Ship it, Sail it, or Pay a Professional to Sail it?

[BluewaterGirl]

Hi all,
My fiance and I are trying to get our 41 sailboat from San Diego to Olympia (a city about 60 miles south of Seattle). We don't know if we should sail it, ship it, or pay a professional to sail her up.

We were hoping to sail, but my fiance and I don't have much ocean experience. The furthest we've sailed just the two of us has been around Vancouver Island, a fun but challenging experience in itself. We were planning to bring a much more experienced bluewater cruiser friend but he can't take the time off work. Instead, we're taking a sailing friend who has about as much experience as we do. We understand that this is a scary route for beginners. It is a slow but reliable boat and has been recently refit for ocean cruising.

We then looked at shipping and that seemed more practical. Looking online, it seemed we'd be paying $4500-6000. However, now another Sailnet member said it would be about $10,000 including the haul out, mast removal, etc. We definitely can't spend $10,000. Is this an accurate price?

We haven't been able to find much information about paying someone to sail it up. About how much does that cost? Are there hidden fees with that service as well?

Please help. If we are sailing, we're planning to set sail by July 1st.

Thank you and happy sailing!
Denise

[Yorksailor]

You will find that the cost of a delivery crew and fuel is about the same as shipping.

If you have time you could hire a pro to help you sail the boat north. That way you only have to pay for one pro and you get 1,200 miles and 2-3 weeks of experience and tuition.

Phil

[BluewaterGirl]

Thanks Phil. That's good to know.

Paying one pro to come with us is a good idea. This would be ideal because we really want the ocean experience, and to learn from a master would be fantastic. Do you know about how much it would cost to hire someone to sail from San Diego to Seattle with us?

Do you think three people who have sailed from Seattle around Vancouver Island could handle this route safely alone or is it too risky for bluewater rookies?

Thanks again,
Denise

[Yorksailor]

You could probably handle it but it needs planning and the nerve to head out to sea if you get caught by bad weather...many of the entries are very dangerous in bad weather.

Phil

[Boasun]

When you pick your professional... spend a couple of days to discover his/her personality.
You want someone who is responsible and yet relaxed in his/her own skin to where they are instructive and NOT over bearing. For a start.

[BluewaterGirl]

Good idea Boasun. Do you know where we would find a professional and about how much they would charge for a trip like this (ballpark figure)?

[capttb]

Delivery Captain is probably gonna want $2 a mile, + airfare home, & any food, fuel or other boat expenses. They are like sharks however in that if they stop moving they die, they will want to make the trip as fast as possible. He may want to bring his own crewman, sometimes "volunteer" crew gets sick or are otherwise unable to assist to the extent necessary.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by Boasun

When you pick your professional... spend a couple of days to discover his/her personality.
You want someone who is responsible and yet relaxed in his/her own skin to where they are instructive and NOT over bearing. For a start.

I look at this from the other angle. I pick the best qualified captain can singled handed to take the boat north. If he is ugly with a bad personalty, who cares. It is not like I am going marry him and have a baby with him.

Likewise, I am constantly looking for different captains to sail with. If I can learn something from him or from the experience, it is all worthwhile. It makes me more adaptable. If I can show his a better way and control him, I will become a better leader. This the survival skills that will carry me through life.

Smooth sailing through ocean or in life is not always the best. I am just sayin'

[deniseO30]

Denise,
As you have 2 discussions going about this trip, would I be correct in guessing you are more then apprehensive and bordering on a phobia about making the trip? I'm on the East coast so I really am clueless about the trip but it seems both cities mentioned have more then enough resources for you to research and connect with. Is there a time constraint? Would it not be good to connect with an ocean going group, club, or people in your area, or crew on other boats? Possibly there are people planning the same trip or part of the same trip and you can be buddy boats?

Asking advice here on this forum will get you lots of input but it seems sometimes input is given to "scare" newbies. Knowledge and preparation are the key minimizing unreasonable and imagined difficulties of course. And it takes time to find your comfort level. In a year you may giggle when you think about things that terrify you now. Hell, here in the mid Atlantic area they've tried to convince me sailing Delaware bay is more life threatening then sailing up the Jersey coast.

[BluewaterGirl]

Capttb,
Thanks. That's good to know.

Denise,
Excellent advice. I wouldn't say I'm bordering on a phobia but I am definitely apprehensive. We want to get all the knowledge we can before we fully make this decision and start planning this trip.

I see your point about the newbie scare though. If I ask people at my marina, they seem to say, "good luck" and "that should be fun" but when I ask people here, they seem to err on the side of caution. However, the scares are helpful and keep me realistic; otherwise, I'd be too willing to just go where the wind takes me.

You suggested we get in touch with other crews making a similar passage. What a fabulous idea. We will be in Seattle until the second week of June for work, but once we decide we will definitely sail it, we'll get in contact with some yacht clubs and online groups in the San Diego area. The more the merrier (and safer).

Rockdawg,
I remember living with some oddballs in college and I had to grow up and adapt in order to make it work, so you may just have a point there. However, as a high school teacher, I am pretty adept at commanding some strong (and occasionally oppositional) personalities .

Thanks again everyone,
Denise