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[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
You're certainly getting a lot of good advice. I hope you enjoy the forum as much as I do.
kind regards,

[matauwhi]

G'day mate. Welcome aboard. Perhaps we should have a chat. It doesn't meet your steel hull criteria, but I have an excellent fiberglass liveaboard that you might want to do some research on and give some consideration. She is fully imported to New Zealand, no tax issues, can clear out and in as much and long as you want, plus is still documented USCG vessel. There are a several marinas in Auckland that you could liveaboard and have good access to the international airport. You can also liveaboard the marinas up here in paradise (Bay of Islands and Whangaroa) and connect through the local airport. Let me know if you want to discuss in more detail and send me a private message. All the best with your search. Cheers.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

The thought that steel is bullet proof is misleading. Bernard Moitessier lost his boat to a storm in Cabo San Lucus because he was unable to get it off a beach.

For the record, the Joshua wasn't really lost. It was driven up on the beach and was dented a bit. Bernard was so pissed off at himself that he gave the boat to a couple of Mexicans. They shoveled out the sand, did some "panel beating" with sledges to minimize the dents and then pushed her back into the water with a bulldozer and sailed her away. We encountered them a few years later in the La Paz area, and Joshua, never a beauty, was looking a bit tatty, but she was still sailing and being enjoyed.

So, in this case steel fared better than many of the glass boats that joined Joshua on the beach. However, an Olsen 40 (ULDB racer) also survived and was refloated.

And for the OP: Tasmania is lovely and one of our all time favorite cruising grounds, but Tassie, along with the rest of Oz, ain't cheap these days.

Cheers,

Jim