Hello everybody,
I'm new to sailing and will be sailing from Vancouver Island to New Zealand via the Marquesas, Tuamotus, Societies, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, as 1st mate, departing in May. On board will be the captain, myself and my partner and we will be travelling in a 2004 Beneteau 473 (49ft sloop).
We are currently making preparations and I would like to hear from people who have made pacific crossings before who may have tips for us. The captain has experience sailing in the Carribean and up the west cost of the north America between San Diego and Alaska, but not made a pacific crossing before.
I read that many of the anchorages in the Pacific are deeper than those of the Carribean...can anyone comment on this? Our boat has a beam of just under 5m I think...recommendations on anchor rode length? Anchor selection? Spare anchor requirements? (I'm currently reading about anchoring in case you hadn't guessed)
Any provisioning tips? I know food is expensive on many of the islands. We are thinking lots of rice, pasta, tortillas, a bread maker, canned stuff, fresh fish.
The boat will be hauled out soon for general inspection, painting and zinc change etc. New life jackets, lifelines,sail repair kit, epirb,handheld gps, and medical kit for trip. garnim is shipping the map chips. buying paper charts also.
Small portable gen set (1800watts) obaord to run ac while in port if batteries run down for some reason. Plan on having 180 gallon of deisel on board ( 1200nm range) and 20 gal. gas (80 hrs gen operation) at departure.
I would really appreciate any advice or direction to good resources as this will be my first long passage on a sail boat.
Thanks for you help!
I'm new to sailing and will be sailing from Vancouver Island to New Zealand via the Marquesas, Tuamotus, Societies, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, as 1st mate, departing in May. On board will be the captain, myself and my partner and we will be travelling in a 2004 Beneteau 473 (49ft sloop).
We are currently making preparations and I would like to hear from people who have made pacific crossings before who may have tips for us. The captain has experience sailing in the Carribean and up the west cost of the north America between San Diego and Alaska, but not made a pacific crossing before.
I read that many of the anchorages in the Pacific are deeper than those of the Carribean...can anyone comment on this? Our boat has a beam of just under 5m I think...recommendations on anchor rode length? Anchor selection? Spare anchor requirements? (I'm currently reading about anchoring in case you hadn't guessed)
Any provisioning tips? I know food is expensive on many of the islands. We are thinking lots of rice, pasta, tortillas, a bread maker, canned stuff, fresh fish.
The boat will be hauled out soon for general inspection, painting and zinc change etc. New life jackets, lifelines,sail repair kit, epirb,handheld gps, and medical kit for trip. garnim is shipping the map chips. buying paper charts also.
Small portable gen set (1800watts) obaord to run ac while in port if batteries run down for some reason. Plan on having 180 gallon of deisel on board ( 1200nm range) and 20 gal. gas (80 hrs gen operation) at departure.
I would really appreciate any advice or direction to good resources as this will be my first long passage on a sail boat.
Thanks for you help!