San Diego - Hawaii
Message text written by Jim Baumgart
<We are thinking very strongly about buying one of the French Creek ex-fi=
sh
boats and converting it to a Passagemaker.
The big question is about the specifications for a boat capable of San
Diego to Hawaii and long term cruising in comfort and safety with a famil=
y
of 4.> =
Jim --
Contrary to what That-a-Way thinks, the passage from mainland to Hawaii c=
an
be done safely and even comfortably during much of the year. During
hurricane season (May-Nov) you have to watch those buggers and not tangle=
with them. Note that about half of them pass to the east of Hawaii which =
is
the passage route. Fortunately, they are very well tracked and you can se=
t
a safe course with only minor changes from a rhumb line. Never, I repeat,=
never take them for granted. Remember Mitch last year in the Atlantic? =
During the winter you have North Pacific gales coming down from Alaska to=
consider. Again, they are well tracked and weaken considerably by the tim=
e
they get to the SDO-HNL latitude. Trawlers do not have good storm keeping=
ability so I would not challenge them even if shown to be moderate.
Lastly, I do not believe a 10% fuel margin is sufficient. Make it 25% and=
I
will sleep better. But don't deck load fuel or anything else. If you tang=
le
with any foul weather, you will regret having anything on deck.
The rest of your question is better answered by someone else.
Earl
Earl R. Hinz wrote:
Message text written by Jim Baumgart
<We are thinking very strongly about buying one of the French Creek ex-fish
boats and converting it to a Passagemaker.
The big question is about the specifications for a boat capable of San
Diego to Hawaii and long term cruising in comfort and safety with a family
of 4.>
Jim --
Contrary to what That-a-Way thinks, the passage from mainland to Hawaii can
be done safely and even comfortably during much of the year.
JimI think there is a much bigger issue. Endurance my old 57' gaff-rigged
cutter spent 2 years in the Haw Is and we saw some very unseaworthy craft and
crew arrive from the mainland, including a garbage scow from Sausolito manned
by a group of meth freaks. Some followed the jet contrails. It is very easy
to get to Hawaii from LA, but to get back is an other matter entirely. A bit
like skiing up the bunny slope. Sure, it is done, but if you want to buy a
cheap boat go to the Ala Moana marina; there are many for sale.
The easiest way to go back is thru the Suez Canal.
The shortest route is 1000m due north to skirt the Pacific High and west to
SF.However, by the time you catch the Westerlies in the high 30's or low 40's ,
the weather could be good ,bad, or ugly. If you were in the non-hurricane
months it could be ugly, very ugly indeed.
Circumnavigation: now there's a thought.
Endurance, if not on the bottom of Iron Bottom Sound is still in the SW
Pacific. I'm in North Carolina with Caribbean dreams.
Peter Denton
It is very easy
to get to Hawaii from LA, but to get back is an other matter entirely.
The easiest way to go back is thru the Suez Canal..
My thoughts exactly. I know it is a big ambition. We may not do it. But
I want to be able to go when the time is right. And a $650,000 Nordhavn 46
is not possible, I would be tied to the loan payments for ever.
-jimB
Jim Baumgart
<")))>><
(760)749-4257 San Diego
Why pray tell. It is hard to get from Hawaii to LA in a sailboat but this
has nothing to do with trawlers.
Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com
[mailto:owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com]On Behalf Of Jim Baumgart
Sent: Friday, March 26, 1999 4:11 PM
To: trawler-world-list@samurai.com
Subject: Re: San Diego - Hawaii
It is very easy
to get to Hawaii from LA, but to get back is an other matter entirely.
The easiest way to go back is thru the Suez Canal..
My thoughts exactly. I know it is a big ambition. We may not do it. But
I want to be able to go when the time is right. And a $650,000 Nordhavn 46
is not possible, I would be tied to the loan payments for ever.
-jimB
Jim Baumgart
<")))>><
(760)749-4257 San Diego
Hi Guys
Several people have scorned my idea that powering from Hawaii to SF would be
difficult. Has anyone on the list made this passage on a vessel that could be
bought for under 300K. I'd sincerely like to be wrong, my boats a year from the
water and I'd love some Pacific adventures.
Peter Denton
The point is not that the trip from Hawaii to San Francisco is hard - it is
that any long voyage on the open ocean can be difficult. The trip between
San Francisco and Hawaii is the same in either direction. As a long ocean
voyage it is one of the easier ones - compared say to a northern atlantic
crossing or crossing some of the southern oceans. It can however still be
difficult. Size of boat is really not a criteria. It has been done in
boats of all sizes. You do need sufficient range 3500 miles or so would be
about right.
Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com
[mailto:owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com]On Behalf Of Peter Denton
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 1999 10:14 AM
To: Earl R. Hinz; Jim Baumgart; [unknown]
Subject: Re: San Diego - Hawaii
Hi Guys
Several people have scorned my idea that powering from Hawaii to SF would be
difficult. Has anyone on the list made this passage on a vessel that could
be
bought for under 300K. I'd sincerely like to be wrong, my boats a year from
the
water and I'd love some Pacific adventures.
Peter Denton