Newbie wants a CAT

[yardie]

We just bought our boat a few months ago in the Med. We sailed it at the end of the season (August and September) and had it hauled out to have engines overhauled and bottom painted. Then sailed it to our winter berth where I've pulled the sails down to be repaired and cleaned. This is the preparation part.

Like you I plan to cross the Atlantic. Unlike you I've had a few months to play around on our boat. When we bought it it was equipped for med sailing. So parts and repairs were a days sail away at most. First thing you will need to do is know your boat. The bigger the boat the longer this takes. Then understand the currents and weather. The med is pretty harsh on boats. The Atlantic even more so. It's fairly easy once you get to the trade winds. But everyone has a story about the trip from Gibraltar to Cape Verde.


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[Tdh001]

Yardie,

Sounds like a fun trip so far... You have a great point about getting to know your boat for a while.

Since I have all the time in the world, I don't have to cross immediately but from what I have read and the advice from a few sailors I know (when they are sober they remember it all again... Maybe why they don't want to be too sober)) it seems the winter is the best time for what I would call a quick ocean deployment east to west. If you think the trade-off to wait is worth the risk of heavy seas, I'll be happy to look at your documentation.

I was in a super-typhoon off the coast of China a few years ago and severe dehydration from sea-sickness became a life-threatening problem for three guys (never been seasick in their lives) who had to be evacuated by helo. I'm trying to avoid such a situation if at all possible. It's survivable but I'm more of a hammocky guy nowadays and in 30ft waves it's hard to reach for the glass of Cabernet in one of those)))






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[Barra]

Originally Posted by Tdh001

Hmm.... Since I would come to their rescue (including yours) if needed without checking how many hours you've logged in saltwater sailing I don't know what to say...

And experience comes from facing challenges, not sailing 12000 miles in calm waters... My 2Cs

But before it all get tied up in knots, this is one of several ways open to me... Not written in stone or decreed by law... I would be a fool (and not long of this earth) if I didn't weigh risks against capability.

There's a lot of things I CAN do but don't know how yet so I ask for advice. If I'm a complete idiot (with savant computer/webpage using skills) I'll disregard all advice, if I'm smart, I'll listen to well-reasoned arguments like any rational man and make my own decisions...

Let's assume this is all theoretical if it helps at all :-)




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You miss my point re thinking of your fellow mariner. They would come to your mayday as would I but is it fair on them for you to set off without enough experience that the odds of a smallish problem becoming a mayday are that much bigger? Cascading problems are usually how these things happen. Should they have to put their boats and potentially lives at risk because you didnt know what you were doing out there? Obviously not.

Coastal waters are not calm waters either by the way - you would learn plenty in them - its just that self help and outside help is much easier to come by and often by professionals who you might argue you have a slightly reduced moral obligation to (though I wouldnt).

In any event you are talking about sailing the trades in jan on a boat you havnt yet bought a few days before christmas so its clearly theoretical now.

Onto next season then and get some hours up somehow before then or if nothing else you wont get insurance like i said before.

These arent personal attacks its just well intentioned advice you didnt want to hear. Listen to that advice from people who have either been there done that or are doing it now. As you say you would be foolish not to.

Get the experience make the crossing you wont look back (other than to cringe at some of your newbie posts)

[SVNeko]

We imported our boat. Make sure you get the original builder's certificate. You ll need that to document it. Use the USCG bill of sale also, even if you use a more detailed one in the sale. They like to see their form. I did the documentation and registration myself. Hired a customs broker to do the import. It's not difficult but certainly time consuming.

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[millhouse_44]

Hi again TDH;

I think what you're trying to do is awesome and I think you're smart to seek advice on here. Don't give up!! For me personally I couldn't do a transatlantic right away solo, but you're the best judge on whether you can or not. Is it a 44 foot boat that you are buying? That's big. I liked one of the suggestions to get a skipper and one other crew member for at least a period of time. I think you could benefit greatly from a couple weeks with them before you go.

For navigation, I'm fitting out right now. I have a Raymarine Chart Plotter at the helm station. I'm buying an IPad and will install one of the many marine navigation applications and charts on that as a backup, and I will hopefully use Open CPN on my windows PC for planning. For communications you basically have the two options of Satcom and SSB (MF/HF). I'm still deciding myself. Having an aviation background I'm leaning towards the MF/HF as primary (I'm cheap) and the Satcom as backup/emergency.

There are a lot of judgemental people on these forums who want to criticize but look they are just trying to make sure you're doing the right thing and doing it safely. Nobody wants to see you and your brand new boat get into trouble.

I priced out some deliveries to Australia from BVI, Seychelles and SE Asia. I would estimate you're looking at about 12,000-15,000 USD to deliver Euro to Florida. I can give you a contact that was recommended to me if you want to PM me. They were very responsive in providing quotes on various options. In the end, we got the boat in Malaysia and decided just to go meet her.

I don't think you'll get insurance for a single-handed trip across in January. Are you OK with no insurance? You have to think about liability as well not just losing the boat. If you thwack someone else you might be at fault. I know its a long shot but you never know. Its a big risk because you're personally liable if you have no insurance. Could ruin you.

We are on our way to meet our chariot. Just picking up some stuff in Singapore and we arrive on Christmas Eve. Good luck man I hope you realize your dreams!

Millhouse