Have to Go Home - What to Do with the Boat ?

[Lexam]

Just another fun one for my curiosity. When circumnavigating, and you have to fly home, because "Toodles" the family poodle is on her death bed and you just have to say good bye. What do you do with your boat? Situation could be as nice as Australia, or you were crazy enough to visit Haiti. It's a circumnavigation so all kinds of places you might have to leave it.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Do like I did, put her on the hard, fly home, come back, paint the bottom and continue cruising.

Just hope you have better luck than I did. Left my boat in Durban S.A. flew back home for 6 weeks, when I got back, there had been a fire at the yard and nothing was left of my 28' from the mast forward. Hence in my profile it shows that RTW as 3/4's...

[Lexam]

I'm sorry to hear that. Hate hearing about anyone losing a boat. I see you have a 43' ketch now looks like you upgraded a bit.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Yeah, went from that 28' Herreshoff, never can remember how to spell the name, built a 36' steel Robert's Spray Ketch, did a RTW, came back, sailed locally then sold her.

A couple of years ago I found my Dad's old Gulfstar for sale and bought her. Been restoring her to go Caribbean cruising.Maybe further, who knows???

[daddle]

I leave my boats all over the world for weeks at a time. No problem so far. There's always a few cruiser friends (new or old) or marina staff around to watch them. I've only ever been ripped-off in the good old U.S.A.

[MarkJ]

"Toodles" the poodle could have to wait months before you can get to a marina.
Worse is the flights. They can cost much more than you folks normally pay in your part of the world. All of a sudden you and wifey have to fork out $5,000 to visit Toodles! And thats out of the cruising budget that you have been squandering on useless crap like boat maintenance.

So Toodles may be left to die in piece.

But can you do that when it comes to Mum or Dad?

Its hard to have a contingency fund big enough for contingencies. Its a very worrying part of cruising.


Mark

[SabreKai]

Being from the poor side of the tracks, I'd say hoist a drink in Toodles memory and continue on with the voyage. If Toodles was the true friend to man that everyone claims, he/she would understand.

I have to wonder at the bank accounts of some of the people who post here. Just based on the way they handle certain things, I can tell I'm from the poor side.

[Lexam]

LOL alright we can make Toodles mom then.

[Unicorn Dreams]

I'm with daddle on the safety and security part. Never worrird about the boat when I had to leave it anywhere.
Hope my first post didn't sound that way. Just a freak accident. At least I was able to salvafe some of my equipment. Was able to get my sextant, chronometer, log book, 5 HP Seagill and mu big CQR.
Back in the 70's and before, you could catch a distressed mariner flight, cheaper rate and you could bring your equipment, they frowned at the CQR, but finally let me bring it. Takes a while to get home that way as all your flights are on stand by.

[Kettlewell]

Options vary tremendously depending on where you are at the time. I have never yet (knock on wood) had such an emergency when I was in a truly remote area, and chances are you won't either. Not really an answer, but the cruiser's grapevine is truly amazing when you need help. Get on the radio and ask around the anchorage and folks will help when you need it. I've been involved with several emergencies like this where the cruising fleet just did whatever needed to be done. Someone was seriously injured on a boat when leaving Cartagena and by the time they were able to sail back into the harbor we had a surgeon on the way out to their boat, lots of cash collected which you need to get medical help there, and every step arranged to get the person to the hospital with the boat safe at anchor, which all of us took turns watching. So, some places the best bet might be at anchor near some good friends, other places it might be hauled out, and some developed areas it might be worth it to take a marina slip. I have no qualms about leaving my boat at anchor for long periods if it isn't hurricane season, the harbor is reasonably sheltered, and someone is keeping an eye on it. Having anchored through several hurricanes I'm confident my boat is not going anywhere on its own.