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cp1 · 03-01-2015, 11:58

I'm pleased to do the east coast portion down to Panama. 20+ yrs, 150K Nm as a pro trainer and delivery capt. Can certify crew under ASA if desired. Former Sea School instructor. Please see my profile here on CF. Email me if interested.
Captdougcp1@gmail.com.
Thanks

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Delivery Guy · 09-01-2015, 19:50

Good skipper: $250 to $300 a day plus expenses for skipper only. By all means go via Hawaii. It's a blast. Directions in earlier post were OK.
I flew fromVancouver to lBoston, bought a Baba 36' and sailed two weeks later holidaying thru the West Indies, thru Panama, single handed via Hawaii to Vancouver. I followed this by going into the lyacht delivery business out of San Francisco specialising in intercontinental deliveries, and a lot of "uphill" from Mex to San Francisco or Seattle areas. It was sometimes hard work or harem scarem but that is why I was into it. I retired in 2008 as the longest regularly serving and best qualified delivery captain between San Diego and Alaska. I'd still be doing it except...
A tip: Play the weather. Don't get beat up in the bad stuff. It all comes to an end eventually. All you need is a good VHF, listen to the net in the morning. I did one delivery/cruise with a family and offered to go on half play on those days when we hung in port waiting for contrary weather to clear. A real pleasure.
Some people seem to always do the wrong thing when the weather gets up then tell people how bad it was. Other people do the right thing; they don't have a story to tell but who cares.
I would say you'll learn a lot under the right skipper including confidence.
. If you're not getting this , change skippers in Panama. This is a great cross-roads , a place to hang out and network and visit with so many serious sailors. Just remember Colon Cristobal is a dangerous city, an anomaly. Panama Canal is a serious scenic pleasure trip. I've done this route a number of times. Questions: Fire away.
Best

GG2015 · 07-04-2015, 14:19

Unless your Father left his yacht to you in his will you should be looking for a yacht on the West Coast - a trip from the East Coast to the West Coast via Panama Canal with a skipper will cost to much... invest in a quality yacht in Seattle and put the savings into the purchase else outfitting.

Remember old boats are also hard to insure and get a mortgage on... suggest it be 2000 or newer...

Here is a 1970s example... http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/4945251665.html
Here is a 2000 example: http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/4943022127.html
Larger? http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/4960567648.html

Kick the tires online.. yachtworld.com

See you outdoors... on the water!

CptCrunchie · 19-01-2015, 01:10

Legend1673, of all the posts, I'm more agreement with Delivery Guy than anyone else, .....but not completely. For the most part, he makes reference to sailing vessels, ....and you are in a 65 ft 1994 Monte Fino motor vessel. While I have just under 10,000 blue water miles on a sailboat (one trip from Balboa, Panama to Hilo, Hawaii, and the other from Vancouver, BC to San Diego ...200 miles off the coast), I also coastal fish in an offshore MV in the PNW.

My first blue water trip was on a 43' Morgan from Balboa, Panama to Hawaii from Oct to Dec. We spent over 300 hours - 90% of the time - motoring. With mild head on winds and very moderate seas, this would be a fabulous vacation on an MV. Up the Costa Rican coast would also be viable. Even though the winds can become testy, there are lots of places to snug in for a week or two, ....like Drake Bay and Flamingo.

However, if you are thinking of heading up the coast from there, you will first meet the Papagayo winds. They are fairly continuous, and gust up to a Force 8, ....which means 30' seas and a 40MPH head on wind. It will take you a day or two to get through them. Close in, the frequency will shake your teeth out, but manageable in height. The farther out you are, the more likely you will see only sky as you break over each wave.

They say that if Papagayos is blowing, expect Tehuantepec winds to be brutal. We hit Force 10 for two days! While having sails greatly helped keep the boat stable, it was very uncomfortable. I simply cannot imagine going through them in a MV. Moreover, whether you decide to head to Hawaii or just continue up the coast, you cannot avoid those winds and seas if they are kicking up.

In fact, most of the 28 days from Flamingo, CR to Hawaii was in Force 3 to Force 7 on a beam to broad reach. So, if you don't mind awkwardly surfing 10' to 30' waves off the aft quarter of your 65' MV for a couple of weeks, my hat goes off to you.

My suggestion is that you hug the coastline as far as you want to go. Having spent time along the Washington and Oregon coastlines, I continually see lights on the horizon heading north, ...which means they are 10-20 miles off. Since you are in no rush, there are lots of places you can duck into to wait out the rougher conditions. Granted, the wave frequency is much shorter closer in, which makes for a lot of boat movement, but facing 30' seas in your Monte Fino would be absolutely scary.

Do I think you need a skipper? No. Instead, take one of the various week-long motor vessel courses like the one located in SanFran Bay. There you will learn most of what you will need to know for a lot less money than hiring a skipper, especially a skipper you MAY or MAY NOT learn anything from. Then, take your time and learn as you go. Worse case, hire a qualified skipper for a week only, let them know exactly what you want them to teach you, then say adeau and head off on your own.

Happy adventuring!

Legend1673 · 19-01-2015, 05:47

Thanks, but not sure why you think I'm in a motor vessel...

CptCrunchie · 19-01-2015, 08:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legend1673

Thanks, but not sure why you think I'm in a motor vessel...

Wow! Must be the cold meds.

My bad. Don't know where I read the part about you being on a 65 ft 1994 Monte Fino. However, I stand by my points; it would be a brutal trip coming up the coast, even in the best weather.

For me, the beauty of blue water cruising is being able to set the sails once a week and leave them. Other than motoring all the way, you will be tacking 3 or 4 times a day to keep out of the massive SE current, along with the short daily DMG. This would also be a tough haul.

I helped bring the Morgan to Hawaii because the owner wanted it in Vancouver, BC. I made a film, '40 Days, 40 Nights' as a short tribute to the voyage. I can post the link if you like.

I'm currently looking at a 45' sailboat in the San Diego area. IF we buy it, I will have it trucked to NW WA.

captain58sailin · 19-01-2015, 06:48

If you wanted to make a real adventure of it, once clear of Panama, head for the Marquesas, then over to Japan, then follow the Japanese current over to the Aleutians and circle over to Homer,AK, head south for Seattle, via the inside passage for some spectacular scenery and protected running on the last leg south. Have made the crossing from HI to AK twice and completed the trip, but there was some ugly weather on the way.

captainjim47 · 07-04-2015, 14:13

$300 to $500 per day should be your captain's rate. I usually quote a rate by planned nautical miles and include 3 lay days for a west coast US trip so we're not debating about weather. The up hill slog pretty much negates sailing and a captain with inshore experience can squeeze around the capes and minimize the pounding. Last year the Hawaii route fell apart because the E. Pacific High was too unstable. You can learn to sail anytime, a trip up the coast is a chance to learn the ports and the entrances and how to get over the bar... something you don't want to do by yourself for the first time. I just completed a run from SFO to LAX via HMB, Monterey, Morro Bay & Santa Barbara. The owners had a blast.

Pawell · 08-04-2015, 00:03

Nobody so far considered here North West Passage - to get up to Greenland and in August around Alaska to get to Pacific. I guess that would be possible lesser painful than fighting North along the West coast...

**boatman61** · 08-04-2015, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pawell

Nobody so far considered here North West Passage - to get up to Greenland and in August around Alaska to get to Pacific. I guess that would be possible lesser painful than fighting North along the West coast...

Booger that for a game of marbles...

GG2015 · 08-04-2015, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pawell

Nobody so far considered here North West Passage - to get up to Greenland and in August around Alaska to get to Pacific. I guess that would be possible lesser painful than fighting North along the West coast...

I think the topic is about SKIPPER RATES... hiring a skipper for a voyage from East Coast to West Coast via the Panama Canal... if you think going via the Northwest Passage is more economical because of a shorter distance you had better re-think it... more like double the expenses and I doubt that many skippers would consider taking a recreational boat without special outfitting not to mention with a husband and wife owners as inexperienced crew through the Arctic... not going to happen...

Some 30 yachts started last year saying they were going to attempt a NWP but when reaching the Arctic Circle (66.56N) 8 said they had enough and retreated... when reaching 74N 8 more retreated... after 30 days 4 more gave up and retreated... by freeze-up in October some 7 yachts and a few commercial ships had completed a NWP. Four other yachts are spending the 9 month plus winter North of the Arctic Circle. Anyone telling you the NWP is old news or easy to transit is ignorant. Only 200 yachts have completed a NWP while some 5,000 people have summited Mt. Everest... go figure the accomplishment...

I see so much naivety on so many forums... no wonder the coast guard has an obtuse opinion about the recreation boaters they rescue... not even amateurs... definitely demonstrates the types of people we all must interact with... Quote by Steve Backley: â€œThere are three types of people in this world. ...â€

See you outdoors... on the water!

FamilyVan · 08-04-2015, 05:31

If you're going to do it the way you described I would steer well clear of cheap or free skippers. I would go with some one chagring between $250-500 per day. You want to be able to enjoy the trip, which means you want a pro.

Anything less than $250 and I would assume his motivation which is something other than profit. I only trust skippers who charge a suitable amount for their services.

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