Oceangoing for under $1000

[Gareth Hughes]

Originally Posted by capnmatt

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Or, another idea, he could find a seaworthy boat making the crossing that needs crew.

The most sensible suggestion.

[Waterrat10]

Originally Posted by seasick

A close relative of mine worked hard and failed to pass legislation in Washington State to make attempts like these illegal because the cost to the taxpayers to rescue these crazy, would-be mariners was exhorbitant.

The majority thought the bill was an infringement on their rights.

Stupid is what stupid does. Is it doable? Most definitely. Is it anything short of suicide? Not very.

$1,000 per boat foot length is closer to reality not per boat.

Why do so many people think passing laws will change human behavior? I am always amazing in the USA how the Republicans who are against governmental regulation and preach freedom while passing or attempting to pass repressive anti freedom legislation. I don't know if this proposed law fits that bill but there is no lack of examples of white guys repressing women and minority rites and freedom across the board.

[seasick]

In 1987 we were two days out of Panama heading for Hawaii when we came across a 12' diameter culvert up-ended, bobbing in the swell. As we got within a hundred yards of it a door opened near the top and a lone "drifter" waved to us. He was three stories up. Drifting where ever the currents took him. No means of propulsion.

[tiopirata]

Harryproa Have a look at the ideas here and consider the possibilities.
I have been on 2 harryproas and have no issue with their abilities and seaworthiness, indeed I have crossed oceans on many vessels less capable. That said, $1000 wont cut it but it is the most boat, and safest, for a small budget.
In 1972 I went to Nukualofa and back to Auckland on a boat that owed me NZ$740, in my 52 years of wandering about oceans that was my cheapest effort.
The most important acquisition, in my view, is not so much the cheap boat but good skills.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by exitdaemon

A friend of mine asked me if it would be possible to acquire a boat that could reasonably safely sail across the Pacific (from California to Hawaii, or to the Philippines) for under 1000 dollars...

Ignoring the rest of the post, and specifically in answer to your friend's reasonable question, the answer is, yes; I have personally seen such boats bought/sold that could sail to Hawaii from California. These are boats from which owners were forced to walk away, often due to ridiculously high and accumulating dockage fees.

As to your own canoe approach, fuggetaboutit.

[SV Sailfish]

Yes... it's crazy!

Yes... it is doable and has been done before. In all manner of craft.

As a matter of fact, it's being done as we speak. Google Webb Chiles. RTW in a Moore 24. His 4th or 5th circumnav and one of the previous was in an open boat across the pacific.

Welcome to the forum oh dreamer of dreams!

[Waterrat10]

Originally Posted by seasick

In 1987 we were two days out of Panama heading for Hawaii when we came across a 12' diameter culvert up-ended, bobbing in the swell. As we got within a hundred yards of it a door opened near the top and a lone "drifter" waved to us. He was three stories up. Drifting where ever the currents took him. No means of propulsion.

Wow that is crazy. The Human animal never ceases to amaze me.

[SV Sailfish]

This will be one for the books...

Olympian to Sail Laser Radial from California to Hawaii >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News

Four time Olympian to sail Laser from California to Hawaii. A 36 year old female.

[suenodelmar]

You would not be the first. The ancient Polynesians used similar large outrigger canoes to cross vast areas of the Pacific Ocean. They carried water in gourds plus sacks of dried beans. They used four methods of navigation: 1) astronomical observation; 2) reading ocean swells-- waves passing through Islands create null lines called nodal lines that can be followed like radio beams; 3) caged land birds-- a released bird will fly circling ever higher until it can see land around the curvature of the Earth, then fly off in that direction; 4) a pig-- a pig can smell land farther away than a bird can see it. The Polynesians would use the pig's snout as a direction finder. So, who needs GPS?

[Lepke]

There are many stupid, unprepared people that own boats or are planning to buy one. It seems they read too many sailing adventure books without the common sense to see thru the BS. I wouldn't care if they could post a "no rescue" statement that responsible people could honor.
But in the end other mariners, Coast Guard and others end up risking their lives to save people that should be allowed to leave the gene pool.

[exitdaemon]

Hi guys, thanks for all the responses, even all the naysayers saying I'm just a troll. I'd like to clarify a couple things, I'm not just some moron who read a couple adventure books and came up with some silly idea, I've actually sailed all my life, have covered tens of thousands of miles, and I have considerable experience working on trimarans.

For all the people talking about the polynesians, yes exactly, that is why I had the idea. Personally I think the dugout option is overkill and I know that it is incredibly time consuming to construct such a craft. My idea is more to modernize the idea of a polynesian outrigger with minimal cost.

I know people have rowed in open boats across the pacific. Personally I think that is insanity, you'd never get me to do it. An outrigger canoe, built up with the proper supports has the potential to be way safer and more efficient. Navigation is a non issue, gps are cheap, with a small solar panel I could even power my phone and use that to plot lat / long on a chart. Obviously watermakers are a necessity, the canoe simply doesn't have the carrying capacity otherwise, as mentioned by an early commentator.

I'm not so interested in the food / water aspects (these are easily solvable with only a little backpacking knowledge) as much as a discussion of the sea worthiness of such a vessel, and how to improve it.

[Sea Dreaming]

Experienced or not, I still think you are nuts. Said with love of course.

[Steve Bean]

Alberto Torroba crossed the Pacific from Panama to the Philippines in a dugout canoe in 1990.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

OP never came back.

(...)

Well, oceangoing for $1000. Say no more.

b.

[barnakiel]

As far as small ocean rowing boats go, you may be somewhat surprised at their prices.

I investigated once but I did not have 25k to buy the cheapest one on the market...

b.