PNW to Galapagos

[someday_cruiser]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum, so let me introduce myself. I am planning on moving to the PNW soon (Tacoma-Seattle area). Once there I intend on purchasing a boat with the intention of embarking on our dream vacation with my wife. I have some sailing experience, although mainly day sailing. Once we have our boat we intend on taking some longer trips to get an idea of living on the boat for an extended period of time, but still staying in the PNW. I would like some information, any you can give me, on planning for our dream vacation. We would like to leave the PNW with the intention of getting to the Galapagos, stay there for a week or two, and then sail back. I had the following questions I was hoping to get some help with:

1. About how much should I budget for the trip? (this does not include getting the boat bluewater ready, as we will be working on that from the second we get the boat so it'll be spread out over some time.
2. What is the best route to get there and back?
3. About how much time would the whole adventure take? from leaving the PNW to getting back to the Seattle area.
4. We have been looking at boats for some time now and the boat that we are most interested in is a Hunter 36. Would this boat be good for the journey ?

I have been doing as much research as I can but I cannot seem to find as much information as I'd like.

Any information that can be provided would be much appreciated. We intend on making a couple of stops along the way, maybe SF and Central America on the way there, and a couple on the way back, never for more than a day or two.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can lend us.

-A

[IdoraKeeper]

I don't have the info you are asking for but would observe that year round sailing in the PNW will provide you with some interesting experience. Heading south from the PNW requires good planning and a good boat. I am sure you will enjoy the entire process. See you out there!

[Paul L]

Its an over ambitious plan.
PNW to San Fran.
San Fran to San Diego.
San Diego to La Paz.
La Pax to Banderas Bay.
Banderas Bay to Zihuataneho(sp)
Z to Huatalco
Huatalco to Chiapas
Chiapas to Bahia del Sol, El Salvador
Bahia to Bahia Elena, Costa Rica.
Elena to Playa del Cocos
Cocos to Golfito
Golfito to Panama or direct to Cristobol, Galapagos
Cristobol to Isbalela, Galapagos
Galapagos to Hawaii
Hawaii to PNW
A tough slog over a year.

[skipmac]

Hi Someday and welcome to the forum,

I will answer this assuming you're asking a serious question and not trolling or joking.

First, you are asking the nautical equivalent of "I'm in Seattle and I want to fly Delta Airlines to the Galapagos, have lunch and come home."

If you have done some day sailing you must have some idea of how fast a sailboat goes. If the Galapagos is your dream vacation then you must know where they're located.

Without getting out charts and actually measuring it's roughly 4000 miles. For rough voyage planning use a rule of thumb of 100 miles per day so an absolute bare minimum of 40 days non, stop, one way. I would figure more like 50-60 days. Ignoring seasonal weather issues (summer hurricanes and winter storms) figure 5-6 months for the trip.

Coming back you will be sailing against the wind and currents if you go up the coast so plan on sailing via Hawaii. Considering the overall time involved you may run into problems with weather seasons. Summer hurricane season and winter storm season. You should sandwich an ocean voyage in this area between those.

Budget? If you don't plan on stopping and nothing breaks that forces a stop for repairs then the cost is only for the food you eat on the trip. Once you reach the Galapagos then budget will depend on where you stay (expensive marina or anchor for free), if you apply for permits to visit the marine reserve areas, if you cook on board or go out every night.

Nothing wrong with dreaming but the plan as you put it currently doesn't really work. It would be far more practical, cheaper, comfortable and over all enjoyable to fly to the Galapagos for two weeks than to sail.