Crew Wanted: Oregon to Georgia in April - Via Panama Canal

[ArmyDaveNY]

I might be available for the entire trip. Please keep us posted.

[Glassdog]

The most dangerous thing any sailor can try to do, is stick to a schedule. Especially the one you have planned. Like the previous poster I would seriously consider trucking the boat across country and enjoying it at your leisure once you have it in Georgia. Either way wishing you all The best, cheers

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Glassdog

The most dangerous thing any sailor can try to do, is stick to a schedule. Especially the one you have planned. Like the previous poster I would seriously consider trucking the boat across country and enjoying it at your leisure once you have it in Georgia. Either way wishing you all The best, cheers

Exactly. Boats don't have schedules; they have destinations.

[Moontide]

Ambitious plan, but could be doable if you treat it as a delivery with minimal stops except for provisions and fuel.



You don't need to hire an agent to do the Canal. All can now be done online, except the "admeasurement" but they come to the boat, even if anchored out.


Can you adjust your schedule? Lots of great places to stop south of the border, and several that the boat can be left at.


The leg from the canal to Florida can be a pain, uphill, with wind usually, but once you hit Key West can be daysails, and all reaching or running if you wait for wx window.


Good luck, and enjoy.

[hi_im_nick]

The more I do my homework the more this seem unrealistic. I'm going to have to leave later and make the trip longer.

I'll come back with a more realistic plan.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by hi_im_nick

The more I do my homework the more this seem unrealistic. I'm going to have to leave later and make the trip longer.

I'll come back with a more realistic plan.

I was a full time delivery skipper for 5+years working out of San Francisco. I've made several dozen trips along this coast, mostly northbound. And through the Canal to Florida.

April is the most consistently windy month of the year. Not the highest winds, just can be very consistent - blowing 20-25 from NW for days at a time nonstop which kicks up a decent seaway. But would be on your stern which is workable. Columbia bar crossing is well forecast so it's a non-issue. You should not be surprised as long as you're relatively patient. This is a cold coast - and will have nightime temps in the low 50's until you round Arguello/Conception into SoCal, almost 1000nms south of the Columbia River. Something to think about if you have an open cockpit vs some flavor of pilothouse.

Personally, would plan the trip in 7-day legs. Makes provisioning a bit easier. I'm not much of a sailor, but would guess your boat will do consistent 145-150 nm days. So would plan stops for San Francisco or perhaps Monterey, Ensenada to clear into Mexico, Mazatlan, Banderas Bay or Barra Navidad, etc.

As others have stated, headed north in the Caribbean can be difficult. Last time I did it I spent 5 solid days in 8-foot/6-second chop on the nose, and that was a 65-foot trawler yacht. Wet and bumpy ride. This is where you may want to take some time. Sit in Bocas del Toro for a while, then angle to Providencia. From there you can angle to Isla Mujeres or ride the stream through the straights of Florida, Cuba to starboard. There are routes through the Caribbean and Bahamas which I have no knowledge of, but would consider given your boat speed and presumably lightly protected cockpit.

Finally, there have been some fairly recent and credible reports of piracy odd Nicaragua and Honduras. I personally would stay well off this portion of Central America, which is partially why I mention headed for Providencia.

February is peak canal crossing so delays for small boat passage can be lengthy. As a delivery, I've always used an agent and often paid expedite fees. But in a couple years, I'll be doing this on my own boat at a leisurely pace and will do it myself. Sounds like most difficult part is paying the actual fee, which requires a trip to a specific
bank.

Another option is to put your boat on a ship in Ensenada to West Palm Beach FL. I had a quote for my 36-footer of $16k before negotiation. I ultimately decided I had bypassed too many tiny beach towns in Mexico when I was delivering so opted against shipping. But if I had a need for an express schedule, would strongly consider shipping. Cost would be similar, risk lower. And gets me to Florida so I can head to the Bahamas. Just depends on your priorities.

I'm the end, the math is this is a 6000nms journey and you will be averaging 150 nms per day. 40 sea days before stops. At pace on a sailboat, lot of those days and nights will be cold and wet or sweltering and wet. Without the offsetting benefit of stopping for tacos and a beer in a desolate Mexican anchorage, really begs a question "why?"