Would You?

We are located in the PNW and looking for a 'trawler' in the 32 to 35 foot range. Things like: IG32, GB32. Nordic Tug 32, Mariner Orien 34, AT34, Mainship 34, etc.
We have 30+ yrs experience on sailboats to 36 ft (Seattle to Alaska), but no power boat experience.
Although we would hope to find a boat here in the PNW there are several interesting vessels in California.

Would you bring a new-to-you used boat up the coast from California??

Interested to hear comments.

My answer to the question about bringing from California is "yes, pick a good weather window", and also, "do a good shakedown cruise first."

As for models, I would be partial to GB, AT, NT. Just me. The big questions are (1) the price range you prefer, and (2) the min and max lengths acceptable (e.g. American Tug 34 is more like 40' LOA depending on outfitting). Of course length and price are related. There are some nice GBs that are much more affordable than NT or AT because they're older.

I would have no problems bringing a well found boat up the coast. Watch the weather. Don't make the transit to a schedule. All the usual recommendations.

The biggest hurdle is buying long distance. It takes me several visits to a boat before I make an offer and take her to survey.

Point Conception is your biggest hurdle from So Cal, once you round that bend, you can tuck in pretty close to shore, and are within a 1/2 day away from any port beyond there, untill you get north of SF.

I've driven two new to me boats from the Seattle area to my home ports in Whittier, ans Seward Alaska.

It's not a problem for a boat in good condition.

The answer is yes but, your insurance is going to require you hire a captain. I have done this trip and I don’t agree with the advice about how easy it is. It’s easy until it’s not.

When I make the trip I have a weather plan, a fueling plan, and parts delivery plan. Then reality hits and you make adjustments.

I think it’s reasonable to bring a boat from LA to PNW on Its own bottom with at least one experience person on board who knows when not to attempt a bar crossing.

I would only bring a new to me boat on a long transit in open water if I had some time to go through the vessel and evaluate readiness. Many boats for sale have deferred maintenance. Also the Pacific has a way of shaking up any crud in fuel tanks so at the very lease bring extra filters.

If the boat is new to you, and you are not 100% confident about its systems I would have it brought up on a truck. Should be no problem in that size range. Of coarse you can bring it up on it's own bottom if the adventure sounds like fun.

We did a East coast version of that trip. South from CT to FL. First time running boat. But went through it thoroughly before we left, but mostly on the hard. Left late November, so potentially very challenging. It did work because even though I have 50 years experience sailing, my concerns were weather, Navigation and break-downs and our trying to do it all ourselves and not get fatigued or overwhelmed So I brought along my two weather/navigation nerd sailing buddies (also experienced sailors) who allowed me to focus on piloting/logistics/fixing stuff and overall planning. Thanks goodness because we had to dance between intense lows to get below the frost lines before the butter froze...

Absolutely yes with a good weather window.

To make a timely trip you'll have to travel in some marginal weather. The prevailing winds after a storm, are from the NW until north of the Columbia River where they become more westerly. So you'll be heading into swells all the way. It can be uncomfortable in a small boat. But fishermen do it every day.