Sailing around the world...

[Peterb31]

Greeting to all,

This thread is going to have multiple questions covering multiple areas of expertise so feel free to tackle one, many, or all of the questions. Thank you all in advance for your knowledge contribution!

I have been an avid traveler for the last 4 years and have to date raked up adventures in 3 different continents, 19 countries, and hundreds of cities. I began to realize that sailing would easily get me to the most destinations at the lowest cost per capita(as opposed to flying to each destination etc.) I am planning on setting sail from S California in 2013, while doing practice runs up and down the west coast or possibly out to Hawaii until then. My knowledge base for sailing is self admittedly VERY limited... that's where you come in!

So i have collected a list of questions that i believe will help me get started and also expand give me a direction to go. Here they are:

1. Catamaran or Monohull? Background info: Long term travel with a possible crew size of 4-10. What are the advantages or disadvantages of each?

2. Should i start with a smaller boat? Or should i practice on the one i want to do the voyage with? Background info: As i said dep est is 2013 so i have about 4 -5 years right now.

3. Crew size? Obviously it must fit the boat but is there an advantage to a bigger or smaller crew, what is the minimum i would want?

4. Are renewable energies available(solar panels, wind turbines etc.) and if so are they worth the cost?

5. I have heard of pirates, are there any places that veteran sailors steer clear of when voyaging abroad?

6. In respect to ship size, is there a general rule as to docking fees?

7. This question may seem worded wrong as i lack the background of vocabulary. Can you dock your boat anywhere? as in "drop anchor" outside of a port and take a smaller boat into shore rather than paying docking fees etc. for various countries?

8. Please answer this only if you know for sure. Are there any countries that do not allow (or the amount of red tape is so much that its not worth it) small sailing craft to enter their borders?

9. Are there any books or (prefferably websites) that are a good place to answer these question(s) or genre of questions.

10. Are there traditional routes that are defined as sort of "highways of the sea" that have been tried and true? Please keep in mind the original idea is to stop into as many cities as possible not just cover water.

11. I should have a budget of about 50-75k for the boat. (just me... more if i can find additional crew) and an additional 25-50k for the trip. or a total of 75-125k divided up whichever way it most practical.

Thanks to everyone who responds, I really appreciate it!

[Cope44]

I say take a few classes on sailing and try to get a crew position on a boat with a knowledgeable captain. That way you can see if you like it before buying a boat.
My .02

[sailboy21]

A good book I highly recommend you get is "How to Sail Around the World" by recently deceased Hal Roth. There is no Bible, no instruction manual, but this book is inspirational and common sense. It will get you pointed in the right direction.

Crew of 4-10? Right away I think you are moving pretty far away from the whole concept of cruising. Just 4 people for more than a couple days would require a boat much larger than 'average' and expenses are going to be very high. You need an independent income to cruise like that. This is more like an expedition plan than a cruise. There are people in large yachts, 50' and bigger that sail the world on this model. Usually with some goal like "saving the whales" or "stop global warming" to get a little publicity going and some of them charge a hefty fee to go along with them. One of them just visited here. Check out his website at 69 NORD. Croisières à la voile, Expédition Around North America, croisières en Norvège et Spitsberg
--Saving the planet by spewing diesel fumes and ablative copper paint all over the pristine NW passage

That said... you can always go it alone. Reid Stowe has been doing it for two years non stop now. 1000days.net - Home

[Peterb31]

Originally Posted by Cope44

I say take a few classes on sailing and try to get a crew position on a boat with a knowledgeable captain. That way you can see if you like it before buying a boat.
My .02

I have already been sailing and i do like it, never long term but I plan on stopping into as many cities as possible, so I really probably would not have that much time spent continuously on open water.

[Peterb31]

Originally Posted by sailboy21

A good book I highly recommend you get is "How to Sail Around the World" by recently deceased Hal Roth. There is no Bible, no instruction manual, but this book is inspirational and common sense. It will get you pointed in the right direction.

Crew of 4-10? Right away I think you are moving pretty far away from the whole concept of cruising. Just 4 people for more than a couple days would require a boat much larger than 'average' and expenses are going to be very high. You need an independent income to cruise like that. This is more like an expedition plan than a cruise. There are people in large yachts, 50' and bigger that sail the world on this model. Usually with some goal like "saving the whales" or "stop global warming" to get a little publicity going and some of them charge a hefty fee to go along with them. One of them just visited here. Check out his website at 69 NORD. Croisières à la voile, Expédition Around North America, croisières en Norvège et Spitsberg
--Saving the planet by spewing diesel fumes and ablative copper paint all over the pristine NW passage

That said... you can always go it alone. Reid Stowe has been doing it for two years non stop now. 1000days.net - Home

Thanks, i picked up the book on amazon for less than 5 bucks, it also got rave reviews on the site.

[Freesail99]

You should really do a search on here. This topic seems to come up every other month, or so it seems.

[Giulietta]

2013????

Comeback in 2011 and ask again...we're busy now......

[Rockter]

Peter :
It's a while in the future, but crew variation from 4 to 10 is puzzling. A crew of 4 is probably about right for, say, a 36 ft sailboat, but a crew of 10 would need an enormous sailboat.

50-75 k will buy a decent boat, but you must have a bunch of other equipment for long-haul sailing. An autopilot, for example, is a huge advantage.

Piracy is a problem in the Gulf of Yemen!!!!, some parts of the Far East, and in the Carribbean in places.


Visit Scotland on your trip. No pirates there!

[camaraderie]

Welcome! Thread moved out of Design and Construction to General. Please read forum rules before making posts innappropriately.

[xort]

Can you explain more on this 4 to 10 crew?
Have you been travelling with these people already?