Crew Wanted: Delivery from New Caledonia to Seattle

[ohthetrees]

Hello, I’m interested hiring a captain and crew to deliver a sailboat from New Caledonia (South Pacific West of Fiji) to Seattle. I'm very close to purchasing the boat, but I need to get it home.

The boat is a Hanse 505, 2016 model, very well equipped, all safety equipment, personal AIS, radar, storm jib and trysail, drogues, great condition. It has sailed over the last 2 years from Europe to New Caledonia and is very well equipped, has many spares, and is in great condition.

I imagine the delivery crew would stop in Hawaii, recuperate for a few days, and wait for a weather window?

Also interested in delivery only to Hawaii rather than coming all the way to Seattle. In that case, I’d leave the boat in Hawaii, then deliver it myself in April/May.

My questions:
What times of year would be safe with such a delivery? Ideally I'd like it delivered this winter, but realize safety and prudence may dictate otherwise.

Are there skippers/crews out there for such long haul deliveries? In winter??

Any expenses I'm forgetting about other than airfare, food, fuel, marina fees?

Would boat be trashed by the trip? I expect wear and tear on sails and lines from crossing an ocean, but delivery skippers seem like they are incentivized to run hard when an owner/cruiser might lay up and wait for perfect conditions.

Am I mad to consider buying a boat so far away and having it delivered?

Finally, what is a very very rough guesstimate for delivery expense, all-in? No sense in even getting interested in this boat if it will be a $50K delivery.

Thanks for any tips and thoughts, particularly from owners who have experience with hiring delivery crews, and delivery skippers.

[atoll]

ideal time to deliver it would be between november and april,to hawaii from fiji or french polynesia,heading NE from new caledonia direct to hawaii is not really an option during the NE trade wind season.
the onset of the S pacific cyclone season would also mean that ideally the boat would need to sail to FR polynesia in the next few weeks before the onset of S pacific cyclone season.

the trip would require a lot of motor sailing to wind ward during the first leg,then hard windward sailing during the height of the NE trades to hawaii,so plenty of ware and tear on the sails and engine.

could be done in about 8+ weeks to hawaii assuming no breakages and short stops,no early cyclones or late hurricanes.

a procrew of 3 expect about 3k$ per week delivery fee and costs plus airfares.

crew would need to hold full USA B1/B2 visas or be us nationals

[leichilu]

Google "Erden Eruc," he's US citizen living in Gig Harbor, WA and may be up for this. Ping me if you need his email.

[Paul L]

Consider delivering it to New Castle, Australia and then shipping to Vancouver. I think your usd$50k is likely to get spent, if you use a delivery crew and deal with the wear, tear and repairs, or if you ship via freighter.

[HankOnthewater]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Consider delivering it to New Castle, Australia and then shipping to Vancouver. I think your usd$50k is likely to get spent, if you use a delivery crew and deal with the wear, tear and repairs, or if you ship via freighter.

That might be better idea than sailing on its own bottom all the way. Either way $50k might not be enough.

Don't know your circumstances, but there might be third option: leave the boat there as cruising there is fantastic, one lifetime is not enough.

[ohthetrees]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Consider delivering it to New Castle, Australia and then shipping to Vancouver. I think your usd$50k is likely to get spent, if you use a delivery crew and deal with the wear, tear and repairs, or if you ship via freighter.

I got a quote from Sevenstar for $90K from Sydney to Seattle. Hahahahaha. Is there something special about the New Castle to Vancouver route? If so, could you share more info (company name, etc?)

Originally Posted by leichilu

Google "Erden Eruc," he's US citizen living in Gig Harbor, WA and may be up for this. Ping me if you need his email.

I'll look him up!

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by ohthetrees

I got a quote from Sevenstar for $90K from Sydney to Seattle. Hahahahaha. Is there something special about the New Castle to Vancouver route? If so, could you share more info (company name, etc?)

....

New Castle is the typical yacht shipping port on the Aust east coast. Vancouver is a typical stop instead of Seattle due to the US shipping rules.
Friends just shipped a 49ft mono New Castle to West Palm Beach, FL for around usd$50k.
Note that the first quote from yacht shipping companies should not be considered the final quote, as time gets closer they don't want empty spots.

Like I said above, either way you are probably looking at 50k before you are done. At least with the shipping its a known cost. Don't forget to include insurance costs along with all the other costs if you use a delivery crew.
So get a good deal on the boat.

There are a number of delivery skippers on CF, so you should get some feedback from them soon.

[ohthetrees]

Originally Posted by Paul L

New Castle is the typical yacht shipping port on the Aust east coast. Vancouver is a typical stop instead of Seattle due to the US shipping rules.
Friends just shipped a 49ft mono New Castle to West Palm Beach, FL for around usd$50k.
Note that the first quote from yacht shipping companies should not be considered the final quote, as time gets closer they don't want empty spots.

Like I said above, either way you are probably looking at 50k before you are done. At least with the shipping its a known cost. Don't forget to include insurance costs along with all the other costs if you use a delivery crew.
So get a good deal on the boat.

There are a number of delivery skippers on CF, so you should get some feedback from them soon.

Thanks. Any idea what shipping company your friends used? I've contacted several, but want to make sure I cover all my bases.

I do think the boat is a good deal. I think even with addition of $50K transport cost, it would be competitive on the local market, maybe not a steal. But I don't think I'll do the deal if $50K is the best I can get. But it is equipped and specced almost exactly as I would choose, I've been watching the global market for a year, and this boat appeals above all others. And I'm crossing my fingers that I might get it here for less than $50K.

I haven't forgotten about insurance and taxes. I've contacted a broker to help me with that stuff, and have a preliminary price on the insurance.

[Tillsbury]

For the poster in the other thread asking about selling in Fiji, this is exactly what the majority of potential buyers have to go through before making an offer. And a lot of them (me included) bail out unless the deal is incredible.

Don’t forget that the delivery skipper will want anything broken fixed first, and/or the shipping company will want you there loading up.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by ohthetrees

Thanks. Any idea what shipping company your friends used? I've contacted several, but want to make sure I cover all my bases.

I do think the boat is a good deal. I think even with addition of $50K transport cost, it would be competitive on the local market, maybe not a steal. But I don't think I'll do the deal if $50K is the best I can get. But it is equipped and specced almost exactly as I would choose, I've been watching the global market for a year, and this boat appeals above all others. And I'm crossing my fingers that I might get it here for less than $50K.

I haven't forgotten about insurance and taxes. I've contacted a broker to help me with that stuff, and have a preliminary price on the insurance.

Send me a PM and I'll give you his email address

[JPA Cate]

Ohthetrees,

It's almost Halloween. Eight weeks to HI, makes you at the end of December, when the winter storms will be having their way with the route to Seattle. Shipping is your best bet.

Delivering on her bottom is going to cost A LOT, be dangerous enough to risk loss of the boat and people's lives, and, including a lot of breakage and wear and tear, just for a "good deal". Really? Boats are usually not viable as investments at the lower financial levels. Aristotle Onassis had enough wealth to make it work, we surely didn't.

Friends of ours have shipped their boats from Brisbane, Australia, to Mexico and to Vancouver, much smaller boats, though, but were satisfied with the service.

FYI, good times for the run to Seattle are in July, August, even though it is hurricane season in Mexico. Your first few days from Hanalei Bay are hard on the wind, making northing, getting around the Pacific High, till you can crack off for Seattle. If there is a hurricane off Mexico's west coast, it can suck the Hi out of existence, and the NWerlies slam right down. Best done before Sept., imo.

Ann

[candideyy]

Hi
i live in New Caledonia
if you want to buy that boat and sail to Hawai , you need to move soon, end of next month bad season of cyclone will begin, till to march april,
on early next may its possible to sail again safe.
for now the wind is strong , but that's good to move to the north.
its not an easy trip, from new caledonia to the line its on the good side of wind
then after the line with front wind , its more uncomfortable.
another way is to Polynesia and then Hawai, longer but easier with the wind
i saw the boat, its a nice one good shape, and state
maybe you can find someone from here that can sail the boat
will be cheaper,
Yves

[Snore]

PM sent

[stormalong]

We sailed from New Zealand to Puget sound in 2010. Eight weeks is about right, if you have very short stops.

Did it in three legs. NZ to Rapa Iti in the Austral Islands, Rapa Iti to Honolulu and then on to Uculet on the west coast of Vancouver Island. This route takes you close enough to Tahiti to consider it as an additional stop.

Best time to leave is in March.

This route is a beat for the first two legs but can be sailed on one tack. It is also very isolated. From one day out of NZ to Hawaii we saw no ships and none on the third leg either. Even in Rapa Iti as they get a supply ship once a month. The third leg was very slow because the North Pacific high seemed to move with us. I believe the equatorial route is slower but have no personal experience.

[ohthetrees]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Ohthetrees,

It's almost Halloween. Eight weeks to HI, makes you at the end of December, when the winter storms will be having their way with the route to Seattle. Shipping is your best bet.

Delivering on her bottom is going to cost A LOT, be dangerous enough to risk loss of the boat and people's lives, and, including a lot of breakage and wear and tear, just for a "good deal". Really? Boats are usually not viable as investments at the lower financial levels. Aristotle Onassis had enough wealth to make it work, we surely didn't.
Ann

Thanks for the input. One poster above (atoll) estimated 8 weeks to Hawaii, but I wouldn't take that as gospel. I've been in touch with two professional delivery skippers who estimated much less time than that.

My best transport quote so far is $75K, so not sure it is my "best bet". I'm continuing to ask for quotes, so maybe this angle will work out.

Don't know where you got the idea I regarded this as an investment. I'm aware that I might not come out ahead of buying locally after transport costs are accounted for. But this boat ticks all the boxes on my wishlist, and is specced pretty much exactly as we would if we were buying from the factory. So if I could get it for a "fair deal", I'd still be interested.

I'm not committed yet, and if I can't make the transport/delivery angle work out, I'll walk away. Right now I'm exploring on all fronts.

Originally Posted by candideyy

Hi
i live in New Caledonia
if you want to buy that boat and sail to Hawai , you need to move soon, end of next month bad season of cyclone will begin, till to march april,
on early next may its possible to sail again safe.
for now the wind is strong , but that's good to move to the north.
its not an easy trip, from new caledonia to the line its on the good side of wind
then after the line with front wind , its more uncomfortable.
another way is to Polynesia and then Hawai, longer but easier with the wind
i saw the boat, its a nice one good shape, and state
maybe you can find someone from here that can sail the boat
will be cheaper,
Yves

Thanks for the inside info Yves. Glad you had good impression of the boat in person. If we do this, we will have to move quickly, and are currently exploring both delivery and transport as quickly as we can. If delivery, my goal would be departure mid/late November. Otherwise, only transport will be possible.

Originally Posted by stormalong

We sailed from New Zealand to Puget sound in 2010. Eight weeks is about right, if you have very short stops.

Did it in three legs. NZ to Rapa Iti in the Austral Islands, Rapa Iti to Honolulu and then on to Uculet on the west coast of Vancouver Island. This route takes you close enough to Tahiti to consider it as an additional stop.

Best time to leave is in March.

This route is a beat for the first two legs but can be sailed on one tack. It is also very isolated. From one day out of NZ to Hawaii we saw no ships and none on the third leg either. Even in Rapa Iti as they get a supply ship once a month. The third leg was very slow because the North Pacific high seemed to move with us. I believe the equatorial route is slower but have no personal experience.

Thanks for the first hand info. 8 weeks was about what we are guestimating as well. Atol, above, was guessing 8 weeks to Hawaii only, which seems quite long. Right now we feel our best bet is delivery to Hawaii in November, then wintering there, and I'll deliver myself to Seattle in late spring.