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Old 28-04-2013, 17:57   #1
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Delivery Captains - How sketch?

So let's just say I just bought the boat of my life with my life savings, the LAST thing I would want happening is some dude sailing away down to central america with my pride and joy.

I've bought a boat in Panama, and need to get it up to say, Washington.

What do you think is safer, and easier on the wallet?

A) Hire skipper from Panama -> Texas area (closest mainland in the states?!), Park at temporary slip in a Texan marina. Then contact boat moving company via land to drive and drop her off up here.

B) Hire skipper from Panama -> Panama Canal -> Up the coast to Western United States.

In your guys experience, what's the better option? In terms of cost and safety!

Also, does anyone here have any recommendations for a skipper/captain in the area who is trustworthy, also is there some type of certification involved?!

Please help with sea/land shipping companies you guys have good experiences with.

Any links would be appreciated.

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Old 28-04-2013, 18:11   #2
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?!

Well take this from a guy who's a uscg licensed master and who's done deliveries, but who has also sailed from the west coast down to Mexico and is still around those parts.

I met a really nice guy who boat a Union Polaris (nearly identical to my boat) in Panama and has been slowly taking it up the coast. I met him in Turtle Bay, (Bahia de Tortuga, Mexico) and it took him about a year to get it up the coast with his work schedule. He'd fly down and sail it a couple/few hundred miles to a marina he'd already scouted out, park it, and fly back to keep working.

I think it would be "safer" to hire someone who's a competent and professional delivery captain but you will pay through the nose and there is nothing fun about going up the west coast of North America. You eat wind and current the entire time unless you dogleg out to Hawaii which many do, but there's a big difference between gunkholing your way up the coast burning diesel and tacking for two weeks to Hawaii and then back again.

In the end, I think if you can swing the schedule you'll learn a tremendous amount about your boat and yourself if you do the trip.

If you hire a delivery captain you should be able to get several recent recommendations from happy owners. Look for someone who's transited that area on a sailboat. You want someone not only with knowledge but also with connections. Taking a busted boat into a port is one thing, taking it into a port where you know a good mechanic and have his cell number is another.

Good luck man.
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Old 28-04-2013, 18:46   #3
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

Thanks Eric!

So I think option B would be the best choice?!

I'd do the trip myself, but I'm a total beginner and just know something horrible would happen!
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Old 28-04-2013, 18:46   #4
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

A lot depends on the size of the boat, and a lot depends on the condition of the boat.
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Old 28-04-2013, 18:51   #5
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

32', older, but good.

Everyone's telling me land transport would definitely be cheaper. Any honest recommendations definitely appreciated.
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Old 28-04-2013, 19:12   #6
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

Why not just buy a boat in the area where you will keep the boat? If you are worried about easier on the wallet, safe and not worrying about some stranger sailing your boat off into the sunset then the best option is to buy local.

Do the math. Unless you get the boat of a lifetime and more or less free, the cost of delivery or shipping plus the additional wear and tear on the boat will completely offset any savings you get on the boat.
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Old 28-04-2013, 19:23   #7
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

Rare. Old. Not available. =[[[[[
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Old 28-04-2013, 19:32   #8
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

Quote:
Originally Posted by skipmac View Post
Why not just buy a boat in the area where you will keep the boat? If you are worried about easier on the wallet, safe and not worrying about some stranger sailing your boat off into the sunset then the best option is to buy local.

Do the math. Unless you get the boat of a lifetime and more or less free, the cost of delivery or shipping plus the additional wear and tear on the boat will completely offset any savings you get on the boat.
Got to agree with Skipmac here. A smaller 30 plus ft boat that is older has got to be cheaper to buy local. Even if it cost 10K more.

I would guess finding a Captain Ron guy to take an older 30 ft boat that far is going to be hard to find and not cheap. If you think finding someone to trailer the boat across land is going to be easy or cheap check again.

There are boat movers that will put your boat on a huge cargo ship and move it. Might check into that.
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Old 28-04-2013, 19:44   #9
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

It depends on the beam of the boat, but maybe it would fit in a container maybe? Im sure ya could get it shipped anywhere you might want out of Panama! if it were I, and I could not make the trip myself, I would ck into shipping it where ya want or look for another boat closer to home !! Ive deliverd boats both ways from Panama, up the coast, and bye way of hawyee. It's not the worst trip in the world ! But it come close sometimes LOL just my 2 cents
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Old 28-04-2013, 19:50   #10
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

It won't fit IN a container, it's an 11' beam. Omg.. any ideas on a shipping company from Panama - CA ?!
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Old 28-04-2013, 20:10   #11
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

Well this alleged boat better be very old, very rare and very unavailable because it's going to cost you a lot of money to move a boat from say Panama to say Washington. That's about 4000 miles, more if you take the proper sailing route. I think delivery with a reliable captain will cost you at least $4000-$5000, probably a lot more once you start adding in air fares, fuel, marinas, etc, etc, etc. Then you've added 4000 very hard miles on the boat, sails, and every thing else. By the time you're done could be $$6-$10,000 to get the boat there and back in shape.

Putting the boat on a ship would be that or more.

Hope really really like this boat.
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Old 28-04-2013, 20:55   #12
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

At 32 feet I would truck it. Faster, cheaper and less wear and tear.
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Old 28-04-2013, 21:05   #13
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

Trucking from Panama to WA might present some problems. Unless the boat has a really narrow beam it will exceed the width allowed on most roads so special permits will be required.

Assuming the permits can be had it would still be expensive. Not sure what it would be international but moving cargo around the US costs me about $1.50/mile plus fuel surcharges, any fees, tolls, permits, etc. I'm guessing international would be more but even if the same you're looking at at least $7000-$8000, probably a lot more.
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Old 29-04-2013, 06:22   #14
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

If you decide to sail it north, the most economical way is the circle route out to almost Hawaii and into Washington.This way you would be able to sail most of the way.

Alternatively, you could bash north with prevailing winds on your noise most of the way, mostly motoring. Either way would require making the boat seaworthy, spending more money. Probably around $10-12k US if you hire a delivery Captain, food fuel and other expenses

The other opition is shipping the boat north... Yatch Path stops in Panama and Golfito, Columbia, again it would cost... Probably in the area of $15-25K US. Dockwise is in Bankrupcy court and I wouldn't use them till they reorganize.

The remaining option is trucking, which would mean getting the boat to Mexico or better, San Diego, since trucking a boat through Central America is not an option.

From San Diego to Washington, trucking fees would be $5-8K US, including yard fees and packing. Then add to that cost of sailing from Panama to Mexico or San Diego, food diesel and a delivery Captain and you are probably well over another $5k US, since again you would have to make the boat seaworthy.

Anyway you are looking at it... You will be spending $10k to $25k to get the boat back to Washington.... Is the boat worth it?
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Old 29-04-2013, 06:32   #15
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Re: Delivery Captains - How sketch?

Let me take a guess, you bought it on ebay!!!! You stole it, or someone else stole it. Right now it is a picture on your computer, and the check is in the mail.

Have you seen said boat? Have you sailed it yet? Does it have a full survey? You have said you don't have much if any experience, how do you know that this boat is even sea worthy?

There are many scams going on, be careful, I was hired to deliver a boat that the owner bought on ebay, sight un seen, when we got there the boat was chained to the dock, and I mean chained. So we went to see the dock master, over a years dock dues were owed, and 5k slipped out of the owners pocket before he stepped foot on his new to him boat. Then the fun started.
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