Route planning

[Ingmann]

We are four friends planning one years sailing across the Pacific Ocean. We do not have that much experience with sailing, but are comfortable with doing the trip. After significant research we are left with a couple of critical questions that we haven't been able to answer - maybe because there are no "correct" answer at all! We write in this forum in hope that you will be willing to share your insigths and points of view with us.

We have used Jimmy Cornell books for the overall planning, but have some concerns whether it is possible to sail out from Fort Lauderdale in November 2007, entering the Panama Canal in December, crossing the pacific and ending in Australia in the end of September 2008. This route implies that we are sailing “close” to the end of some of the cyclone seasons, both in the Caribbean and near Gambier Island. Our route in details, look like this:

Route from ; Route to ; Nautical Miles ; Depart date
Key West-Panama (Cristobal) ; 1109 ; 01-11-2007
Panama S-Coco Island Cr ; 563 ; 01-12-2007
Coco Island Cr-Galapagos ; 417 ; 15-12-2007
Galapagos-Easter Island ; 2028 ; 04-01-2008
Easter Island-Pitcairn ; 1117 ; 03-02-2008
Pitcairn-Gambier Islands ; 296 ; 23-02-2008
Gambier Islands-Tahiti ; 894 ; 10-03-2008
Tahiti-Bora Bora ; 159 ; 25-04-2008
Bora Bora-Aitutaki Atoll ; 485 ; 06-05-2008
Aitutaki Atoll-Rarotonga ; 141 ; 05-06-2008
Rarotonga-Samoa (Upolu N) ; 826 ; 20-06-2008
Samoa-Tonga (Neiafu) ; 352 ; 05-07-2008
Tonga (Neiafu)-Fiji (Suva) ; 443 ; 20-07-2008
Fiji (Suva)-Noumea ; 741 ; 04-08-2008
Noumea-Sydney ; 1071 ; 18-08-2008

Is this a possible route in your point of view?

 

[sarabande]

Really exciting project, and I hope it provides you with lots of fun.

I do hold with an old navigational superstition that one never plans
"From... To....".

Given the vagaries of wind, sea, and everything else on a long voyage, I have always logged "From... Towards....." That way no-one gets too disappointed if you miss the scheduled flight 18 months and 4000 miles away.

Local knowledge will be coming your way, I have no doubt.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Sounds brilliant..... but you'll never meet those dates!... agree with Sarabande above.... best plan rough monthly windows rather than exact dates... mother nature will thwart any detailed plans you have!

Hope its great fun!

 

[Talbot]

Most accidents happen to cruising folk when they are trying to keep to a schedule. Not a good idea.

 

[snowleopard]

We planned our first big cruise with a spreadsheet. We got the mileages and passage times quite accurate but were totally adrift on the durations of stay. We allowed 6 weeks cruising in the Windwards & Leewards but left reluctantly after 5 months.

 

[tcm]

as others say, i would have these and other distances to hand, but wd be suprised/saddened if you make each departure date. Weathr, busted boat, flaky crew (inc yourself) or happier events will force changes. Even on a uk-med trip i actually visited only three out of 12 ports pre-planned, none on the pre-planned date. Easily the most useful info imho is close-in pilotage cos a flaky gps can get you close-ish to a safe fairway point.