Turkey to Australia

[frankie46]

I'm about to buy a Lagoon 400 in Turkey and plan to sail it to Australia via Gibraltar and Panama. I would appreciate any advice on the trip.
When is the optimum time of the year to cross for Gibraltar to the Caribbean.
I have a couple of friends that are willing to come along for part of the trip, however they are semi retired bulk carrier Masters. I need a person with experience on sailing cats, perferably with RYA cert.

My previous experience:

• During the seventies crewed on cruising yachts in Sydney to Hobart races, not as a skipper which is a whole different ball game.
• 1989 bought a 52 ft. ketch and sailed the East coast of Australia with my wife and son for two years.
• 1990 went into partnership on a 35 metre 250 passenger motor cat doing whale watching off Port Stephens mostly 30 miles off coast.
• Eventually obtained a masters ticket for a vessel up to 80 metres and worked teaching Masters at Maritime College.
• Did a few deliveries mostly motor boats, one of note was delivering a 35 metre Wave Piercer Japan to Brisbane, had to divert 200 NM to dodge a cyclone.

Most of my "skippering" experience has been on large motor vessels.

I'm 60 years old and when I tell people about my experience they say I must know what I am doing, well I have learnt enough to know that I really don't know much at all.

Thanks for listening