NY - Cartagena Colombia

[Wilk1]

Middle or end of November, I would like to cruse from NY to Cartagena Colombia through Caribbean.
I have found yacht Catalina 30 toll rig that I buy. I'm in the stage of preparing list of equipment necessary to bay to fit the yacht for sea cruising.
I am looking for an experienced person or team (I have no sailing experience) to carry out this operation. All suggestions very welcome. I Don’t want to use professional services. This must be pleasure slow trip of a lifetime.

[mm2187]

I am not sure that that boat is a good fit for the trip you would like to take. They are nice boats for very near coastal cruising but not necesserily offshore distance cruising.

[Jurgy]

If he makes it back, he'll have the money to buy bigger boats for all of us ...

[killarney_sailor]

I don't think you appreciate the complexity and difficulty of the trip you are planning. There is a lot more to it than just buying the emergency equipment. Generally people undertake such a trip only with considerable experience and many months or years of boat prep.

I doubt you could even get a professional delivery crew to take on such an unprepared boat. An amateur agreeing to do so, would in my opinion, not be knowledgeable enough to complete the journey safely. Take your time and get some experience and prepare the boat properly.

[Yorksailor]

We have sailed that entire route over the last 2-3 yrs and it can be done on a Catalena 30 providing you know what you are doing! We went off-shore where you would use the ICW and island hop.

Come south on the ICW to the Keys, cross to the Bahamas, south to the Windward Passage and then across the Carribean before next hurricane season...sounds easy!!!!

Getting to Cartagena was hard work for two very experienced sailors (over 50,000 sea miles) on a big blue water boat.

Worst weather was 45 gusting 55 knots and 20 ft waves!

Send 12 months learning to sail after taking some lessons, get the boat in off-shore shape and then take a year or two to make the trip cruising the entire Bahamas and Caribbean before going to Cartagena after spending hurricane season in Bonaire... but relying on someone who you get off the internet to make the trip is a recipe for disaster.

ps Getting back from Cartagena to Miami in a 30 is a lovely down wind trip but would take a total of 15-20 days off-shore but it can be done in 5-6 day legs.

Worst weather on that trip was a night of 40 knot squalls.

Phil

[Slayer]

Originally Posted by Jurgy

If he makes it back, he'll have the money to buy bigger boats for all of us ...

LOL That is exactly what I was thinking (If I am correct in guessing what you are thinking).