Florida to California

[Taras]

I have purchased 2 boats in Florida and shipped both of them from Ft Lauderdale to Ensenada Mx. I’d do it again too. The price I got buying the boat in Fl more than paid for the shipping. First boat was a 53’ Carver then my current vessel a 66’ Cheoy Lee LRC. I got competing bids against the 2 shipping companies and by “playing them” got the price reduced significantly. Lastly, I did not shrink wrap the flybridge on my first boat and when it landed in Ensenada, it was pretty caked in salt spray. So, on my second boat, I had the flybridge shrink wrapped for $500 and that really kept the upper helm clean. Bottom line, for the right priced boat, it makes sense $$

 

[blefever]

I have purchased 2 boats in Florida and shipped both of them from Ft Lauderdale to Ensenada Mx. I’d do it again too. The price I got buying the boat in Fl more than paid for the shipping. First boat was a 53’ Carver then my current vessel a 66’ Cheoy Lee LRC. I got competing bids against the 2 shipping companies and by “playing them” got the price reduced significantly. Lastly, I did not shrink wrap the flybridge on my first boat and when it landed in Ensenada, it was pretty caked in salt spray. So, on my second boat, I had the flybridge shrink wrapped for $500 and that really kept the upper helm clean. Bottom line, for the right priced boat, it makes sense $$

Thank you. Is there a shipping advantage to drop the boat in Mexico as opposed to the States?

 

[FF]

"Is there a shipping advantage to drop the boat in Mexico as opposed to the States?"

YES, The Jones act requires a us vessel to go from a US port to a US port.

 

[blefever]

"Is there a shipping advantage to drop the boat in Mexico as opposed to the States?"

YES, The Jones act requires a us vessel to go from a US port to a US port.

So now I'm confused. Tarus says he has shipped from Florida to Ensenada. "I have purchased 2 boats in Florida and shipped both of them from Ft Lauderdale to Ensenada Mx"

That is US to MX.?

 

[mvweebles]

"Is there a shipping advantage to drop the boat in Mexico as opposed to the States?"

YES, The Jones act requires a us vessel to go from a US port to a US port.

Jones Act applies to the cargo ship, not the yachts being moved aboard it. Basically says that unless the boat is American built/operated, it cannot call on two consecutive US ports. There are waivers and exceptions, but my guess is FF's post is Jones Act explains why yachts are often delivered to Ensenada versus Long Beach or Los Angeles; and why yachts are often delivered to Victoria BC versus Seattle.

There is also regular yacht delivery service to/from Mazanillo MX, north of Acapulco. Jones Act less likely to apply this far down the coast.

Peter

 

[ricko600]

Much To Consider

I’m sure you’re seeing by the number and length of replies to your posting that this is a very involved process. Books have been written about every part of this, I haven’t written one and don’t want to here.

In the last 3 years I have cruised my Nordhavn 40 from Seattle to Alaska, San Diego, La Paz, Mexico, Panama, Jamaica, Bahamas, Florida, Maine, back to Florida, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, and now “stuck” in Panama. Probably for the hurricane season then head back to La Paz this Fall.

I have LOTS of time to discuss this with you if you’d like to do that.

Let me know how you’d like to proceed, if at all.

Sincerely,

Eric

 

[jsbraga]

If It Doesn't, or Does Work Out

I'm in the process of looking for my next trawler since selling my Selene 53 a few weeks ago. If the Florida boat doesn't work out do you mind turning me onto it?

If it does work out and you need an extra crewman, let me know. Plenty of practical experience with a USCG ticket and many deliveries under my belt.

 

[Haetwen]

I did the trip the easy way, from Alaska to Maine via the Panama Canal. It was a great trip because I took three years to do it. I stopped at every port that looked interesting and waited for good weather. Going the other direction, from East to West is harder. It won't be any fun if you hurry. From Florida to the Panama Canal there is no advantage to go via the Virgin Islands. The Panama Canal is due south of Miami. It would be easier to round the East side of Cuba. Further South in the Caribbean the trade winds will set big seas on your port quarter so you really want stabilizers or paravanes. From Panama to California will often be against prevailing winds, but it's manageable because there are so many options to stop along the way.

 

[Photobsess]

Benefits to buy there and bring here

In 2016-2017 we did the Great Loop with the intent of shipping our boat back to the west coast afterwards if we loved the boat. Well we loved it and shipped it and have lived on it in San Diego since. If you find the right boat at the right price in Florida and you can cruise the East Coast/Caribbean for a year you’ll save enough on California sales tax to pay for the shipping or at least a big chunk of it and savings on fuel, wear and tear, etc will pay for the rest. Of course taking it yourself could be amazing as well. We have a 52 DeFever of 60,000 lbs and it cost us 27k to ship it from Ft Lauderdale to Ensenada MX in 2017. So personally I wouldn’t be put off by buying a boat there and am glad we did.

 

[Gy Highway]

Could you sail to Texas then road ship to California?

 

[blefever]

I’m sure you’re seeing by the number and length of replies to your posting that this is a very involved process. Books have been written about every part of this, I haven’t written one and don’t want to here.

In the last 3 years I have cruised my Nordhavn 40 from Seattle to Alaska, San Diego, La Paz, Mexico, Panama, Jamaica, Bahamas, Florida, Maine, back to Florida, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, and now “stuck” in Panama. Probably for the hurricane season then head back to La Paz this Fall.

I have LOTS of time to discuss this with you if you’d like to do that.

Let me know how you’d like to proceed, if at all.

Sincerely,

Eric

Wow Eric. Sounds like you're living the dream. For me it's still just the dream. I appreciate your offer and I may take you up on that some day, but this virus is really changing things. For now our time line has been pushed back. It's looking like we will buy on the West Coast and head to the PNW.

 

[blefever]

I'm in the process of looking for my next trawler since selling my Selene 53 a few weeks ago. If the Florida boat doesn't work out do you mind turning me onto it?

If it does work out and you need an extra crewman, let me know. Plenty of practical experience with a USCG ticket and many deliveries under my belt.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/20...xNSQkGWRBMaZENsvuIvJzMX6YB08NX9g9IJkSPlTuOPws

It's not going to work out for me at this time so please take a look and let me know what you think of this boat. One concern for me was 3220 hours on the engine, but an oil analysis will tell a lot.

 

[mvweebles]

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/20...xNSQkGWRBMaZENsvuIvJzMX6YB08NX9g9IJkSPlTuOPws

It's not going to work out for me at this time so please take a look and let me know what you think of this boat. One concern for me was 3220 hours on the engine, but an oil analysis will tell a lot.

Too few hours? Certainly not too many - as long as they were adequately maintained, this is barely middle age. Shows the boat has gotten use which is often better than sitting idle as a marina queen.

 

[GH41]

Too few hours? Certainly not too many - as long as they were adequately maintained, this is barely middle age. Shows the boat has gotten use which is often better than sitting idle as a marina queen.

And if the boat lived it's whole life in Maine it probably spent half its life in a shed. The turnoff to me is the big engine in a semi displacement hull. Nice boat but not really a distance boat. He should be able to find a nice KK42 on the left coast.

 

[Juliet 15]

FL to CA

Greetings. We took our 46' from the west coast of Florida (Naples) to Puerto Rico, then lived there for 4 yrs, cruising to the Spanish Virgins, USVI, and BVI regularly.

The trip from FL to the Bahamas was easy (watch the gulf stream - go on a day the wind is calm or with (not against) the stream. We overnighted each night. We did it in July, and there was a lot of wind from the east. We generally ran at about 7-8 knots. Got beat up a little. Not terrible.

We stopped in Chub Cay, Nassau, Long Island, an overnight on the hook at Bird Rock, and Turks and Caicos (Providentiales, Turtle Cove Marina), at Grand Turk (big concrete dock, took fuel from a farmer cuz the normal fuel guy was on vacation for 2 weeks - maybe call ahead?), and Samana, DR.

In Samana it's best to hire a helper on arrival. You'll pay him, but he will keep people away from your boat and smooth things.

We carried 400 gal in tanks at the time, and had a 55 gal drum plus 10 5-gal cans strapped to the swim platform. Looked like a drug runner going the wrong way.

Feel free to PM if I can answer any questions. There are undoubtedly lots more experienced people on here than me, though.


PS: That trip was the adventure of a lifetime, and radically changed the course of my life. It turned me into a boat addict and I'm currently getting ready to go to the South Pacific in 2021. Enjoy it!

 

[markpierce]

In the early eighties the CEO of the builder trailered my Bluewater Blackwatch cutter sailboat from Texas to my home in central California. Delivery was free since the builder wanted to "showboat" the sailboat to the west coast.

 

[Wxx3]

If you are still serious about this, call me (email me).

I fully understand the desire to do the PC on your own bottom.

How much time are you thinking? Your boat needs to be sorted out before you depart the Caribbean.

PC to Mexico is good, but don't stop before Mexico. From Southern Mexico to Calif is brutal, the worst 2,000 miles of the of the +25k, I've done so far.

IF I were to do it again, I'd stick to my original plan and wait for hurricane season to be be in full roar, like Sept, then more north as the winds turned SWerly.
It's not for the faint hearted.

I'd have no problem going the opposite direction.