Moving boat from West to East

[Tranona]

But the point of owning a cruising yacht is to sail it to different places?

Yacht ownership is really not about the cheapest way of gettign your boat back to its home pontoon.

I completely agree about the time and weather, the trip is not a small commitment, it's likely not going to fit into a typical 2 weeks off work.

Boats are a black hole for time as well as money.

Each individual has his own objectives and for some trucking the boat is the right answer. You can't be dogmatic. As I explained my plan started with sailing all the way home - "trip of a lifetime" stuff. Circumstances changed on the way and the decision taken to abort and truck the boat home. Better to pay the money, have the boat back home than leave it in Spain until I could organise things to complete the sea journey - which would have been effectively a year later unless I paid a full time delivery crew which would have cost almost the same. I would then not had the pleasure of being on board which was a big part of planning to sail it home. Trucking was the only rational decision and 2 weeks later boat was sitting on my mooring in Poole ready to sail.

The OP hopefully now has an idea of the pros and cons of the two alternatives and make his own decision.

 

[TernVI]

A while back, I saw a boat advertised in Scotland which I quite fancied.
I was considering an Islands cruise for a month or so, maybe leaving it up there one winter, then bringing it back in a few stages.
I could probably find crew for the critical passages from my clubs.
Possibility of loaning it to a mate for a while.
It would not have been particularly cheap with travel up and down, but it would have been different sailing from the usual Channel stuff.
The cost and complication of getting a boat home is a significant thing to consider when buying any boat.
A few years ago, a mate was selling a boat, did a deal which included delivery to Falmouth, so a bunch of us sailed it to Falmouth. We were happy to give our time for free, and chip in for food and stuff, someone's Other Half drove down to pick us up. A few YM qualifying passages were signed off. I think anything you can't do in a weekend quickly gets messy when relying on friends though.

Another mate of mine got asked to help bring a boat back from the Azores. He was a freelance programmer between contracts, so why not?

 

[Bobc]

Wow. What a response, some awesome information from everyone here. Thank You ?

Final plan is to sail locally in Essex with my family (partner comp crew) starting with small trips etc and building up over the next 18 months.

The trip back from Wales is likely to be a step too far for them at the moment and will likely scare them off!

From what everyone has said the trip how would be epic done in “cruising” mode but I just don’t have that time to commit.

The great news is that We’re only thirties so we’ve got years to meander along the South Coast taking in the sights and sounds, I wish I could do it now but I feel like that trip deserves months not weeks and unfortunately I’m very much still working.

With that in mind it seems I’ve got two options: road or some professional help to do it quickly.

Ive had a quote for circa £2k plus lifts and mast work for road haulage but that’s far less exciting (albeit much more convenient)

If I want to enjoy the adventure (and not miss out on the learning experience) I’m thinking a delivery skipper/own boat tuition done quickly with minimum of stops based on everyone’s advice?

I’m sure after this I’ll know the boat inside out and be confident of handling her.

Sound like a plan or am I mad? Any recommendations for a pro who could help?

For those in the know what timescales or costs might that look like?

Thanks for the help and advice so far ?

That being the case, I would put it on a truck. It'll be quicker and cheaper.

 

[TernVI]

That being the case, I would put it on a truck. It'll be quicker and cheaper.

Maybe leaving it on the truck would be cheaper than a marina?

Seriously, I would consider investigating some 'intermediate' ideas like getting a delivery skipper from Somewhere in Wales to say Penzance, then yotting home from there as a family cruise. It's a great opportunity to see Cornwall and Devon by boat without having to turn around and retrace your steps. Even if the Summer cruise part of it only gets the boat to Solent or Brighton, it's great experience and the bit that's left is a much smaller job. Crewing on the delivery section would also be a lot of valuable experience.
Biggest danger might be deciding the SW is a lot nicer than the Thames estuary mud.....

 

[jimi]

2 options Go north , through Caledonian Canal and down East Coast. East Cost has few easy stops. South and then along Channel and across Thames Estuary. Once you are in Falmouth its mainly easy day sails with the prevailing wind behind, I'd be tempted to get a professional skipper and sail two handed in a oner from North Wales to Falmouth then have family holiday from Falmouth to Torquay. Then sail 2 handed in a oner from Torquay to Essex. You'll have great fun and learn the boat inside out. Alternatively have family holiday from Port Patrick to Inverness and get a Skipper to double hand with you the other legs. Have fun! I Took my boat from Plymouth to Ipswich via Inverness ;-)

 

[johnalison]

2 options Go north , through Caledonian Canal and down East Coast. East Cost has few easy stops. South and then along Channel and across Thames Estuary. Once you are in Falmouth its mainly easy day sails with the prevailing wind behind, I'd be tempted to get a professional skipper and sail two handed in a oner from North Wales to Falmouth then have family holiday from Falmouth to Torquay. Then sail 2 handed in a oner from Torquay to Essex. You'll have great fun and learn the boat inside out. Alternatively have family holiday from Port Patrick to Inverness and get a Skipper to double hand with you the other legs. Have fun! I Took my boat from Plymouth to Ipswich via Inverness ;-)

I agree with the pacing of that and the compromises comprising it (poetic eh?). The combination of prevailing winds in the Channel and very long tides makes it attractive to me, but I've not ventured north of Lowestoft. You can get ten hours of east-going stream in the eastern Channel.

 

[dgadee]

A Bav 36 would be hard aground in the F&C Canal - much better to go through the Caledonian and much better scenery. Just remember to bring your passport!

Long way south from Inverness.

 

[[3889]]

PM'd you. (Click on envelope icon top right to read.)

 

[zoidberg]

If starting from North Wales, I'd make my first planned stop Holyhead., making best use of tide. The section from there to Lands End I'd want to treat as 'delivery' so if I had - or was being - a paid delivery skipper I'd want to head straight SSW past the bottom end of Wales, with Fishguard and Milford Haven/Dale as weather/sleep boltholes.

Then I'd head for the Isles of Scilly, with Padstow as a weather bolthole.... provided the winds permitted. I'm very much attached to Scilly, and wouldn't lightly pass up the chance to visit, and catch up on snooze on one of the strong moorings at New Grimsby Sound.

Plenty of choices after that..... Newlyn, Falmouth, Fowey, Salcombe, Dartmouth...... in short legs o r larger.

Don't be fazed by your own limited experience - use whoever you entrust your boat to ( and yourself ) and their experience to get the most out of the journey. If however you leave it entirely to somone else and stay home, they'll stop off where THEY fancy and crack on when they want.

 

[Daydream believer]

Get a pro skipper to get you to Falmouth. Tell him to do it with short legs & overnight stops, ( I am not conversant with the area so I assume that there are a few) so you get experience of going in and out of harbours. That means you can do short passage plans with tidal plans etc. You can also get a better feel for the boat rather than doing a tortuous long trip where exhaustion will make you less able to absorb what is going on. You can practice boat handling which is just as important as sailing in straight lines.
The skipper will cost more but you will get some training. Perhaps a training school will provide an instructor, which will be better as they will give instruction rather than just take you from A-B. A week's instruction would be very useful & get you over a part of the trip
Then go into Milford Haven to get lock experience.
Then, finally, a 100 mile trip will give you a night time experience to Newlyn. Take the inshore route past Lands End to get a feel for navigating in narrower confines.
He can leave you at Falmouth to go the rest of the way on your own.
. The south coast should be much easier with lots of stops & the tides can help a west/east trip if used carefully. You should have gained some confidence by then

 

[Laysula]

If you have time constraints like work etc, stick it on a truck. The last thing you want is to turn up 500 miles from home to a late forecast of gales and rain

 

[CrossedThreads]

Again, thanks for everyone who has posted their advice. It’s all brilliant.

Trucking is without doubt the most “sensible” option but if I was entirely sensible I most certainly wouldn’t be buying a boat. If it floats, flies or…. You know the rest.

Currently I’m taking that option off the table. The ideas around getting an skipper or instructor and taking a little more time really resonate and this is exactly what I think we will end up doing. Cost wise I reckon not much in it but I’ll gain experience, confidence and a story to tell if I sail it. Hopefully it’s a good one!

The admiral is getting jealous that I’m having all the fun so I think she’d like to join at some point.
Now I’ve just got to work out a route and wether to have a skipper/instructor half or all of the way.
You’ve all been an awesome help. Thank you ?

 

[zoidberg]

I believe we'd all agree in wishing you a very fine and memorable trip - for all the right reasons.

Come back and tell us about it.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I roped in an old mate to help move my boat from Maryport down to Falmouth as I was used to sailing new-ish charter yachts in the Med and bought an old yacht in the north of England. She was new compared to his last yacht We were flexible enough to decide to do Milford Haven to Falmouth in a one after hops to IOM and through the swellies to Caernarfon then Milford. It was actually the most relaxing leg and the one where we really learned how to make her go. A year later I singlehanded her direct to Valencia.
Get someone experienced on board and challenge yourself to learn your boat with a their help. The sooner you find the edges of both your and the boats abilities the more fun you will have with her in the long run.

 

[ashtead]

I would say assuming in some fashion you can get to Falmouth (let’s assume crewing with your carefully selected delivery skipper and a mate ( our boat was brought back from Germany by delivery skipper) and they will do a carful check of you new Bav eg does autopilot work, are the rudder bearings ok, in date fire extinguishers , heads working with no blocked pipes etc) then you might consider which all tides ports with good transport lllinks are in reach if you propose to make a cruise and leave boat for a few weeks/ months . This might give you a chance to spend a few days sailing around the Dart area or wherever. If you don’t have a copy the West Country cruising book might be of interest. I’m not certain there much of interest past say Brighton so you might look at having another delivery skipper from there.

 

[zoidberg]

Should you be thinking of moving your boat in stages - and I reckon you should - just consider the convenience of ending each stage in a port with a rail link.
Coaches are cheaper, but a darn sight more uncomfortable. Having done rather a lot of 'delivery stages' like that, believe me, rail takes the biscuit.

 

[jimi]

Should you be thinking of moving your boat in stages - and I reckon you should - just consider the convenience of ending each stage in a port with a rail link.
Coaches are cheaper, but a darn sight more uncomfortable. Having done rather a lot of 'delivery stages' like that, believe me, rail takes the biscuit.

I’ve found hiring a one way car is often cheaper than rail partic if there is more than one of you

 

[zoidberg]

I’ve found hiring a one way car is often cheaper than rail partic if there is more than one of you

Now that's a good idea!
But....do Avis and the like do Senior Railcards?

 

[Spanjaard]

So how did it finish the story? Did you truck her ? Did you manage to sail her to Essex?

I started at Milford and so far make it to Falmouth last weekend. Bloody painfull driving bak and foward but the sailing was amazing.

 

[CrossedThreads]

So how did it finish the story? Did you truck her ? Did you manage to sail her to Essex?

I started at Milford and so far make it to Falmouth last weekend. Bloody painfull driving bak and foward but the sailing was amazing.

Ah well it didn’t all go to plan. The boat fell through. I ended up buying a different one which was unsailable and needed to be trucked from Chichester to the East Coast. We fixed her up and a year on we’re loving every minute on her.

What a journey you’re on. Very jealous. Good luck and fair winds