Am I Crazy ?

[Tondo]

Hi
I own a chocolate shop. I make chocolate from the bean so I have beans shipped to me from places near the equator. I live near the Port of Rochester NY and was thinking if I could sail a boat to Brazil area I could pick up my beans and have a mini vacation at the same time. I would need to be able to transport 2000+ Kg of beans back. What kind of sail powered boat would be able to do this considering crew and food I have no idea but would like to do this and any help would be greatly appreciated.

[slomotion]

Most 40+ foot cruising boats can probably handle a 2000 kg load. But they don’t exactly have cargo holds; and most cruising boats wind up being overloaded just with live-aboard stuff. If you are talking about sailing from Lake Erie to Brazil, it would take you a long time and you would need to carry a lot of stuff. Probably, you would want a commercial vessel like an old schooner, and you won’t be taking one of those through the canal system. Once you get through the St. Lawrence into the open Atlantic, it's over 3000 miles to Rio.

[imagine2frolic]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, but that never stopped me. Just for the delivery of choclate is ludricous. Sounds like you are trying to get a tax right off. If this is so you will get it most likely, but lose money in doing it.. Tell me where I am wrong?.......i2f

[mintyspilot]

As long as you enjoy your insanity does it matter?

[barnakiel]

Displacement not much of an issue - any boat with displacement of 10m3 will easily move such a cargo. But I do not know of many sailing boats that have the storage space designed for such a project!

Mind the customs/tax/etc. factors. You do not want to end up with a cargo more expensive than what you can get locally in the US, do you.

Probably look for a boat already in Brazil as sailing there is only half fun (fun - till the West Indies, but upwind and up-current from Trinidad onwards.

Sounds like a great trip to me. Good luck!

barnie

[skipmac]

First you should understand that this would not be a mini vacation. To sail from NY to Brazil and back under most normal circumstances would probably require a few months. Unless you start with a very serious boat and experience to go with it, a voyage that distance would normally involve many stops and a long time.

A voyage of this distance would also require significant experience to accomplish safely.

[Boracay]

My take on the direct trip from Brazil to NY is that it would be quite lengthy and unpleasant, against wind and wave for much of the way. The indirect way, across the South Atlantic to the African coast, up to the North Atlantic and back to NY would take a very long time. Either has the associated risk of some very bad weather.

Why not fly down to Rio, find a reputable forwarding agent and spend the as much time as it takes selecting the finest coco beans, then have them shipped back in clean containers.

As a part of this a few relaxed charters in the Caribbean could satisfy your desire to cruise in exotic locales.

[sailorboy1]

Are you Crazy?

Who cares! Don't ask a bunch of forum posters, just decide for yourself if you want to do it (you know you want to)!

[sailmaker-china]

if you do this ,you realy crazy.

[Tondo]

Thank you for all the replies! Some made me laugh pretty hard! I think I'm going to fly down. As far as crazy? I'm afraid so. I'm entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.
Still thinking. What about a wind generator on an electric boat? Ahh, probably another forum for that question.
Wish you all well. Thanks for the replies.

[MarkJ]

Nicolle wants to be crew!!!!!!!!!!!

Just pay her in chocolate!

[Papa Fritas]

I will crew for chocolate as well Willy Wonka.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Tondo

What about a wind generator on an electric boat? Ahh, probably another forum for that question.

Even less feasible than sailing.

[osirissail]

Brazil is not the best source of cocoa beans for making chocolate. Venezuela, Trinidad and especially Grenada have the real best beans. Venezuela still has some to the rare Criollo trees from which the world's best chocolate is made. But Trinidad and especially Grenada have the Trinitario beans for the next best chocolate in the world. Everything and everywhere else has the ordinary Forastero beans with Africa being the biggest producer. Get your hands on some Grenada Chocolate Company 71% bars and you will never eat any other chocolate again.

[Jon Sims]

I've never heard of cocoa beans being smuggled into the USA. Has the USA now banned Cocoa. Has the CIA got it mixed up with cocaine? Has the FDA decided cocoa is now a class a drug.. all those little hyper tots buzzing around on chocolate highs.
They will bust you off the coast of florida, that is if you can make it thru the oil slick and sell your boat for peanuts.
Now.. I deal in some very good peanuts......Perhaps we could make a deal.
And you ask if you are crazy?