Pacific Crossing - West to East
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
hollywood8118
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Last night I sat up and read the entire blog above..
If the OP really wants to know what its like this is a great read.
His route was interesting and had a lot of cool stuff to see had he had time to stop and check places out. His writings confirmed that a lot of the trip it is the wrong direction to go. Also he made a bad choice leaving Hawaii to not do the typical course and get pretty far north first.. but he made it so it was successful!
Sounds like he had a great boat.. but a slow one for sure. If I wanted to go THAT slow for a total trip average I would stick with sailing.
HOLLYWOOD
Rsysol
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I have not, my boat has. Single engine 55' steel trawler. Sorry, no fancy brand name to spout, just a solid boat built to go places. We have 3800 gallons of fuel onboard with a range (at ocean crossing speeds of 6 knots) of about 6000 miles.
The PO took the boat from Equador to the Marquesa's with the plan to circumnavigate. His wife got ill and they returned to the states and hired a captain to bring the vessel back to Mexico, which they did. My understanding is that the trip as uneventful. Of course, that was the story I heard during the sales process.
Antipodes has 35,000 nm under her keel and we are eventually taking her across one of the oceans once we retire. We've done Mexico to Alaska so far but no major crossing.
captmikem
Veteran Member
I have done East to West a half dozen times, in both sail and power. I have only done the opposite once, Power boat, but I went North to the Aleutians, over to Alaska then down. I would no way cross the central Pacific west to east in anything smaller than 300 ft.
It would be far easier to continue on west. More things to see as well.
M
It would be far easier to continue on west. More things to see as well.
M
Donsan
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Another Diesel Duck that did the passage west to east was M/V Shearwater.
https://www.sailblogs.com/member/mvshearwater/266915
https://www.sailblogs.com/member/mvshearwater/266915
SeaMaster101
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In September of 2013 I started my circumnavigation on 1972 47' trawler type boat from Vancouver, Canada. We spent about 4-5 months in US gong down the coast and In 2015 we crossed to Mexico. It was lovely there so we settled in LaPaz for few years, then I went back to work for a while. We met many nice people there - lifelong friends.
In Jan 2018 back on the boat, preparation for ocean crossing - full time!
I and a friend departed from San Jose Del Cabo on 2,800 NM crossing to Hiva Oua in the Marquises Islands. We arrived there in 17 days.
Consequently we traveled from Hiva Oua to the Tuamotos, then Tahiti, followed trips to Morrea, Huahini, Bora-Bora, Rarotonga Cook Islands, Tonga, Minerva reef and then arrived in New Zealand little less than a year ago in November.
I attended the 2018 "Puddle jumpers rendezvous" in Cook Bay Morrea, where there were 56 sailboats and 1 Power vessel - the mighty SeaWitch.
It was a lot of fun and real adventure doing that trip. I can't wait to get back to the boat in a month or so after spending a full year promoting my new product developed from experience. you can read about it here: 6700 Vitals Vessel System Monitoring & Smart Alarm Device This product has been my helper helped me do remote engine room checks as most of the time.
I was doing mostly "singlehanded" passages with one avid fisherman friend on board to the Tuamotos, or my wife after that to Tahiti who was terrified at night. I took almost all night shifts and it is not a problem once you get into the routine. I had AIS, and 2 radars with short range and long range guard zones going.
Unfortunately I don't do blogs, but if you would like to know any details, please let me know and I will try to help to the best I can
Cheers!
Lets get more power vessel on these Puddle jumpers rendezvous
Picture is from Cook's Bay in Morrea. Magical place only 16NM from Tahiti.
In Jan 2018 back on the boat, preparation for ocean crossing - full time!
I and a friend departed from San Jose Del Cabo on 2,800 NM crossing to Hiva Oua in the Marquises Islands. We arrived there in 17 days.
Consequently we traveled from Hiva Oua to the Tuamotos, then Tahiti, followed trips to Morrea, Huahini, Bora-Bora, Rarotonga Cook Islands, Tonga, Minerva reef and then arrived in New Zealand little less than a year ago in November.
I attended the 2018 "Puddle jumpers rendezvous" in Cook Bay Morrea, where there were 56 sailboats and 1 Power vessel - the mighty SeaWitch.
It was a lot of fun and real adventure doing that trip. I can't wait to get back to the boat in a month or so after spending a full year promoting my new product developed from experience. you can read about it here: 6700 Vitals Vessel System Monitoring & Smart Alarm Device This product has been my helper helped me do remote engine room checks as most of the time.
I was doing mostly "singlehanded" passages with one avid fisherman friend on board to the Tuamotos, or my wife after that to Tahiti who was terrified at night. I took almost all night shifts and it is not a problem once you get into the routine. I had AIS, and 2 radars with short range and long range guard zones going.
Unfortunately I don't do blogs, but if you would like to know any details, please let me know and I will try to help to the best I can
Cheers!
Lets get more power vessel on these Puddle jumpers rendezvous
Picture is from Cook's Bay in Morrea. Magical place only 16NM from Tahiti.
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FoxtrotCharlie
Guru
Just made a friend athe AGLCA Fall Rendezvous from NZ that wants to make that trip on a Nordhavn 60 - sounds like a great adventure
Les_Garten
Veteran Member
Where can you "read" that story? I watched the video many times but didn't know there was anything written up on it.
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Still looking for the story from the Nordhavn site, but here's a recap until I find it.
https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/megayachts/crossing-pacific-ocean-nordhavn-120
Can't find written log, but here is the dvd.
https://nordhavn.com/resources/merchandise/nordhavn-120-delivery-china-to-vancouver/
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Hi, I have cruised my OA 60 from Alaska to Queensland as well as sailing from Panama to Oz and have a few thoughts fo you that would take too long to write out. You may like to give me a call 0418 883341 .I also have 1200lt AFL bladder for sale.
Briefly , I would be going on a equatorial route or even up to Hawaii. Perfect planing prevents pi. . poor performance.
Briefly , I would be going on a equatorial route or even up to Hawaii. Perfect planing prevents pi. . poor performance.
sledge
Senior Member
To the OP: you might find some good info from a Nordhavn MV Dirona, yes it is actually a 52’ boat, but they have done some ocean passages with fuel bladders and there is quite a bit in their blogs and videos.
daysgoneby
Member
https://setsail.com/fpb-in-the-press-soundings-feature-now-live-online/#more-43553
There is a video/article of a delivery captain running an Artnautica LRC 58 from New Zealand to Panama. Sorry, I can't find the link.
https://www.artnautica.eu/blog-post/lrc58-4-sailed-to-thailand/
It's an uphill route, most sailors head up north from French Polynesia to Hawaii than to the PNW.
There is a video/article of a delivery captain running an Artnautica LRC 58 from New Zealand to Panama. Sorry, I can't find the link.
https://www.artnautica.eu/blog-post/lrc58-4-sailed-to-thailand/
It's an uphill route, most sailors head up north from French Polynesia to Hawaii than to the PNW.
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I'm looking into the same idea as the OP.
Here is the link from FPB going east.
https://setsail.com/fiji-to-panama-7500-miles-one-stop-new-video/
Here is the link from FPB going east.
https://setsail.com/fiji-to-panama-7500-miles-one-stop-new-video/
Steve Jackson
Veteran Member
I have done this trip a couple of times as a navigator on a small ship. If you PM me I will send you my phone number and would be glad to discuss a number of things that you should take into consideration. I see no mention of looking at Pilot Charts for the time you are planning on doing the trip. There is a lot of information I can share.
sunchaser
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Ahhh FPB, the ultimate serious, fast and long range blue water vessel. With decent weather routing the 10 - 11 knots cruise speed allows poor weather to be avoided. A good sized wallet and serious passage making desires are required.
rsn48
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I see I responded earlier recommending the sailing forum but I didn't say why as I assumed you'd check.
I can't speak with any reliability on your intended West/East journey but I can talk with some degree of efficacy on the Hawaii to Vancouver/Seattle/Alaska route. The big deal is the wind, more precisely the storms.
On a sailboat, one should leave Hawaii for points Northwest by the first week of September. One day after working on my sailboat, I was driving home in my BMW. These cars had radios that were equipped with the marine weather broadcast, wish that were still true today. I had the weather on, don't know why, I was driving home from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove when a Securite came over the radio. It was a "be on the look out for two sailboats" that had left Hawaii at the end of September, one heading to Seattle, the other to Alaska. Due to their timed crossing nasty storms had been reported in the anticipated destination course. The securite was for commercial ship crews to report a sighting if one was made. The two boats were never heard from after their departure.
So the first critical question is - what is the best weather window and why.
I can't speak with any reliability on your intended West/East journey but I can talk with some degree of efficacy on the Hawaii to Vancouver/Seattle/Alaska route. The big deal is the wind, more precisely the storms.
On a sailboat, one should leave Hawaii for points Northwest by the first week of September. One day after working on my sailboat, I was driving home in my BMW. These cars had radios that were equipped with the marine weather broadcast, wish that were still true today. I had the weather on, don't know why, I was driving home from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove when a Securite came over the radio. It was a "be on the look out for two sailboats" that had left Hawaii at the end of September, one heading to Seattle, the other to Alaska. Due to their timed crossing nasty storms had been reported in the anticipated destination course. The securite was for commercial ship crews to report a sighting if one was made. The two boats were never heard from after their departure.
So the first critical question is - what is the best weather window and why.
Playin Hooky
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My marina neighbor jumped off in a 40' Sailboat from the PNW. They went to Mexico, sailed West to French Polynesia, North to Hawaii, East to San Diego. They sailed East in late July. I think the crossing was 24-25 days. He was very experienced and seemed to be able to repair any system.
I would agree with this. All of my long-distance cruising has been on sailboats, and in that case you are always aware of "seasons" in various places, plus the prevailing winds, swells, and currents of the world. Voyage planning oftentimes works "backwards" from these factors (i.e. you work to nature vs. the opposite).
I don't know how much of that you can "buck" in a stabilized powerboat -- perhaps a lot -- but it seems like it would still be a good idea to know which routes are "bucking" nature vs. running with it, and which factor(s) you'd be going against.
SeaMaster101
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My plan to continue west on my circumnavigation has changed due to the COVID situation and the uncertainty in the coming years. I will be bringing my 47' vessel back from New Zealand to BC when the borders open again. I explored shipping my vessel back to North America, but the quote I received for that was ridiculous $72k, so "no cigar"!
So I have no choice but to bash back... I'm debating if I should take the shortest possible way back to BC as specified below, or spend a season or two in the Tahiti and the Tuamotos, where the whole family can gather together and have a nice time again.
here is the shortest route that I can take with my 1400 gal fuel capacity:
Leg 1: I will head north from New Zealand to Fiji - about 1200NM - 8-9 day voyage
Leg 2: From Fiji to the Samoa's - about 800NM 5-6 day voyage
Leg 3: Samoa to Christmas Islands - about 1,400NM - 10 day voyage
Leg 4: Christmas Islands to Hawaii - about 1,300NM - 9-10 day voyage
Leg 5: Hawaii to BC - about 2,800 NM - 18 to 20 day voyage
I know my friend has done BC-to NZ and back trip around 2009-2010. and again down south in 2018. Now his boat is in Fiji and he decided to put it for sale, instead of bringing it back. That does not give me warm and fuzzy feelings about the trip back. One is for sure: it will be an adventure!
As I always said: "Anybody can do it in a sail boat, go try it with power boat..."
So I have no choice but to bash back... I'm debating if I should take the shortest possible way back to BC as specified below, or spend a season or two in the Tahiti and the Tuamotos, where the whole family can gather together and have a nice time again.
here is the shortest route that I can take with my 1400 gal fuel capacity:
Leg 1: I will head north from New Zealand to Fiji - about 1200NM - 8-9 day voyage
Leg 2: From Fiji to the Samoa's - about 800NM 5-6 day voyage
Leg 3: Samoa to Christmas Islands - about 1,400NM - 10 day voyage
Leg 4: Christmas Islands to Hawaii - about 1,300NM - 9-10 day voyage
Leg 5: Hawaii to BC - about 2,800 NM - 18 to 20 day voyage
I know my friend has done BC-to NZ and back trip around 2009-2010. and again down south in 2018. Now his boat is in Fiji and he decided to put it for sale, instead of bringing it back. That does not give me warm and fuzzy feelings about the trip back. One is for sure: it will be an adventure!
As I always said: "Anybody can do it in a sail boat, go try it with power boat..."
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I have read this article.
https://www.passagemaker.com/cruiser...dhavn-41-range
I caught up with PAE Vice President Jim Leishman the other day to talk about the 41. Leishman and I got to know one another during the Nordhavn 40 around-the-world voyage back in 2003. We spent two weeks together on the Oman-Djibouti-Suez leg of the record-setting circumnavigation.
Since the 41 is replacing the now-discontinued 40, there was some basis for comparison. The single-screw 40 arrived at Hawaii from California with just 40 gallons of fuel remaining in its 920-gallon tank. The distance: 2,100 nautical miles. Yet the 41 with twin 75-horsepower diesels was being touted as being able to nearly quadruple that range with 900 gallons. What gives?
https://www.passagemaker.com/cruiser...dhavn-41-range
I caught up with PAE Vice President Jim Leishman the other day to talk about the 41. Leishman and I got to know one another during the Nordhavn 40 around-the-world voyage back in 2003. We spent two weeks together on the Oman-Djibouti-Suez leg of the record-setting circumnavigation.
Since the 41 is replacing the now-discontinued 40, there was some basis for comparison. The single-screw 40 arrived at Hawaii from California with just 40 gallons of fuel remaining in its 920-gallon tank. The distance: 2,100 nautical miles. Yet the 41 with twin 75-horsepower diesels was being touted as being able to nearly quadruple that range with 900 gallons. What gives?
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