Sail from San Diego to Auckland

[PHR]

Hey Y'all: I have a potential job in New Zealand, and I am trying to think through how I would actually get there and where I would live. I'm a liveaboard in San Diego on a Hunter 49. If I try to keep the boat --

When would be the best time of year for a sail directly from US to NZ?

How long should I expect the trip to take, assuming reasonable stops for re-provisioning or minor repairs? And where should those planned stops be?

I have not compared prices yet, but I also wonder if I should sell the boat and skip the sail for now. The currency exchange rate makes for a strong dollar and my money will go farther there, but I am not sure of the ultimate impact on the prices of boats.

Just trying to noodle through the options before an interview next week.

[bensolomon]

Subjectively, you should sail the trip of a lifetime. Objectively, how much time do you have? If you're sailing, you'll want time to enjoy stops along the way and not just "move the bus". Other issues will be whether as a sailor you are up to the task, if your single handling, and whether your boat is up to the task (vhf, dsc,epirb, uncoated stainless lifelines, jacklines, pfd with built in harness, trustworthy standing rigging, appropriate tankage, overboard discharge for effluent, etc.). It's NOT a manufacturer of boat discussion.....I, too, have a hunter (legend 37.5). The boats are capable of the trip.

[Paul L]

Leave in March/April, arrive in Oct/Nov. You hit the Marquesas, Tuamotus, Societies, Niue, Tonga and then NZ.

[Jim Cate]

How long is the job going to last? If you will be staying long, you will have to import the boat, and that adds a bit to the costs. I'm not familiar with how NZ calculates the duty and tax, but I doubt if it is inconsequential!

Jim

[Tillsbury]

20%, but you can defer it for up to two years so if you’re here less than that you won’t have to pay.

[Dan Best]

Figure 3 weeks to Hawaii, then a month to Nuku'alofa (Tonga), and a final 3-4 weeks to Auckland. I would plan a week each in Hawaii and Nuku'alofa for resupply and repairs. An alternate stop would be Pago Pago (American Samoa) especially if you need to order stuff since it can be cheaply sent Priority Mail General Delivery from the US, arrives at the airport Thursday evenings and can be picked up at the post office Saturday mornings.

This is based on my experience bringing a Tayana 37 back to SF bay from Tonga and a Kelly-Peterson 44 back from New Zealand.

Someone else noted that your boat should be well prepared for the task. I'd second that. Also, understand that you'll put significant wear and tear on your boat.

If you've got more time and can do it in cruising mode rather than delivery mode, spend time in Polynesia and Vava'u (Tonga) (there are lots of other great places to spend time too). You won't regret taking your time.

[JPA Cate]

Okay, so you're daydreaming about a longish sail. How about Dana Pt. to Tahiti, more or less direct, because repair facilities are superb there, although pricey. From there, Tahiti to New Zealand is the famous milk run, basically an easy sail, however you will find Auckland in November chilly after the tropics.

Downsides? Well, you miss leisure in some of the nicest cruising destinations this world has to offer, but it is a pretty well straight shot, (although adjustments do have to be made for the Marquesas Tuamotus), and Tahiti is also beautiful. It really depends on how much time you would have to make it more fun....and the extent to which you believe your boat would remain trouble free. It is sort of axiomatical among sailors that stuff breaks on passages. Whatever your boat's weak points, the sea will find them, so do plan on 3 or 4 wks. for good repairs. Sorry to be cynical, but it is really wrong to look at this crossing as being the same deal as driving across the US. It is different with boats.]
Still, lots of downwind trade wind sailing, and not everyone in this world gets to do that! [or care about it, but that's another story!

Good luck with your decision. I expect it will eventually evolve on where you want to be at the end of the job, and where you prefer the boat to be at that point!

PS. NZ is full of lovely people....and boats......!

Ann

[akprb]

How good is the job in NZ???

We lived there for seven years and the taxes are, shall we say, aggressive.

Now you live in CA so you may be used to it. Here in AK we are still zero state income tax and no sales tax.

Look over the tax and immigration carefully before committing to relocating your 49 down there.

Also import duty may be an issue if you decide to sell her there.

[inchcailloch]

I'm just about to return to the yacht which I left there 2 years ago come November. I believe it's 10pc of the value of your vessel after 2 years.

[barnakiel]

Time it so that your last leg is done during the best weather.


It can be very rough close to NZ at any time of the year, but around Nov the storms are fewer.


Cheers,
b.

[PHR]

Thanks for the great advice. I know it is not just a day-sail extended by a few months. But I had not thought about the duties or import taxes. It will be a great job, but I'm not sure it would go over well if I told the new employer that I can start once I show up, maybe late next fall. I wonder too if I sail past all the wonderful places to visit along the way if I would end up just blowing off the job and continuing to cruise. Me and the boat are probably 2-3 months away from going on such a journey, if I quit my job now and started working in earnest to prepare. Lots to think about. Thank you all for contributing to my query.

[AZUS]

If it's the job you want, consider selling the boat and buying over there. May be the cheapest and most practical way to do it.

[KJThomas]

Income taxes are not excessive, when you find that medical care is part of taxes, not US insurance rates. Food and housing costs may surprise you. Slip rental is less than the States, but not all allow livaboards.
If you don't have a lot of time and money to enjoy the voyage, I suggest selling the boat and buying anew in New Zealand. Plenty of well priced, capable yachts for sale.

[nhschneider]

We left San Diego on December 15, 2010 and arrived in Opua, New Zealand, on October 28, 2011, having stopped in Mexico (for 3 months), the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, Society Islands, Suwarrow, American Samoa, Western Samoa and Tonga on the way there. The worst part of the trip was not being able to stay in many of the places longer - at the time, you could only get a 90-day visa for French Polynesia (extensions were almost impossible to get and long-stay visas required a ridiculous amount of energy). Of all the places we've visited, the South Pacific still calls to us like no other.

However, several of the people who were in our informal 'fleet' sailed on to Australia where they were able to sell their boats quickly and for prices much higher than they anticipated.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[Mike Banks]

Fate never kicks your arse if you are wearing cast-iron knickers. Allow plenty of time.