Sailboat Delivery to Race Location and Back Home: Let's Discuss!

[Wind Expedition]

Fellow sailors and racing enthusiasts,

I've been thinking about an interesting aspect of the competitive sailing world that doesn't get much attention: the logistics of getting boats to and from regattas. Many prestigious races are held in fantastic locations around the globe, but not every owner or crew has the time to sail their boat to the starting line and back home afterward.

This got me wondering:

1. How do you handle getting your boat to distant regattas? Do you sail it yourself, hire a delivery crew, or use some other method?
2. What challenges have you faced in transporting your racing boat to events?
3. For those who've used professional delivery services, what was your experience like? Any tips or warnings to share?
4. How do you balance the cost of delivery against the benefits of participating in far-flung regattas?
5. Are there any innovative solutions you've come across for this problem?
6. How do insurance and liability issues factor into your decision-making process?

I'm really curious to hear about your experiences and thoughts on this topic. Whether you're an occasional weekend racer or a seasoned pro, your insights could be valuable to the community.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The Cape 31 class has this issue licked. However, my neighbour has a 57ft gaffer, he has issues. He’d like to go to St Tropez, but logistics were already beating him when he broke his mast. So no solution there. The furthest I have petsonally been to a regatta was Denmark, we sailed our own 26 ft boat for that. I’ve spent a bit of time on the dock with an Aussie Etchells sailor. Apparently all the top crews there have multiple boats. Cowes, Miami, Fremantle, sometimes Hong Kong too. I believe the top TP52 owners do this too. Same name on the boat for results purposes.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

We have many clients for whom we regularly help with yacht deliveries to various race events. Having a professional delivery team really helps to make sure the owner can maximise their time off work, and on their race yacht!

Pete

 

[dunedin]

Depends hugely on size of boat and where travelling to and from. Lots of dinghies and small race boats are shipped right round the world packed into containers. Some race boats are designed around standard container sizes.
We needed a second race boat in the UK when the primary boat was being shipped to and from New Zealand.
Bigger boats are regularly sailed - or often motored due to skeleton crew - between locations.

 

[Wind Expedition]

The Cape 31 class has this issue licked. However, my neighbour has a 57ft gaffer, he has issues. He’d like to go to St Tropez, but logistics were already beating him when he broke his mast. So no solution there. The furthest I have petsonally been to a regatta was Denmark, we sailed our own 26 ft boat for that. I’ve spent a bit of time on the dock with an Aussie Etchells sailor. Apparently all the top crews there have multiple boats. Cowes, Miami, Fremantle, sometimes Hong Kong too. I believe the top TP52 owners do this too. Same name on the boat for results purposes.

The multiple boat strategy used by top TP52 crews is fascinating. For those of us who can't afford multiple boats, do you know of any creative alternatives? Perhaps boat-sharing arrangements or long-term charters in popular racing locations?

 

[Major_Clanger]

I'm a delivery skipper and have taken a few racing yachts to-and-fro. It can be a bit of a curate's egg as depending on the type of boat, they don't necessarily lend themselves well to anything except racing, and can be a handful - I had to move a 12-metre from Cork to Plymouth a few years ago. Just a short hop but it was one of the most difficult trips I've ever done. Conversely it can be an absolute dream!

Many of the OD fleets are moved about as deck cargo (and often inside their own containers), though that can have its own issues especially, depending on the country, lack of care by the dock people.

I'm biased naturally, but I'd recommend a decent skipper and crew. Your boat would be in the hands of fellow sailors who understand the sea and have a vested interest in getting the boat where she needs to be in tip-top shape.

 

[dunedin]

I'm a delivery skipper and have taken a few racing yachts to-and-fro. It can be a bit of a curate's egg as depending on the type of boat, they don't necessarily lend themselves well to anything except racing, and can be a handful - …….

Typically designed to be sailed by a squad of 10 or 12, but for delivery often just 1 or 2 on board. No furling jibs so very hard work setting / changing / stowing foresails. No lazyjacks so even mainsail can be a handful short handed. So often motoring only. But not allowed to arrive with more than a few litres of diesel in the bottom of the tank, so regularly topping up from jerrycans.
No sprayhood to provide any shelter on a wet night watch. No radar for fog. Cold damp interior.

 

[B27]

Sometimes people just charter a local boat.

 

[Wind Expedition]

I'm a delivery skipper and have taken a few racing yachts to-and-fro. It can be a bit of a curate's egg as depending on the type of boat, they don't necessarily lend themselves well to anything except racing, and can be a handful - I had to move a 12-metre from Cork to Plymouth a few years ago. Just a short hop but it was one of the most difficult trips I've ever done. Conversely it can be an absolute dream!

Many of the OD fleets are moved about as deck cargo (and often inside their own containers), though that can have its own issues especially, depending on the country, lack of care by the dock people.

I'm biased naturally, but I'd recommend a decent skipper and crew. Your boat would be in the hands of fellow sailors who understand the sea and have a vested interest in getting the boat where she needs to be in tip-top shape.

Your experience with the 12-metre from Cork to Plymouth sounds challenging. I can relate to that - I've done deliveries on racing boats like a Beneteau First 40 and a Millennium Farr 65, and they can indeed be quite a difficult. The lack of comfort and the fact that they're not really set up for short-handed sailing can make for some interesting trips.

You mentioned the 12-metre being particularly difficult. What specific challenges did you face? Was it the boat's design, the weather, or a combination of factors?

Your comment about boats being in the hands of fellow sailors who understand the sea resonates strongly. It's a perspective that boat owners should definitely consider when weighing their options.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Your experience with the 12-metre from Cork to Plymouth sounds challenging. I can relate to that - I've done deliveries on racing boats like a Beneteau First 40 and a Millennium Farr 65, and they can indeed be quite a difficult. The lack of comfort and the fact that they're not really set up for short-handed sailing can make for some interesting trips.

You mentioned the 12-metre being particularly difficult. What specific challenges did you face? Was it the boat's design, the weather, or a combination of factors?

Your comment about boats being in the hands of fellow sailors who understand the sea resonates strongly. It's a perspective that boat owners should definitely consider when weighing their options.

What a lovely boat the Farr must have been.

The 12-metre was/is a glorious boat but it was usual combination of smaller niggles that came together to make it a PITA. She's a 1980s boat with practically no forefoot, tiny wetted area, nothing below except sail stowage (not even a gas ring) and a 2GM20 to push her along! There were only 4 of us which was my mistake, I should have insisted on 2 more just for the sake of sail handling. Everything worked exactly as it should and was in tip-top order, but with her demanding constant attention on the grinders it soon became wearing.

The weather was fairly benign; we probably didn't have enough wind but the Irish Sea was an irritant in the same way the North Sea can be. The first day we had a headwind and short chop which she didn't like and it wasn't really until we got around Land's End that things improved. I'd raced on her a few times (not as skipper) and so mistakenly thought I knew the boat well - I didn't! It was a good learning curve though.

 

[Daydream believer]

Many years ago I used to do EAORA racing as a crew for a wealthy car dealer. He had a number of old bangers that he would leave in car parks at 2 or 3 race venues. When we arrived & had to leave the boat for the next race, or he did not want to sail back himself, out would come the trade plates & he would drive home. Sometimes leaving the boat & sometimes returning & leaving the car..

 

[flaming]

Timely thread, as getting the boat to Dartmouth is becoming a slightly vexing issue for me.

Ideally some of the regular crew are up for the delivery, and job done. Doubly ideally I can spare the time to do it myself.

As I am also starting to set the boat up for some light cruising, including a quick fitting stack pack and a cheap dacron main that's a little smaller than the race main, the actual job of sailing the boat short handed on delivery is not especially challenging. The biggest issue is often fitting in all the race sails that we might want to take with us but still leaving space for a crew to sleep below...

 

[dunedin]

Timely thread, as getting the boat to Dartmouth is becoming a slightly vexing issue for me.

Ideally some of the regular crew are up for the delivery, and job done. Doubly ideally I can spare the time to do it myself.

As I am also starting to set the boat up for some light cruising, including a quick fitting stack pack and a cheap dacron main that's a little smaller than the race main, the actual job of sailing the boat short handed on delivery is not especially challenging. The biggest issue is often fitting in all the race sails that we might want to take with us but still leaving space for a crew to sleep below...

Isn’t that why some race boats have a box trailer that travels to events by road. Race gear in trailer en route, every non essential piece of domestic and delivery gear in trailer at the event
Budgets going up though !

 

[flaming]

Isn’t that why some race boats have a box trailer that travels to events by road. Race gear in trailer en route, every non essential piece of domestic and delivery gear in trailer at the event
Budgets going up though !

Yeah, when you see your opposition's branded team van in the marina car park you start wondering if you're competing on an entirely even footing....

At our level we just divide the stuff among the crew's cars in the car park...

 

[Daydream believer]

Breskens
How the Dutch do it

 

[Daydream believer]

Not forgetting the Belgians

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Yeah, when you see your opposition's branded team van in the marina car park you start wondering if you're competing on an entirely even footing....

At our level we just divide the stuff among the crew's cars in the car park...

We put a couple of giant plastic storage boxes on our pontoon, plus stuff in the car. Playing away isn’t something we’ve tried with this boat, we do have a box trailer though.

 

[flaming]

We put a couple of giant plastic storage boxes on our pontoon, plus stuff in the car. Playing away isn’t something we’ve tried with this boat, we do have a box trailer though.

Yeah, we have a dock bag that takes things like long shore lines, excess fenders needed for rafting, sail cover, instrument covers etc that are needed during the regatta. But the liferaft, delivery sails etc goes in cars.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

A second hand track car trailer would hold a lot, but I daresay finding somewhere to park it would be a nightmare, especially in Dartmouth