Best time to sail from Vancouver to the Philippines?

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by akprb

What is in the Philippines?.

LOL.....Have you seen the girls there?

[Don C L]

gotta side with akprb on this... much cheaper and safer and easier to fly to Philippines and get boat there given all you have described. I bet you have some good diesel mechanical skills that will help you find work in a harbor there as you look for a good local boat. Or maybe get a crew position once there on deliveries, like maybe back to Hong Kong after the China Sea race this spring? That would be a sweet deal if you could get that... great boats and lots of great folks to learn from... if its still the way I remember it... that was many moons ago. If you ask around here for some possible connections there I bet you'll find some. I knew a really good skipper from a sailing family here who lived there for years but he has moved to Indonesia and became a fisherman.

[TrentePieds]

Further to #s 15 and 16:

Moderators - forgive me, this is NOT meant to be political. I DO think it is germane:

Three Canadian missionaries were recently "executed" in the Philippines in rather brutal, public fashion after the Canadian Government flatly refused to meet the ransom demands of the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers. The victims were abducted off their yacht while IN THE MARINA at Oceanview Resort on Samal Island, which, in case the OP doesn't know, lies off the coast of the southern island of Mindanao. They had been held in brutal conditions in full knowledge of what awaited them for, I think, a couple of years before the curtain fell on this sordid episode. It is the Canadian Government's policy NEVER, under any circumstances, to meet such ransom demands.

On a lighter note apropos of #16: Yes, indeed :-) Even this old geezer cannot remain unmoved. But remember that Vancouver is TEEMING with young Philippinas. Indeed we have a couple right here in the building. There is no need to go anywhere for that, and surely the time elapsed from thought to deed is going to be substantially shorter if you DON'T fill it with crossing the Pacific in a cockleshell ;-0)!

Bonne chance :-)!

TP

[cyan]

Originally Posted by akprb

What is in the Philippines? Why not sell the Grampian and the 1/2ton pickup, fly to Manila, by a 23’ something there and cruise?

No a bad plan.
To answer the first question, just google images of the Bacuit Archipelago. Huge marine preserve with natural beauty. Danger? Sure. Point me to more beautiful sailing grounds, though, and I'll buy you a beer.

[Pelagic]

If OP does decide to go to Philippines and try and buy a boat there, his timing is pretty good.

There are a number of small budget boats in Puerto Galera and Subic, where the expat owners are getting to the age where they want to sell.

Go to Puerto Galera first and ask around at yacht club or follow their classifieds

https://www.pgyc.org/sail-boats-for-...hp#classicsail

[estarzinger]

I'm going to give a more direct answer to the OP's question:

Best time to sail PNW to Hawaii: may/june (or october)
Best time to sail Hawaii to Philippines: jan/march

or

Best time to sail PNW to Mexico:july to sept
Best time to sail Mexico to S. Pacific: leaving march/april

I personally have more empathy for someone wanting to cross oceans with little experience, because we ourselves did exactly that. We were living in Sweden, bought a boat (sight unseen) in the Chesapeake bay, flew to the US and organized a boat yard to do a 4 months fitting out, and then left to cross the Atlantic 2 months later as the first leg on a (successful) RTW. My personal feeling is that ocean crossing is so different from coastal cruising that you can waste a lot of time thinking you are learning from coastal experiences when you quite quickly learn what can be applied and can waste a lot of time after that when it would be better to just jump in. It is not rocket science. If you are humble and sensible and willing to learn you can just do it and learn how to do it better.

[GafferMate]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

LOL.....Have you seen the girls there?

...and while you, the general public, are looking, don't dismiss the size of the family that you most likely will be expected to support. Be realistic about the social and economic conditions that make older foreign men so attractive to Filipinas.

And, if marriage isn't your goal but having a complacent companion is, then at least set up a SSS (Social Security System) account for her to have when you either suddenly die or disappear...and she is no longer quite as 'look-able' as she was.

While I know of several of genuinely successful Filipino/Foreigner relationships, they are a tiny minority. There is an unconsciously large number of relationships where the girl is left with nothing but children to provide for. Filipino families will always support them but it is especially poignant to see the side-effects where children are involved.

Personally, I suspect the haste to sail to the Philippines may be due to Tidjian already having someone waiting for him to arrive.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by GafferMate

Personally, I suspect the haste to sail to the Philippines may be due to Tidjian already having someone waiting for him to arrive.

I had the same feeling about his reasons and his desire to "test the waters" so to speak.... with his own boat as a possible escape vehicle.

Agree with your comments about the reality of living in the Philippines and the necessity to adapt to a very different cultural responsability .....if you hope to find happiness.

Having lived here 17 years and with a loving partner of 13 years, it has been the happiest period of my life, due mostly to our commitment and acceptance of each other.

[oleman]

Made the passage many times anytime on a 600' + war ships.
Would not attempt Nov through April, on a smaller vessel.

[DockDoc]

I would humbly suggest, sell what you can part with.
Peruse the "seeking crew" section. There are advertisements for crew leaving Vancouver headed to HK in April.
Other options are to crew for the PPJ that leaves out of Panama in April.
I don't think anyone sails across the pacific until late March early April.
Get on a reasonable boat, with a reasonable time line and go. It sounds like you have skills and experience that would make you a good crew member.
You will gain ocean going experience, get to your destination (maybe) and have money to buy a boat (or a plane ticket home) in an area where your western dollars go far. The far east may not be all Coconut milk and honey.
Caveat: I am inexperienced, and a neurotic over planner. I would not try or even consider the trip you are attempting. I am Co-captaining a cat in St Vince and the Grenadines with my brother later this spring and consider this a 'big step" in my skills development. Don't be me..., but don't be fool hardy and hurt someone because you poorly planned.
They will find me dead with a check list in one hand and a volt meter in the other. My headstone will read "He refused to enter heaven because the pearly gates looked poorly welded".

If you die, I will be the guy next to St. Peter with the MIG welder.

Good luck.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by DockDoc

I would humbly suggest, sell what you can part with.
Peruse the "seeking crew" section. There are advertisements for crew leaving Vancouver headed to HK in April.
Other options are to crew for the PPJ that leaves out of Panama in April.
I don't think anyone sails across the pacific until late March early April.
Get on a reasonable boat, with a reasonable time line and go. It sounds like you have skills and experience that would make you a good crew member.
You will gain ocean going experience, get to your destination (maybe) and have money to buy a boat (or a plane ticket home) in an area where your western dollars go far. The far east may not be all Coconut milk and honey.
Caveat: I am inexperienced, and a neurotic over planner. I would not try or even consider the trip you are attempting. I am Co-captaining a cat in St Vince and the Grenadines with my brother later this spring and consider this a 'big step" in my skills development. Don't be me..., but don't be fool hardy and hurt someone because you poorly planned.
They will find me dead with a check list in one hand and a volt meter in the other. My headstone will read "He refused to enter heaven because the pearly gates looked poorly welded".

If you die, I will be the guy next to St. Peter with the MIG welder.

Good luck.

Funny guy! I no sooner become an atheist and here I run into a guy with direct connections, sometimes life isn't fair

[sailnow34]

I am interested in this trip and will contribute my fair share please contact me my name is Jamal and my number is 6475710903 please let me know asap as for me to prepare myself for the trip.