California to Europe options

[mkinney716]

We are planning to leave California and finally arrive in Europe. We have three options we are looking at.
1). South Pacific to Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Then on to Europe via South Africa
2). West coast to Panama then up east coast then on to Europe
3). Leave California going to Alaska first then along Aleutian Islands to Japan then Cambodia etc like first option

We have 2dogs traveling with us which rules out Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand.
J
Our sailboat is a steel hull 43 ft with solar, wind gen for charging batteries as well as 250 gal diesel, 250 gal water, 40 gal black water.
I’ve done some “1200 mi” offshore and my wife has done several charters.

Anyone have ideas about this set of plans.

[PippaB]

There’s a whole other thread running right now, with nearly the same title, that pretty much covers 1 and 2. For #3, the usual North Pacific circle is clockwise, there’s a reason for that, anti-clockwise is generally unpleasant. All the references in the other thread to Cornell and the pilot charts apply.

[Paul L]

How much time do you have?

[mkinney716]

Two to three years at least

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by mkinney716

Two to three years at least

Then you could go west about or east about, your choice. You'll need to do a fair bit more research on your paths. The route via Alaska is a no-go, it is the wrong direction. The west about route would not stop in Cambodia or Vietnam.
Get a copy of Cornell's world sailing routes and yse it as a basis for preliminary planning.

[CarinaPDX]

Although it is common, I think starting cruising by heading west across the Pacific is a bit much. It is like going from high school to graduate school, leaving out college.The distances, hazards, and lack of repair services and supplies means it is best to master cruising first. YMMV. If you go down Central America, through Panama and the Caribbean, you would be well experienced, and the boat proven, before starting your first ocean crossing. There will be many opportunities to add or change equipment and do repairs in the Caribbean or on the east coast, and also on the other side for the failures that occur at sea. I spent 12 years in Europe and barely scratched the surface. Going around the world in 2-3 years would be a lot more rushed then you think now - better to shorten the trip and have time to enjoy what you do see. With your limitation with the dogs, and considering how many passages are not that much fun (Red Sea anyone?), you would probably be happier to just set your sights on Europe, at least to begin with. You will always have opportunities to reconsider as you go.

I went down the west coast, from Oregon, to and through Panama. I went east across South America, staying in Curacao, Venezuela and Trinidad. These days getting close to Venezuela is a very bad idea so I would head east as far as I could - either Columbia or the ABCs (Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire) then north and as far east as I could hold, making for the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico - then head down the Lesser Antilles to Trinidad (depending on the season and how much time would be spent there). In late April or May head north to Bermuda and across to Ireland and onwards. I would leave the east coast for the return trip, unless you had a preference otherwise. The return trip would be to the Canaries and Caribbean, then the east coast. Consider doing the Great Loop, going up the Hudson River, west on the Erie Canal, through the Great Lakes then in the rivers at Chicago and down to the Gulf.

Remember that such long distance travel is constrained by the seasons. If you left California in the winter (after the hurricane season is over) you would have to be poised to cross the Atlantic in April or early May from the NE Caribbean so as to get across before the tropical storm season (no east coast cruising without costing a year). In Europe, even in the Med, you are not going to be cruising during the winter months - you will be land cruising from a base in some marina (which may be hard to find). When it is time to return you will head for the Canaries in the late summer (before the equinoctial gales), cross in November, December, or even January depending on weather and hang in the Caribbean until April or May then head north and east for cruising the east coast. At the end of that summer you will probably want to be back in the Caribbean and perhaps heading for home. If you work that out you will see that even that short of a trip is going to be an effort in 2 to 3 years. Going around the world has similar constraints, but greatly compounded by your need to avoid Australia and the presence of piracy in areas along the way. It is possible to do but count on spending a lot of time at sea, making repairs, provisioning, customs, and far too little time getting to know the land and peoples along the way. Just something to consider.

Greg

[YARGO]

CA to Panama. Panama to Miami in April. Took me 12 days solo non stop in my 43’ cutter. Miami to Bermuda in May. (8 to 10 days). Bermuda to Horta, Azores in May/June (18-22days). You are now in Europe. Take your pick. UK, Portugal, Spain or Gibraltar. (7 to 10 days).

[mkinney716]

It looks like we will do the Ca Panama Europe route. My thanks to all who replied. It is very helpful.