NZ to Seattle by August 2019

[gilligansail]

Hello team,
We have sailed out Outremer 49 from Newport RI to New Zealand. Now we want to get back to Seattle by August 2019. I have no insurance restrictions and shipping is off the table. If you were going to do this what route and timing would you use and why? Thanks Stefan

[Paul L]

Tauranga to Australs - start low enough to make use of accurate first few days of forecast. Feb.

Papeete - to fix things
Hawaii
Strait of Juan de Fuca

[Dsanduril]

Stefan,

Two years ago we took our 50 from NZ to the Australs and then the Tuamotus/Tahiti. From there to Seattle is then pretty easy - Hawaii, around the High, PNW.

We left NZ in March from Christchurch so we were already well south. Tried to follow about 40S bobbing and weaving a little N and S to try and follow decent weather. Had a beam reach or broad reach for everything but the last 150 miles into Tubuai. Waited a couple of days for a decent slant and worked upwind to Raivavae. After that it was pretty easy to the Tuamotus.

From Tuamotus/Tahiti to Hawaii you head NE in the SE trades, making easting as you can. Once you cross the Equator and get into the NE trades you fall off to NW. Beam reach all the way. Below is our track last time we did that leg.



From Hawaii to the PNW is a pretty standard, work your way N in the trades, sometimes going a bit W, get around the high into the westerlies, then head for PNW.

All of the above would be easy in your current time frame.

Option B would be north from NZ, along the equator to make easting, the north.

Option C would be by way of Japan.

Haven't done either of those that direction so can't comment.

[A la carte]

Sounds like an adventure!

I saiedl up the west coast from the Panama Canal to Seattle over the summer and finished this last October. The almost constant 20kt headwind (>30kt at times) made it very slow going. I've never made a trip like you are describing, but I suggest you approach the Strait of Juan De Fuca from the west (on a reach) instead of coming up the U.S. coast if possible.

[Dsanduril]

I saw the second part of your question, "why"?

Leaving NZ in March/April gets you into spring weather, a bit more stable in the southern ocean. Gets you to French Poly after cyclone season, and you'll be coming in at the least hit portion anyway. Then you can spend a little time in French Poly (the Tuamotus are some of our favorite cruising destinations).

However, hurricane season does start in Hawaii ~June, early season tends to be OK (the races from CA to HI run mid-summer) but absolutely no guarantees. Summer from Hawaii to PNW is just the right time for that passage.

All-in-all, the first passage to the Australs is the one that has the most chance to have problems (the worst we saw was about 35 knots), after that it is mostly tradewind sailing and summer westerlies. Of course weather is weather, so something can always crop up, but the odds are pretty good.

[CAPAZ]

we have done a previous trip from NZ called the dateline route, NZ to Fiji
Fiji to Midway, Midway to Seattle this was in a Perry 48ft ketch, we had a beautiful trip. From Fiji to Midway is 3000 mi but all on the back side of the Pacific high, winds lighter and more ENE.

we were 20 days to Midway and 20 days to Seattle up and round the high, did have to motor some on the top edge of the high.

spent 2 or 3 nights in Midway and were able to buy diesel. Now they don't really advertise this as a stop but if you arrive, at least then you could stay in their great harbor.

total trip was 6000mi in 43 days, leaving Fiji in mid July. no dramas! no beating!

just another option to consider

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by CAPAZ

we have done a previous trip from NZ called the dateline route, NZ to Fiji
Fiji to Midway, Midway to Seattle this was in a Perry 48ft ketch, we had a beautiful trip. From Fiji to Midway is 3000 mi but all on the back side of the Pacific high, winds lighter and more ENE.

we were 20 days to Midway and 20 days to Seattle up and round the high, did have to motor some on the top edge of the high.

spent 2 or 3 nights in Midway and were able to buy diesel. Now they don't really advertise this as a stop but if you arrive, at least then you could stay in their great harbor.

total trip was 6000mi in 43 days, leaving Fiji in mid July. no dramas! no beating!

just another option to consider

That's a really interesting route. Not sure it is still viable. From noonsite

Midway Atoll (the Midway Wildlife refuge and the Battle of Midway National memorial) has been closed to visitors since 2013.

Update for 2017 Visitor Season

Due to budget issues U.S. Fish & Wildlife has been forced to suspend all visitor programs on Midway Atoll starting in 2013. The visitor program will not likely reopen until 2019 at the earliest.

See this US website and the FWS site for the current situation.

Previously, when visiting was allowed, advance permission was required and on arrival a USFWS official would make arrangements to meet you and your crew for a briefing.

Any visiting boat would be inspected for pests in order to preserve the ecological integrity of the islands. Strictly, no pets are allowed.

Last updated March 2017.