats in the Caribbean you could by sail and walk away from and have lower budget.

[boatman61]

How about coming at it from a different angle.
Try finding someone who wants to cruise Oz but it means sailing their boat from the US East coast then bring it back.. time constraints, expense etc..
The Caribe season is during the OZ summer so try and find a couple or 3 owners in the Caribe/US and organise boat swaps.. Vet each other well then just fly in, fly out.
Happy people both sides.

[Compass790]

Originally Posted by boatman61

How about coming at it from a different angle.
Try finding someone who wants to cruise Oz but it means sailing their boat from the US East coast then bring it back.. time constraints, expense etc..
The Caribe season is during the OZ summer so try and find a couple or 3 owners in the Caribe/US and organise boat swaps.. Vet each other well then just fly in, fly out.
Happy people both sides.

Good thinking Boatman61

[Tricolor]

[emoji2] @boatsman61. As there are websites for holiday house swaps, there must be a market for a website for holiday boat swaps.

[JPA Cate]

@IslandGirl1,

I don't know whether or not they'd even consider such a deal, but A64pilot, here on CF, has an IP 38. Don't know their plans, either, really, but I would think unlikely they would leave their boat in the Caribbean during hurricane season. It's a very slim chance, but they might be interested in such a deal as Boatie suggests.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

@IslandGirl1,

I don't know whether or not they'd even consider such a deal, but A64pilot, here on CF, has an IP 38. Don't know their plans, either, really, but I would think unlikely they would leave their boat in the Caribbean during hurricane season. It's a very slim chance, but they might be interested in such a deal as Boatie suggests.

Jim/Ann... the hurricane season ends as the Aussie Spring has started.. November to June is Caribe time so a 3 month swap say December/Jan to March/April should be a good time for all.

[hsch56]

G'day


Just an idea. Get somebody to sail the boat via Indonesia, Indian Ocean, the Med then Atlantic. Not much further boat on the trade wind route. Spend a month on the boat in Indo, spend summer sailing through the med. I could sail the boat. Just an idea.

[piloto]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Probably be better but it isn't cheap. The transaction costs on the sale and the purchase are pretty steep. Say 10% on each for brokers, 6-8% sales tax on purchase, the carrying costs while boat 1 sells, the pretty up costs of boat 1, the upgrade costs on boat 2. You are still up there in the same ballpark (or cricket pitch) as shipping. It just isn't a low cost hobby.

Might I suggest looking to buy in the Carribean? USVI or other (besides BVI’s) where no sales tax.