Boat Swap

Hi,
We're new to the Trawler Forum. We live aboard and cruise extensively on the east coast of Australia. Have noticed that a lot of people are based in the states. Has anyone ever thought of a boat swap system, where people from the US could come to Aus and swap boats with cruising folk from here untill their visas ran out. It would open up a lot of new cruising grounds without the expense of getting your own boat there. The biggest problem I guess, is we drive on the other side of the road.

normandawn1 said:

The biggest problem I guess, is we drive on the other side of the road.

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Not to mention ... driving up side down, and sailing in winter (could be a good thing for swapping with the up side up folks) ... might not be a bad idea at all!

Yep I forgot we were upside down. It's a wonder the water doesn't drain away..

And I thought your props turned in the opposite direction.

Yep that's right.
Our left hand props turn right and our right handed props turn left . port is green and starboard is red.
So I just can't see how a boat swap would work

Tidahapah said:

Yep that's right.
Our left hand props turn right and our right handed props turn left . port is green and starboard is red.
So I just can't see how a boat swap would work

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Benn, that could prove to be just the ticket to improve my boat handling skills

Pua Hana may have a view, but I would check my insurance. Is there some sort of certification of private boat skippers in Australia?

Normandawn,
I suppose our insurance would be the biggest impediment in allowing another skipper the use of your boat for cruising the coast.
If suitable qualifications could be produced then the insurer may give it the go ahead.

I must admit I would not mind doing it but not sure how comfortable I would feel with some stranger driving my boat or how long it would take for a new comer to learn the ins and outs to make ME feel comfortable let alone them selves.

Where are you guys now , last I heard you were still in Tassie.

Cheers
Benn

Tidahapah said:

Yep that's right.
Our left hand props turn right and our right handed props turn left . port is green and starboard is red.
So I just can't see how a boat swap would work

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Plus you put the helm on the wrong side (or do we???)!

I've often thought this could be a beneficial swap among trusting friends with the proper insurance and trusting assurances. Obviously not ideal with strangers. There are several folks on this forum with whom I'd be comfortable swapping boats. As luck would have it, some of their boats are a lot nicer than mine!

Tidahapah said:

..Our left hand props turn right and our right handed props turn left . port is green and starboard is red...

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So my green and red boat shoes won`t help?
My last Aussie (Clem Masters) designed boat had a port helm.
In my state (NSW), I don`t need a license to operate at <10 knots.
10 knots! As the Scots say,"a chance would be a fine thing".

The last time I was down in the Bay of Islands the reverse of the red and greens was much harder to change to compared to here than it was to remember driving on the other side of the road.

So you do really reverse the port and starboard markers?

Anyone familiar with what the rest of the world does, & who is the odd man out.

The UK is red port , green to starboard, not sure if Cardinal Marks are standardised though.

Regarding boat swaps, I think the opportunity to travel some of the Pacific North West would be a huge thrill, people house swap all the time so why not boats, we can be a little precious of our floating assets(diminishing) at times.

normandawn1 said:

Hi,

We're new to the Trawler Forum. We live aboard and cruise extensively on the east coast of Australia. Have noticed that a lot of people are based in the states. Has anyone ever thought of a boat swap system, where people from the US could come to Aus and swap boats with cruising folk from here untill their visas ran out. It would open up a lot of new cruising grounds without the expense of getting your own boat there. The biggest problem I guess, is we drive on the other side of the road.

Click to expand...

I've thought about this possibility and I'm not sure I want someone else driving my boat and I'm not sure I want the responsibility for another's pride and joy so how about a time share arrangement. Let say I'm cruising the Whitsundays later this year, perhaps someone from the northern hemisphere could join us for a three or four weeks then we could go and join them cruising someplace. No more worry about your boat or theirs an no insurance problems plus you make some new friends .....or not as the case may be.

Over the years, I've operated airplanes that were rentals and others which were personal planes of friends or family members which were on loan to me. I can relate that the stress and pressure of operating and caring for another's favorite vehicle/vessel/airplane can be significant compared to operating a rental.

I operated my uncle's Cessna Centurion for a month while breaking in a rebuilt engine for him. It wasn't the fear of an engine failure that got to me. It was the stain on the new paint as a result of a leaking fuel cap as the weather warmed....it was the shaved tire as a result of a locked brake on landing...it was the bird's nest built over a weekend under the engine cowl...it was the failed green light-safe landing gear indicator microswitch that resulted in a precautionary deadstick landing with fire engines chasing me down the runway. By the end of my time with the airplane, I was firm in my conviction that I'd never own one!

Thank God I didn't borrow his boat!

I had a home exchange business and those that tried it raved about it unfortunatley building a decent data
base was difficult and expensive

I swapped once- boats, not ....

I responded to a post on one of the cruisers forums and linked up with a guy in the Bellingham, Wa area. I was living in Newport Beach, Ca at the time. So we both had boats in interesting places, so we swapped.

It took several emails back and forth until we both got comfortable. The deal we worked out was simple: one week, each returned the boat in the same condition as he started and any insurance deductible howsoever caused was the users responsibility. I picked the guy and his wife up at the LA airport he stayed in our house the first night and then I drove him down to San Diego where we kept our boat, checked him out on the systems and away he (and his wife- see above) went. The opposite occurred a few weeks later.

I looked hard at my insurance policy and so did he. They both said that it would cover the use of a boat by a person authorized by me as well as his liability as long as it wasn't commercial use. I believe that swapping boats where no money changes hands is not commercial use. Just like lending your car to a friend.

He got to use my boat in San Diego and Catalina Island and I got to use his in the San Juan Islands. Worked great for both.

So if anyone wants to swap just start a thread with your boat description and location and see what happens.

David

Sounds like it has got a few people thinking. I think it's a bit of a minefield, but could work in some cases. We are still enjoying the Aussie coast, but it cold be a plan in the future.

Hi Benn
we are on our way back from Cairns. Anchored in the Burnett off Bundy waiting for some weather to head further south.

BruceK said:

So my green and red boat shoes won`t help?
My last Aussie (Clem Masters) designed boat had a port helm.
In my state (NSW), I don`t need a license to operate at <10 knots.
10 knots! As the Scots say,"a chance would be a fine thing".

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42 foot bertrams had left side helms way back when.