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Old 26-12-2020, 19:53   #1
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Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

Good Evening All,
I am considering a 50 foot motorsailor with a 9 knot cruise and about 1,000 mile range under power. Obviously, I could ship the boat, but I would quite like to make the trip, even though it will be more expensive. Approximately how long might it take, and I assume that I would not want to get south of San Diego before about November.
Any information would be much appreciated,
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Maldwin
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Old 26-12-2020, 20:45   #2
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

This is another case of “If you have to ask,” you aren’t ready to undertake such a trip

They are a zillion variables from the boat to your skills, to your desire to make tracks or see sights, and now COVID restrictions. Something between 3 months and ten years is about right. I believe shipping your boat from Victoria to Port Everglades will run about $30K.

Take a navigation course. A real course where you sit in class, study hard, and pass a test. Read a lot of books. Practice. And Practice some more.

And just so you know, a couple I know who spent ten years circumnavigating said the toughest part of the trip, with the biggest seas, and roughest weather was from Canada down to San Francisco. Certainly the worst weather I have ever sailed in was off the California coast.

Oh, and believe nothing you read in Internet forums.
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Old 26-12-2020, 22:51   #3
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

Leaving Puget Sound toward the end of August offers good timing for San Francisco. Then leave San Diego early Nov after the last Pacific hurricane.
Now you need to decide how much playing you want to do in Mexico. Pacific Mexico is easy and enjoyable cruising.
The next timing event is when to leave the Carib side of the Panama Canal to Fla. Hurricane season is June to Dec. No hurricanes in Panama, but you are headed into the zone. The tradewinds blow hard during the winter. Harder than you want to beat into. There is generally a lighter period in Nov. A better break is if you can wait till the trades slack up around early May. Then make a break for it north.
Lots of possibilites depending on how much time you want to put into it and where you want to play and/or kill time.
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Old 27-12-2020, 02:34   #4
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

I was a full time delivery skipper out of San Francisco. I delivered a couple 9-kt trawler yachts from SoCal to Florida. 4500 nms end to end so split into three legs - you'd need four stops. I stopped for fuel in Acapulco, another stop in Panama for Canal transit and fuel. I did it in 25 days, and 28 days. Add another 6-7 days from PNW.

Assuming your boat is truly a 9 kt boat (which is damn fast for anything under 65 feet), it's around 650 hours underway no matter how you slice it. Over 25 days underway. I spent under 72 hours not underway - one day Acapulco, two days Canal Zone. Takes a strong boat, decent crew, and decent weather.

Good luck. It's a good run. Catch the high pressure that forms over Central California late Sept or early October and head south. Maybe join the Baja Ha Ha fleet that departs San Diego around Halloween, then keep going until something stops you

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Old 27-12-2020, 04:57   #5
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

Thank you All,
I should probably have been more clear, and said I would hire a professional couple, or a Captain and a mate to make the trip, which is one of the reasons it would be cheaper to ship. I have crossed oceans before, but only with professional crew. My reasoning for making the trip is that anything I spent would be fun, whereas the $30/50,000 I spent on a Yacht transporter would be wasted.
As far as timing goes, it seems as though I would be best served by cruising the PNW this Spring, and heading down the coast sometime in July. I am much more familiar with the trip North from the canal, so either spend the Winter in the Islands, and come North in May, or beat myself up in the Winter.
On the question of speed, I agree that 9 Kts seems ambitious for a 52 ft boat, but the broker assured me that is correct. Subject to sea trial.
Best,
Maldwin
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Old 27-12-2020, 05:42   #6
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

If you are interested in hiring someone, please check my website (link in my profile) and PM or contact me through my website.

Once the vaccine gets fully rolled out, I plan on doing long runs again!
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Old 27-12-2020, 05:51   #7
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

I spent 5 years as a full time delivery captain doing mostly multi day runs between SoCal and PNW. I stopped moving sailboats early on for a variety of reasons.

I never asked an owner what his fuel burn was because either u already knew the boat, or I knew I wouldn't believe his statements. Open water fuel economy is lower than what owners believe their boats do.

Often, slowing the boat down to a more economical speed is the fastest overall delivery time because you extend range, sometimes dramatically. When you reduce fuel stops, you save a tremendous amount of time going in/out, plus clearing in and out of customs for international travel. I once delivered a Nordhavn 57 (an honest 9 kt boat) and played cat and mouse with a go-fast Azimut 75 or so for over 1500 miles. He'd blow by me at 25 knots, but I'd creep past him when he stopped for fuel. We arrived in Acapulco at roughly the same time. I'd burned 1000 gallons, he had likely burned 4000 or more

I have an active quote to ship my Willard 36 trawler from Ensenada to Florida for $17k, though I may just quit work and deliver it myself on her own bottom as it would be relaxing for me. My gut feel is $30k for shipping a 52 footer from Victoria is probably low, especially if you consider the costs on either end for logistics.

Very rough rule of thumb on overall costs for delivery. My captain and crew fees tended to be around 50% of the overall costs for the owner. Travel, provisioning, port fees, etc consumed the rest. I did my last delivery in 2004 and there were only a handful of qualified and respected skippers doing long distance runs along the pacific coast, and they all charged in the neighborhood of $400/day plus around $100/day for crew. A delivery like yours could get a break for a monthly rate. Assuming no breakdowns, would guess captain/crew fees in the $20k +/- range.

A common retort for not delivering on her own bottom is not wanting to put on engine hours. 650 hours is nothing to sneeze at, but not a lot on the big scheme of a decent diesel engine. Chances are a decent delivery captain will deliver your boat in better shape than she left in, and a list of minor stuff that was repaired along the way. If you've never seen how a boat shows up after deck freight, it's a stark difference. And there is the very real possibility of damage during shipping. Just a few days ago an owner of a brand new $6m trawler yacht picked up his boat in Vancouver only to find the inside was heavily damaged due to stuff breaking loose and rattling around in a storm. Sounds like north of a quarter million dollars in damage.

But the best reason to have the boat delivered is to go through the Panama Canal. Sounds like you know the Caribbean, so maybe take it from there. May timeframe is indeed a good time to head north.

Good luck. Please update as your plans develop.

Peter
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Old 27-12-2020, 09:43   #8
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

Well, we did Vancouver to Tampa, FL. Took four years.

Thoroughly enjoyed it - but I agree that the trip down the US west coast to Point Conception (south of San Francisco) was by far the most demanding and dangerous. It doesn't help that if you are coming from Vancouver or Seattle this is also when you are least experienced.
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Old 27-12-2020, 10:09   #9
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

If you’ve got the bucks and free time why in the world wouldn’t you make the trip? I don’t think that you should assume that you’ve got to have the sailing credentials of Joshua Slocum to undertake your proposed journey. This assumes that the boat in question that you’re looking to buy is the real deal - ie well designed, built and maintained. Getting competent crew whose company you enjoy (or can at least tolerate) might well be the most challenging task. I think you should make an effort to make the voyage.
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Old 27-12-2020, 10:11   #10
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

We left Neah Bay, WA, late September to Panama to Florida, on our Way to Toronto on the Great lakes on a 39ft. catamaran, just the wife and I in our 70's.
Arrived in Panama in April for the canal transit, then to Providencia, to Grand Cayman to Key West, in May, Toronto in July, 2015.
Did a leisurely trip down the Mexican coast with many stops, Cabo, Christmas and New Years in Mazatlan, more time in Puerto Vallarta area (Banderas Bay, Las Cruzes, etc., spent time in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, then IntraCoastal up to Norfolk, round to New York, up Hudson and canals to Lake Ontario.
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Old 27-12-2020, 10:48   #11
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

I think it sounds like a great idea, once all the COVID stuff is worked out. Check this social group's threads, there may be a few of help to your planning.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...t+sailors.html
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Old 27-12-2020, 12:33   #12
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maldwin View Post
Thank you All,
I should probably have been more clear, and said I would hire a professional couple, or a Captain and a mate to make the trip, which is one of the reasons it would be cheaper to ship. I have crossed oceans before, but only with professional crew. My reasoning for making the trip is that anything I spent would be fun, whereas the $30/50,000 I spent on a Yacht transporter would be wasted.
As far as timing goes, it seems as though I would be best served by cruising the PNW this Spring, and heading down the coast sometime in July. I am much more familiar with the trip North from the canal, so either spend the Winter in the Islands, and come North in May, or beat myself up in the Winter.
On the question of speed, I agree that 9 Kts seems ambitious for a 52 ft boat, but the broker assured me that is correct. Subject to sea trial.
Best,
Maldwin
Sounds like this is a new to you boat. If so, I'd hire the pro captain to go out with you for a few days and get you familiar with the boat where it's at. After you've sailed it on your own for awhile, you should be able to do the proposed trip though bringing along some basic crew would be wise. For heading down the Pacific Coast you'll be sailing down wind with the current so you shouldn't need that much diesel. While you may not make 9kts, going a little slower under sail would be much more pleasant without the noise of the engine running. This sounds like a great trip as long as you watch your weather windows and infinitely more satisfying than paying to have the boat hauled overland. As long as you can captain it yourself with some free crew, this should be a lot cheaper as well.
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Old 27-12-2020, 12:38   #13
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

West Marine or Amazon sells a book by john Raine's titled cruising ports CA to Fl and vice versa. I used this book sailing from Marco Island FL to San Diego CA. The book provides all the information regarding ports refueling and Panama Cannel requirements. Worth the money
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Old 27-12-2020, 12:51   #14
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

A vessel I was attached to made the passage from Maine USA to Long Beach USA around the Horne. Only a few of the crew had made that passage before. It was in late Fall, worst at sea conditions I have ever experienced, We learned a lot but I never again experienced conditions that severe again. When you have done the Horne, you will have a memorable passage.
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Old 27-12-2020, 12:56   #15
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Re: Sailing from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale

My wife and I sailed from Seattle to NYC in 4.5 years. I’ve never had a bucket list but had I, so many of my experiences would have been on it. It was an incredible adventure.Just go.👍
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