Hawaii Forum & Buddy Boat From Mexico

[Hardhead]

I don't think it's good to have a 18th century dueling mentality when it comes to perceived slights to your dignity on forum posts.

Most people here just want to chat about sailing, and it's nothing more diabolical than that. If it comes off the wrong way, you might well be misinterpreting what was really tossed out there. Easy to let one's imagination go to far. Just my view on these things-

[Scout 30]

I thought Roverhi was generous to reply & offered valuable information. The problem with rude & ungrateful people asking for free help from strangers is that it stops good people from helping. Hopefully Roverhi can look past the abuse & continue to participate.

[roverhi]

Don't know what an Admiral Executive 40 is. If it's a powerboat, buddy boating makes a bit more sense. At least with a powerboat it's relatively easy to match boat speeds and the course will probably be a Rhumb Line paired to an auto pilot. That would make voyaging with another boat easier as long as you kept a good watch so you didn't run into the other boat. On a passage that long don't know that making it with another boat would have much of an advantage. If there was a unresolvable propulsion failure, doubtful the buddy could tow them all the way to the islands. Towing a boat in the strong winds and significant seas in the tradewinds would be a major challenge that would require a lot of large diameter spare rope to replace frayed lines. Also, the distance means that it's doubtful the tow boat would have the fuel to tow them very far and still make it to port themselves. About the only thing a buddy boat could do was take the crew off the disabled and abandoned boat.

Assumed he was talking sailboat as this list is almost exclusively a sail oriented list, which pretty much rules out staying in close proximity of another boat. With an auxillary engine as a back up and the skill to raise a jury rig, a sailboat is a lot less problematic to make an ocean passage.

[JPA Cate]

Peter,

His avatar says and Admiral 40, which Mr. Google says is a catamaran.

I, too, regret his rudeness to you. Should he come back, I would suggest a thread using the term "loose company" rather than "buddy boat", because the latter does suggest dependency, and the former does not.

Ann

[Lihuedooley77]

There are other forums out there, but this may be the best, but keep on searching.

Also, not sure where in mexico you are departing, or if you are all ready there, but you might check with the local yacht clubs, or marinas, or harbors even on the way down to your planned departure point.

Who knows , you may find someone like yourself before you get to your mexico destination, and l0osely sail with them. IN fact that might be a better plan and get to know who you plan to sail to hawaii with .


I have been professionally sailing for 34 years, and have led floatillas, training three day check out sails to catalina , and also the channel island. And, the fact is, that once the sun goes down, you are going to lose sight on a total overnight passage.

And , yes, we would meet up at our destination.

Apparently the OP, is not interested in flotilla sailing, just having another vessel out there that knows were the OP departed, and where his destination is, type of boat, etc.

[EmberJasper]

off tooic sorry, was wondring if you guys made the leap yet? need to get home family emergency.
thank you
fair winds
Namaste

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by roverhi

If you mean for the sail to Hawaii, it won't be easy to stay close to another boat for the passage. Extremely doubtful that the boats will have equal performance which means one will be a drag on the other. We motored out of Ahe bound for Hawaii with another boat. We were going to the same place so sailed an identical course through that first afternoon. As the sun went down, they were within a mile of us. When the sun came up they'd disappeared not to be seen again till they pullled into Hilo's Radio Bay 2 days after our arrival. A bit easier with GPS and Radar to stay in contact these days but you'd have to be really really good buds to hang together for the 2-3 week passage to Hawaii. If you don't feel confidant in making the passage on your own, wonder if you are ready to make the trip.

For most cruisers, a buddy boat means a boat you meet up with at the destination and hang together while exploring that island chain or location and then sail on separately to meet up at your next destination.

What are your cruising plans?? If you plan on eventually going south to Polynesia would reccomend going there from Mexico. It's a way easier sail and you can hit Hawaii on the way back. If your eventually going back to the West Coast then Hawaii is a nice way to avoid the slog up the coast of N. America.

Very good advice!
___________

Based on my own experience sailing from Hawaii to California, "buddy boating" is limited in usefulness, because two boats leaving at the same time from the same harbor will seldom be close when on the ocean, even just a few hours or days into the voyage.

I left Hanalei bay with two other "buddy boats" and after a gale we were separated. We eventually saw one another again, after making radio contact, but then that was only for a day as the two other boats were faster and disappeared over the horizon, never to be seen again. VHF range is very limited and on a 2,000+nm voyage it is unrealistic to expect two sailboats to stay close.

My point: Don't count on a buddy boat to save you. Be self sufficient and have the confidence needed to go it alone, or don't go.
___________

Finally, I think ROVERHI made a good comment, in the spirit of helpful advice from an widely experienced sailor. I greatly respect his views and experience and think it is a shame that his comment was seen as anything but helpful to the OP's question about buddy boating.

[Shrew]

I suspect he's moved on. With that much confrontation, who wants to take that on as a liability? I can already tell that is not someone I want to be cooped up with, in a tight space, for a long period of time, with nowhere to go.

If one were short-handed, one would be looking for crew. If one is looking for a 'buddy boat', then this sounds more like a 'parachute'. This means that they are either unsure of the sea and distance, their own skills or the boat. The OP stated this in one of his replies.

This is essentially asking to be a liability. "I want to have a parachute in case I need to jump". If one is unsure of the conditions, boat, or the skills of themselves or the crew, then why would I want to take that on as a potential liability? The first things i would be asking is about the captain's experience, the crew, and the vessel.

To the OP best of luck.

[Pelagic]

To be fair to the OP, I thought a lecture on what a buddy boat is. ....was unnecessary.

To me a buddy boat can simply be one making the same passage, that you keep in touch with for "real weather" updates even though they may be a few hundred miles ahead or behind you.

Another yacht soon to be leaving Japan for PNW, just asked the same question.

Even though he only wants to hear from actual "other boats", I hope other replies can be less condescending and more supporting.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

To be fair to the OP, I thought a lecture on what a buddy boat is. ....was unnecessary.

To me a buddy boat can simply be one making the same passage, that you keep in touch with for "real weather" updates even though they may be a few hundred miles ahead or behind you.

Another yacht soon to be leaving Japan for PNW, just asked the same question.

Even though he only wants to hear from actual "other boats", I hope other replies can be less condescending and more supporting.

I couldn't agree less.

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by gregvail

I'm looking to locate a buddy boat to travel to Hawaii from Mexico. Is there a good forum to post to for this purpose?

...

Originally Posted by gregvail

Thanks for the reply I guess, but you're comments are useless and didn't answer my question at all. We're going to Hawaii as a destination for my wife's job. I understand boats won't have matching speeds. That's not the point. It's simply about maintaining contact in case of needing assistance or relaying information. A friend of mine ended up towing a boat he heard about 800 miles prior on his way to the Marquesas. It's just prudent to assess the situation and minimize any risk so looking for a buddy boat doesn't mean I need someone to hold my hand. An insulting insinuation on your part after you made an assumption. Never had a buddy boat before, but that doesn't mean it's not smart to have one. My definition of buddy boat does not match yours. Having someone to drink with at anchorage is never a problem.

Question remains, where can I post to find sailors headed to Hawaii from Central America. There's Panama Cruisers forums and the like on Facebook. I'm looking for something similar.

I don’t have an answer to the question you asked.

But, since you appear to be new to this forum, I want to let you know that we prefer a modicum of courtesy in posts & replies. I suggest, never attribute to malice or stupidity what can be adequately explained by the other person having a different point of view. Which they almost always do.

Your original post provided very little in the way of context about yourself or your circumstances, so it seems a bit off for you to complain that the first responder knows nothing about you.

I find that specific examples often provide clearer communication than my attempts at explanation so I have taken the liberty of editing your reply to roverhi (see below) to provide an example.



[example]
Thanks for the reply.

You're reply didn't answer my question. Perhaps that’s because your definition of buddy boat does not match mine, which does seem to be the case. My definition of buddy boat is about maintaining contact in case of needing assistance or relaying information. I feel it's just prudent seamanship.

There's Panama Cruisers forums and the like on Facebook. I'm looking for something similar for sailors headed to Hawaii from Central America.

Is this the right forum or can you point me to a more appropriate forum?

[/example]

Safe passage.

[zeehag]

i do hope he i snot sailing during cane season.
it is very late to consider a trek across pacific now. cane season started may 15.
5 weeks is a long time to trust mommy nature during cane season.
could get quite busy for the sailor, as our named events head for hawaii during first part of season.