The 3 year count-down

[Sandy Feet]

Hi all. My wife and I have been lurking on this forum for a while trying to absorb as much as possible but now it's time to start asking some questions.

2 Years ago we decided to make a 5 year plan (scary as we never planned more than a few months before!) to go cruising with our two children who will be 7 & 10 when we leave. We are now down to 3 years before casting off and touch wood everything is lining up so its time to plan in earnest.
So we've done the research, been to a few boatshows and bought a UFO 34 to learn some skills (upgraded from a mirror dinghy). We've decided a cat is the way to go for us and had a look at the usual suspects (Lagoon, Seawind, Leopard, Catana and quite a few others) out of which we're 90% sure that the FP Orana is the one that has the right balance of compromises. Boat choice is obviously highly subjective but we welcome any other suggestions of something similar to the Orana other than those mentioned.

We are based in Western Australia which is a long way from anywhere, our initial plan was to buy in the States or Europe and spend a couple of years sailing back to Oz. The strategy was to buy a boat that's reasonably new but already fully set up for cruising so that brings up the first question: What are the chances of finding a boat you can just sail away with minimal setup time? if the boat isn't set up for long term cruising but has the usual basics how long does it typically take to prep a boat?

We would ideally like to have a cat over here in Perth for the next few years before the big trip to learn the specific skills associated with a multi and just to enjoy coastal cruising with the kids. So we were thinking of buying a smaller cat to tie us over and sell it before picking up the larger one overseas but maybe that's a bit crazy?
The other option is we get the dream boat now but the problem there is first we need to ship it here (anyone know how much it costs roughly to get a boat to Perth from the States or Europe?) and then where to from Perth? We're not even remotely interested in entering pirate territory and SE Asia isn't as attractive as Europe/America and the Pacific (been traveling asia extensively for the last 15 years) so we'd probably sail to Singapore and ship it from there?

Anyway we'll be asking quite a bit more soon, just out of interest are there any other families on this forum that would be planning something similar in 2015? Be nice to connect and share ideas, experiences and eventually some anchorages!

Thanks and Regards,

[barnakiel]

Hi Sandy,

Yes. I think one can find a boat that is in a nearly ready to go condition. But it is hard to tell this if you are in Perth while the potentials are on another continent. But sure such a boat can be found. A new boat can be readied for the sea in a relatively short time.

If you buy a boat abroad, and if you make her sea ready, then you may prefer to sail her home rather than ship her. Shipping can be done, sure - there are some boat transport(ing) companies and some cargo ships will also take a boat onboard as a cargo. You must weigh the pros and cons and see which option works better for you.

If you hire a delivery crew, you can join the boat when you have time to fly in - this would give you not only fantastic vacation time but also some hands-on with your new toy.

If you go for a boat that is not new and needs prep time, you can get her ready in about 2-3 months provided you buy in a location where all missing items can be gotten and installed quickly. Avoid places where everything has to be imported. A good boatyard in vicinity is a big plus too.

If you go for a s/h boat, should you deliver her on her own keel, you may like to replace the standing rigging unless it is new or nearly new. You will want good sails and a sound well running engine. A strong AP is also a must for any extended delivery. Otherwise, most of the equipment that you want to put into the boat you can buy it all locally and install it when you have her already in Perth.

Cheers,
b.