Buying my first "Yacht" by Sunseeker, need some help.

What if he did part of the loop instead of running down the east coast.

What make and size vessel is this?
Transport via water will definitely be a good education. You're talking about a long trip though, possibly up to 5 weeks. (I've done NY to Miami in as little as 5 1/2 days, but more often these days it's 2 weeks plus. That's expensive even without crew. Capt.J may be right about it being considerably cheaper to go overland, but that depends heavily on the type and size of boat it is. You're also going to be surcharged by your insurance company when you go south at this time of year. Depending on the boat's speed and size there may be some other alternatives such as spending a few days getting used to the boat with a captain here or just hiring a captain to run with you for a portion like from here to the Chesapeake, and putting you on the ICW. From there you could cruise a week, go home for a week, etc. The first thing we need to know though is the size and cruising speed, and we can better advise from there.

P.S. If you'd like someone local to bounce thoughts off, take a look pre-survey, help with the sea-trial & survey, give a recommendation for a local surveyor or captain, etc., send me a PM

One thing people tend to overlook is that you can transport by water but not do it in one trip. It's really whatever your schedule allows. For instance it it's two weeks at a time, then break the trip down into three or four segments and fly home in between. Just use the boat in many different places when you have the chance.

Agreed. In fact for a trip like this, and especially for someone not accustomed to long cruising, I'd recommend breaking it up into 3 or 4, maybe 5 segments. Make it your summer's adventure. Cruise for a wwek to 10 days, then lay her up for a month. You'd spend some extra on travel to and from the boat and incur transient rates for dockage, but that can be offset by not paying for seasonal dockage at home. There'd also be a discount for the transient dockage by getting the monthly rate, and a month's delay in paying the higher insurance rate. Also, by day 10 or so transporting a boat gets to be like work.

Still think it might be a better (cheaper / faster) idea to transport over land if possible though.

But not nearly as much fun.

The way I look at it is that this is the perfect opening to see the East Coast before the boat ends up far away.

I know many prefer transport. I prefer taking advantage of the opportunities to see areas that circumstance makes more convenient than they may ever be again. I enjoy a boat on the water. I don't enjoy a boat on a trailer or shipping deck.

Having done the East Coast over 30 times I obviously agree. I've often described a run down the coast as a college education in boating. But it could be a lot of money and a lot of time; commodities that could be in limited supply.

Doubt I'd consider putting it on a ship for this, but trucking it could make a lot of sense (if size permits) as she'd be on the home dock in about a week.

Back to the OP's original post. Obviously, moving it in the water won't save money or time vs. the $4000 he mentioned for moving by land. It's a fairly easy boat to truck. I'd make sure that price was all inclusive, permits, guides, etc.

Are you all responding to Gerdie, who resuscitated this thread in post #18, or to the OP, CaptainAt18, from about a year ago?

Good point. Responding to the OP which makes no sense. The last response would be valid for #18 and the revival only if it can be shipped by land at a reasonable price. Generally, if you can ship by land that's cheaper.

For Gerdie I think you use a Captain as far as you need to on the trip and that could be the entire way. I don't know his skills and experience to say at what point he'll be ready to take over.

The loop is very long, time-wise and distance wise compared to moving it South on the East Coast and around. Either way is extremely long, distance and time wise. Trucking it would save a considerable amount of money. Not to mention delays from potential mechanical failures. It's about 20 days of running, doing the east coast to FL and then across to TX. It's about 25 days-30 days doing the loop way, there is a lot of time delays (locks) and slow going, perhaps more time/distance could be saved by doing the Mississippi, but fuel stops are very few and far between as well as marina's to dock.

Go by water. The fun, memories and vacation time are all well worth it.

Well, I it looks like we are finally getting ready to close on the vessel. We are getting really excited. Decided to transport on its own bottom. Ground transportation was about as high. They were going to have to take the fly bridge off and some wanted to transport with two trucks. We decided it would be a trip of a lifetime by water.

Does anyone have any recommendations on insurance companies? We do not have experience in running a large boat, but do have a lot on smaller boats.

Any ideas are welcome.

Gerdie

Congratulations, and great idea. You'll learn tons and have the adventure of a lifetime. For insurance I'd suggest a call to BoatUS and/or CHUBB.

As you prepare for your transport familiarize yourself with Dial-A-Buoy for weather forecasts and sea conditions when you'll be going outside, and Cruiser'sNet http://cruisersnet.net/ for update on ICW conditions.