Transporting Boat from Caribbean to Med

[Tom and Maje]

Hello,

Has anyone shipped a cat from the Caribbean to the Med? I'm looking for shipping company recommendations. Normally, I'd prefer to sail her, but Tom may be taking a job in Germany. Which means I'll either have to find experienced crew or ship the boat. He's agreed we'll do whatever is cheaper.

Maje

[805gregg]

Sail it

[barnakiel]

Contact Corona Aq. They have moved their boat this year from the West Indies to S Spain, on a frieghter.

Corona Aq seglingsblogg

"...Where we went often and admired the brilliant colors while we waited for Corona would be taken up on the ship BBC Seine. ... "

BBC Seine is:

• MO: 9508380
• Name: BBC SEINE
• MMSI: 305590000
• Vessel Type: GENERAL CARGO
• Gross Tonnage: 12974
• Summer DWT: 16967 t
• Build: 2010
• Flag: ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
• Home port: SAINT JOHN'S

Talk to their agent, find other ships in the same company.

Plain google translate does the job for you very well if you do not read Swedish.

If you email Corona Aq, they will likely just send you to the right shipping agent. They shipped from Point a Pitre, I think.

b.

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by 805gregg

Sail it

My husband will not be able to go, so if I can find experienced crew, and it does not cost more than shipping the boat, that is my preferred option.

Maje

[hoppy]

Try Sevenstar Yacht Transport - Let The Best Ship Your Yacht

but it's probably going to be much cheaper to find a crew

[weavis]

boatman61 specialises in that route...as a delivery skipper.

[barnakiel]

It is late July. Before you find the crew and prep the boat it will be early Aug. If you want to listen to a weather router ... too late.

Ship it now, store it overwinter, or sail it - next year.

Cheers,
b.

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

It is late July. Before you find the crew and prep the boat it will be early Aug. If you want to listen to a weather router ... too late.

Ship it now, store it overwinter, or sail it - next year.

Cheers,
b.

It's not going over until next spring. I'm taking it to the Caribbean for the winter.

Maje

[hoppy]

Do you need a skipper for the crossing or just experienced crew?

If it's the latter, you might be able to find crew who will happily come along for the thrill of it.

A cat on a ship will probably be very expensive, so even an expensive professional crew will be cheaper than shipping.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Tom and Maje

It's not going over until next spring. I'm taking it to the Caribbean for the winter.

Maje

See you there then!

b.

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by hoppy

Do you need a skipper for the crossing or just experienced crew?

If it's the latter, you might be able to find crew who will happily come along for the thrill of it.

A cat on a ship will probably be very expensive, so even an expensive professional crew will be cheaper than shipping.

This will be my first time doing a transatlantic sail. Although, I have no hesitation doing it with my husband, If I'm doing it alone I'd rather have someone whose done it before.

I will be looking for experienced crew when I take it down to the Caribbean.

Maje

[barnakiel]

@ Maje

Maje,

It is not easy to find experienced crew once in the West Indies. What I want to imply it is difficult to tell who is 'experienced enough' as every one on the dock will claim they are SO experienced. And without prior knowledge of the person you cannot make any judgement on their skills and personality.

In fact, however, most experienced crew are already on a job in the West Indies and not quite willing to take up one time stunts (and at the time that their mother ship may be actually sailing out too). So you are likely to run into a lot of boat bums and a couple of diamonds and the diamonds do not stand out by any significant feature from the crowd. One can't tell by the looks.

So, in my vista, there are two options:

- take experienced crew on the way out, then recycle them - should they prove to be an asset on the first passage,
- find adequate crew locally where you are now, you can learn about people from getting in contact with their sailing associations/clubs/employers, etc. and where you have much more time and neutral ground possibility to make the better judgement.

Be very careful picking any crew, ocean passages can be long and trying, you do not want to be stuck with the wrong people nor do you want your boat to be used by people who may have their own agenda.

If in doubt and if you can afford it, ship it.

b.