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Old 04-10-2020, 10:03 PM   #1
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Florida to California

Hello:

This is my first post but I have been a long time lurker.

My wife and I have boated all our life both sail and power and have plenty of time on the water.

We are considering buying a boat in Florida and cruising it to our home state of California.

The boat would be a capable trawler for long range passages. The route would most likely be cruise the Florida Keys and then head down the island chain to the BVI. From BVI cross to Puerto Rico for some time and then head to Panama for a trip thru the canal, and up the coast to home with stops along the way not yet decided.

Has anyone here done this? Any thoughts from anyone?
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Old 04-10-2020, 10:27 PM   #2
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Greetings,
Welcome aboard.
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Old 04-10-2020, 11:24 PM   #3
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No but it sounds like fun. Welcome to TF You should get some great imput here
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Old 04-10-2020, 11:50 PM   #4
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A few on this forum have. The most recent is Richard on Dauntless. His forum handle is Wxx3. Look him up to follow his adventure. Good Luck!

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/...wxx3-4737.html
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Old 04-11-2020, 04:24 AM   #5
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Have made this trip in the other direction, California to Fort Lauderdale, but was a delivery so a fast trip and 16 years ago. Getting ready to cruise our Willard 36 from California to our home in Florida. Had planned this year but will now be next year. Open ended trip, but expect it to take a leisurely two years or so. I have a fair amount of coastal experience having delivered many trawler style boats between Alaska and Mexico.

Planning is fun, but not straight forward. For me, ideally, boat should have at least 1500 nm range. It can be done with less - a lot less, but that's my number. It's approximately the distance between Panama Canal and Florida, and Panama Canal and Acapulco.

For me, boat has to have some form of stabilization. Our boat has active fins, but paravanes would work too. Gyros are not financially practical for anything in my price range.

Route planning. There are seasonal considerations, hurricane/insurance considerations, and geo political considerations (reports of piracy off Nicaraguan coast). All that gets layered onto where you want to visit. Your proposed destinations is the eastern Caribbean route so you would meander through the Bahamas and Turks/Caicos and then south. Port Antonio on northeast end of Jamaica is a decent jumping off point to head to Panama, or you can continue through the islands. Your insurance will dictate you to be well south by June 1, which is fortunately a good time weather wise to move a boat.

This is a great trip. If your goal is to have a memorable trip, great. If your goal is to buy a boat in Florida because they are less expensive than California, well, that's a different thread.
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Old 04-11-2020, 04:42 AM   #6
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Welcome and good luck with your search for a vessel to realize your plans!


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Old 04-11-2020, 05:39 AM   #7
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From the BVI to the Windwards is all up hill.

From Panama to Seattle is mostly uphill.

If you have the legs Florida to Bermuda to the Windwards is longer but smoother .Visit PR ,and Hispanolia and Jamaica on the way to Panama.

From Panama 1/2 way to Hawaii then to Seattle , same longer but soother.

Get a copy of Ocean Passages for the World , for route planning.


Or a CD of Victory at Sea,,, Dance of the North Atlantic , and enjoy.
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Old 04-11-2020, 11:16 AM   #8
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Welcome. Send a PM to Crusty Chief. He has done the Portland to Mexico so far and plans to do the canal next year?
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Old 04-11-2020, 10:04 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mvweebles View Post
Have made this trip in the other direction, California to Fort Lauderdale, but was a delivery so a fast trip and 16 years ago. Getting ready to cruise our Willard 36 from California to our home in Florida. Had planned this year but will now be next year. Open ended trip, but expect it to take a leisurely two years or so. I have a fair amount of coastal experience having delivered many trawler style boats between Alaska and Mexico.

Planning is fun, but not straight forward. For me, ideally, boat should have at least 1500 nm range. It can be done with less - a lot less, but that's my number. It's approximately the distance between Panama Canal and Florida, and Panama Canal and Acapulco.

For me, boat has to have some form of stabilization. Our boat has active fins, but paravanes would work too. Gyros are not financially practical for anything in my price range.

Route planning. There are seasonal considerations, hurricane/insurance considerations, and geo political considerations (reports of piracy off Nicaraguan coast). All that gets layered onto where you want to visit. Your proposed destinations is the eastern Caribbean route so you would meander through the Bahamas and Turks/Caicos and then south. Port Antonio on northeast end of Jamaica is a decent jumping off point to head to Panama, or you can continue through the islands. Your insurance will dictate you to be well south by June 1, which is fortunately a good time weather wise to move a boat.

This is a great trip. If your goal is to have a memorable trip, great. If your goal is to buy a boat in Florida because they are less expensive than California, well, that's a different thread.
This is good information. Thank you for taking the time to reply. I have been looking at boats on the West Coast primarily Southern California to head to the PNW and maybe Alaska, but I found a boat in Florida that checked all the boxes and then some and yes, the price was right (and right now a lower offer may be welcome) but that is not the whole story. We have been thru the canal on a cruise ship but I have always wanted to do it on my own bottom and that is part of the long range cruising plan, so this boat got me to thinking why not do the canal now and PNW later, hence my original question. Thanks again.
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Old 04-12-2020, 10:18 AM   #10
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Unless you really cannot find a west coast boat or you REALLY want to do a serious passage I would advise against it. I had my former 58 Hatteras moved by a captain from San Diego to the Carolinas and even that was an ordeal.

If you are dead set on buying in FL you should expect to spend at least 6 months in FL getting to know the boat and doing some significant cruising. Get all the maintenance done, buy lots of spare parts and learn everything possible about the boat.
Remember that this trip will add a lot if engine hours (reducing boat value) and burn a lot of fuel. Plus your travel back and forth plus marina and transit fees. You also have to hire crew and/or find 3-4 friends who can make this trip. And one or more will back out and leave you short. I considered using one of the shipping options and in hindsight that would have been better. It is not cheap but it is a single known fixed cost and no stress.
I am all for adventure and I do plan to take my new to me Hatteras to the east coast in a few years so I am just trying to share from my experience both with the delivery as well as a number of passages between San Francisco and San Diego.
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Old 04-12-2020, 10:44 AM   #11
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Unless you really cannot find a west coast boat or you REALLY want to do a serious passage I would advise against it. I had my former 58 Hatteras moved by a captain from San Diego to the Carolinas and even that was an ordeal.

If you are dead set on buying in FL you should expect to spend at least 6 months in FL getting to know the boat and doing some significant cruising. Get all the maintenance done, buy lots of spare parts and learn everything possible about the boat.
Remember that this trip will add a lot if engine hours (reducing boat value) and burn a lot of fuel. Plus your travel back and forth plus marina and transit fees. You also have to hire crew and/or find 3-4 friends who can make this trip. And one or more will back out and leave you short. I considered using one of the shipping options and in hindsight that would have been better. It is not cheap but it is a single known fixed cost and no stress.
I am all for adventure and I do plan to take my new to me Hatteras to the east coast in a few years so I am just trying to share from my experience both with the delivery as well as a number of passages between San Francisco and San Diego.
Thank you for the information. Not dead set on buying on the East Coast. Just really liked a boat in Florida that I think is priced really right, I also do like the the idea of cruising the keys and the trip down the island chain and top it off with the canal passage. Not looking forward to the uphill ride from Panama to CA. but I could hire a captain or ship the boat from there. Just looking at all the possibilities. It really makes most sense to buy on the West Coast and that is what may happen. I really appreciate first hand knowledge and that is why I posted here so Thanks again for the input.
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Old 04-12-2020, 11:56 AM   #12
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I've said it before and I'll say it again..

Buy a boat close to home, never more than 500 miles from your home port.

There was a recent thread from a fellow who was looking at a boat in England with his ultimate destination being somewhere on the West Coast (if memory serves). Really, really an expensive situation. I pointed out that beyond a shipping fee of maybe $50,000 he would have at least another $20,000 in related expenses like buying trips, loading help, sales tax issues and lawyers.

So my advice is "Don't even look at the advertising for boats on opposite coasts" you might be tempted to "just take a look" and before you know it you are investigating logistics of getting it home.

Florida to california is almost a "You can't get there from here" situation. I know people have done it but for every person who has actually made the trip I bet there are several thousand who looked into it and gave up on the idea.

Good Luck either way though.

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Old 04-12-2020, 12:28 PM   #13
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I've been contemplating a similar adventure but from Florida to Alaska where I live. If I end up doing it I'm going to take my time and enjoy it. If it takes me two years oh well it will be time well spent exploring new waters and meeting new friends. If you've got the time I've got the beer. LOL
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Old 04-12-2020, 01:02 PM   #14
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Check on the restrictions of private boat traffic through the Panama Canal with CV-19 going on. I read somewhere recently it was closed to private boats.
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Old 04-12-2020, 01:59 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete Meisinger View Post
I've said it before and I'll say it again..

Buy a boat close to home, never more than 500 miles from your home port
I'm going to differ a bit with you Pete. There are at least two situations where this makes sense: First, where the OP has identified a fairly specialized and/or expensive vessel category/type such that location is less important than condition. Second, where the buyer's cruising plan has flexibility to accommodate the trip. OP indicates a thumbs-up on both counts, and I take him at his word that he has experience.

But, back to the original question by the OP - is the trip feasible? Absolutely! It's not without risk and there will be rough patches. Spend the winter and spring months in Bahamas/Turks & Caicos, then plan the 550 nms trek from Port Antonio Jamaica to Panama Canal sometime in May/June which coincides with seasonally good weather for the crossing. Down-side is summer is the rainy season, and it can rain hard - hot and buggy too.

Yachts can be shipped out of Golfito CR (Caribbean side) or as far south as Manzanillo MX, which is about 400 nms north of Acapulco, about 2000 nms north of the Panama Canal, but lops off 2500 nms of transit to Seattle.

The northward bash along the Pacific is manageable, but timing is important, but you must be mindful of hurricanes as the get stronger in late season - October storms can be brutal. It's a little tricky to get north quickly from Mazatlan or so, but the sooner the better - seas are often damn flat in October, but hurricane season doesn't officially end until Nov 1.

I will agree that this is an oft-dreamed about trip and that relatively few pull it off. It's expensive and takes a committed crew, and a decent boat.

Peter
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Old 04-12-2020, 03:15 PM   #16
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I've been contemplating a similar adventure but from Florida to Alaska where I live. If I end up doing it I'm going to take my time and enjoy it. If it takes me two years oh well it will be time well spent exploring new waters and meeting new friends. If you've got the time I've got the beer. LOL
Do it. Looks like you already have the boat so you're a step ahead of me.
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Old 04-12-2020, 03:18 PM   #17
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Check on the restrictions of private boat traffic through the Panama Canal with CV-19 going on. I read somewhere recently it was closed to private boats.
Thank you. I'm hoping that this Covid deal is over by the end of the year, which is about my time line to cast off the lines.
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Old 04-12-2020, 03:59 PM   #18
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Great additional point blefever, I have listed a few of the negatives of buying a boat from far away. I forgot one of the big ones. Covid-19. In some instances it may be plain impossible to shop or buy a boat from Europe or other closer far away places until all the Covid-19 stuff is gone.

There is still talk of the virus being able to live for literally months on some soft surfaces. I guess I would want to know more about the previous occupants of any boat before I went looking and climbing over it.

Lets get back to more positive thoughts, like right now Northern Wisconsin looks like a winter wonderland!

pete
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Old 04-12-2020, 04:11 PM   #19
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Quote:
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I've been contemplating a similar adventure but from Florida to Alaska where I live. If I end up doing it I'm going to take my time and enjoy it. If it takes me two years oh well it will be time well spent exploring new waters and meeting new friends. If you've got the time I've got the beer. LOL
Otnot has the right idea, take your time. We did the reverse trip from Alaska to Florida. The San Diego to Florida leg took us 4 years and 9 months. Watching the seasons will allow for mostly comfortable passages particularly up the west side. Just be careful that you don’t spend too much time in one spot. You may not leave.
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Old 04-12-2020, 05:12 PM   #20
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Otnot has the right idea, take your time. We did the reverse trip from Alaska to Florida. The San Diego to Florida leg took us 4 years and 9 months. Watching the seasons will allow for mostly comfortable passages particularly up the west side. Just be careful that you don’t spend too much time in one spot. You may not leave.
Larry after 55 winters in Alaska I doubt I will be in a hurry to return. Hell I might just make a left turn after Panama and head south, just not too far south.
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