How do I do all these destinations?

[LauraleeG]

Ok. Taking my C+C 38 Landfall, down the inland waterways of the US to Florida and then over to the Caribbean. Leaving her there so that we have a place to winter down south for the next few years.
But!! We also want to cruise the Pacific Northwest, the Med, the inland waterways of Europe....how do we do it all?
We thought of:
Leaving the 38 down south, and getting cheap boat out west using that for 6 months, selling her when done. Is that a cheap place to live for a year?
Leaving 38 down south, buying a cheap boat in the med, using that to cruise the inland waterways of europe?
Selling 38 down south, then buying and selling cheap " temporary" boats in the next places we want to cruise?
Shipping 38 over to the Med?
We dont want to sail the 38 over to Europe. She could do it, we just dont want to do it.
When I say Cheap Boat...I mean a cheap purchase price, and one we make sure is safe and functioning, not necessarily perfect or big. I know you lose money on boats...but thats the cost of doing business
I know you cant always get what you want but I want to try.
Ideas? Thoughts? People who have done this?

[NYSail]

Why not charter in those locations and keep the 38 in the Caribbean. A cheap boat will have more issues that will take away from your adventures unless fixing cheap boats is part of the adventure you seek.

Good luck
Greg

[Marathon1150]

I agree with chartering - good idea. We currently own two boats to accomplish what the OP seems to have in mind. One (Beneteau Idylle 11.50) is in Tahiti and the most recent purchase (Beneteau First 35s5) is in Vancouver, our home base. The cost and hassle associated with owning two boats is significant.

We quite like both boats and both locations but we could have accomplished more or less the same thing by chartering in Vancouver and elsewhere as well. Our ultimate destination for the boat in Tahiti, which took many years to prepare for the voyage, is New Zealand. Cruising in British Columbia is great and we missed coastal cruising in the region, hence the second boat.

I asked several people who own or owned two boats about whether it is a good idea or not. They were unanimous that it is not the best idea. We purchased the second boat anyway and I am beginning to understand their point of view. Total costs for the boat in Vancouver which we can only use for about 6 months of the year far exceeds the cost of chartering for several weeks.

But sailing to Tahiti was also far more expensive than flying there and staying in a 5 star hotel. We pursue sailing for its aesthetic value and pleasure and not because it provides any kind of logical economic benefits in our case even though our boats are old and modest. Results for other people may differ.

[Ibetitsthisway]

I have been travelling europe for 40 years now...

100.000km by rv. From north Cape in dark January to italy in Hot summer.
I used trains.. cars..Busses...plains..and boats..and skis...

I saw most of the UNESCO things...stood on the highest mountains...
Spent nights on lonely beaches and in crowds of a Million in Berlin.. .shipped the dutch canals und the med...

...but...After all...i want to ask you..why would you waste your time travelling the german waterways???

Way better places to See in europe!

[john61ct]

Start where you are, with what you have, stick to that until you have real reasons to change.

It isn't a speed race or country - count contest, a game where you strive to rack up points and level up.

Enjoy yourself, slower pace and lower budget, get to know some actual locals and long-term expats.

Then when the "need" to move on becomes compelling, start planning the next stage, but stay open to the influences of serendipity and synchronicity.

You may not believe in "fate" but looking back, all my most superb life experiences have come from "random" events and "coincidences". IMO no such thing.

It's the journey not the destination, life's too short to rush & hurry, all this sounds so corny 'cause it's true.

[captlloyd]

Why not take the money you would spend on a second boat and have a professional Captain move your boat to these destinations ?

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by LauraleeG

Ok. Taking my C+C 38 Landfall, down the inland waterways of the US to Florida and then over to the Caribbean. Leaving her there so that we have a place to winter down south for the next few years.
But!! We also want to cruise the Pacific Northwest, the Med, the inland waterways of Europe....how do we do it all?
We thought of:
Leaving the 38 down south, and getting cheap boat out west using that for 6 months, selling her when done. Is that a cheap place to live for a year?
Leaving 38 down south, buying a cheap boat in the med, using that to cruise the inland waterways of europe?
Selling 38 down south, then buying and selling cheap " temporary" boats in the next places we want to cruise?
Shipping 38 over to the Med?
We dont want to sail the 38 over to Europe. She could do it, we just dont want to do it.
When I say Cheap Boat...I mean a cheap purchase price, and one we make sure is safe and functioning, not necessarily perfect or big. I know you lose money on boats...but thats the cost of doing business
I know you cant always get what you want but I want to try.
Ideas? Thoughts? People who have done this?

Sounds like a lot of buying and selling a very non-liquid asset to me. It'd be easier to just sail your C&C to Europe for awhile rather than spend a lot of time trying find a decent one already there (plus the VAT). For the Pacific NW, you might find it easier to sell your boat and get one on the west coast - it's a mean trip from the Caribbean up the west coast to the NW. Plus you really don't need two boats as you can only sail one at a time

[luckylady22ft]

Before you go down the east coast just to go to the Caribbean, you should read the following book: "The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South, the Thornless Path to Windward" by Bruce Van Sant (current edition). The book tells you about the difficulties of going to windward from Florida to the Caribbean. We went back up north to do the Caribbean 1500 Rally (now called something else) and had a great 1500 NM 10 day passage direct from Chesapeake Bay to Tortola BVI, much of it in the trades south of Bermuda. Cross the Gulf Stream and head to southeast of Bermuda and then turn south and take "highway 65 (longitude 65) south" and pick up the easterly trades for a comfortable beam reach to the BVI. Very few windward passages to the Caribbean with this route. Either way, good luck. Won"t comment on the other aspects of your cruising plan, but it sounds too aggressive for me.

[SailSonoma]

I agree with Lucky lady.

I came down to the Caribbean two years ago, crossed the Gulf Stream at Wilmington NC. Worked east and then picked up the trades due south to St Thomas.

Added benefit is that the 1500 mile offshore trip will help you prepare/gain experience for your Atlantic crossing if you ultimately decided to do that.

[LauraleeG]

Lots of food for thought here...which is always a good thing, and perhaps the point of the Original Post. Maybe the fun is mostly in the dreaming? I read the book " Gentlemen's Guide" years ago...I need to dust it off and revisit it. I do like that plan too.
The Captain idea also sounds good. As does Europe by RV and other means.
The beat goes on....

[Lost Horizons]

Originally Posted by LauraleeG

We also want to cruise the Pacific Northwest

Is that a cheap place to live for a year?

It is quite more expensive than the East coast. Marinas are actually reasonably priced, but waiting lists are very long. I waited one year at one marina, and still have 1-2 years to wait at another one where I want to be. They will not allow you to live on a boat, the live aboard waiting lists are significantly longer yet. However, if you cruise around without renting an apartment and marina slip, the costs should be comparable to the East coast (food, fuel, and such) unless you use a boat yard for a service work (twice as expensive as in Florida). If you buy a boat in WA, the sales tax is 8.7% to 10.0%, and 0.5% of the boar value a year registration fee/tax. There is no sales tax in OR and AK, but you will be limited in time you can legally be in WA. Also, there are almost no boats for sale there compared to WA and CA. Buying in BC is another possibility.