Yeah, handling a sail cat is vastly different than a Nordhavn. I know for a fact it won't be as comfortable a ride as on the cat. Try taking it around Ireland first. I've done both and was on the last voyage my Dad did when he delivered a 50ft Diesel Duck from Turkey to Brasil. Ship it
Yeah, I hear you. But I wouldn't ship it. I'd want the trip. Can't notch your belt without notching your belt.
I am not sure how far you are down the line...I assume you are looking at Adromeda. Be sure you do your research. This vessel has been highly neglected and many buyers have walked away after even partial surveys. Its been on sale for a LONG time, and there is a reason its priced 400k lower than a properly maintained one. Now, all that said I think its a decent value if you want to put the work in. But no way would i get on a boat that neglected and do a passage. Its needs a lot of maintenance first. Good luck. We too are on the hunt, and looking for that right N62 or similar.
AND, here is the smoking gun!!!!!!! I believe the former sailboat owners want to run it over because they think it will be cheaper. Shipping it will be cheaper than running it yourself AND it will get here.
You seem to be ignoring the OP's statement in post 11 where they said "The time and expense are not an issue." They want to bring the boat over on their own for the adventure and to learn their new boat. I realize that most yachts are dock queens and floating condos, but a few are owned by mariners who love to cruise. I used to run a resort marina, and described it as a high class slum with people paying bug bucks to live in cramped quarters 3' from their neighbors. The boats never moved. They didn't need motors except so the transporters could move them to and from winter storage. The OP's don't sound like that kind of boat owners.
Hear, hear! My shakedown cruise was from Ft Pierce to Charleston, out in the stream. As we embark on any long stretch, we shake her down along the coast before heading offshore...if she's been sitting for any length of time. Best outcome is that she never just sits. For this trip you could cruise the coast, jump to Faroe, and then to Iceland. There's a way to do this without being too risky. But it all begins with a meaningful survey...and a mechanic aboard.
a survey is a must but there are too many thing that will never learn from a survey. Like what is in the tanks... in this case I would want to open the tanks and full fuel samples from the bottom. a survey and sea trial may show the engines running cool it I ve seen a number of cases where gear temp would creep up after 2 or 3 hours at cruise. A survey will never be long enough. and the list goes on which is why a few real shakedown cruises are a must. not just short trips
I am going by Post #44 ".I assume you are looking at Adromeda. Be sure you do your research. This vessel has been highly neglected and many buyers have walked away after even partial surveys. Its been on sale for a LONG time, and there is a reason its priced 400k lower than a properly maintained one. Now, all that said I think its a decent value if you want to put the work in. But no way would i get on a boat that neglected and do a passage. Its needs a lot of maintenance first. Good luck. "
I would also be very skeptical about that. On the other hand, I'd rather be at several days from land onboard the first, rather than a neglected one of the latter...
The OP is asking about how to bring it over, not which boat to buy. A bad boat is a bad boat whether you bring it across on its own bottom or aboard a transport ship. Once bought crossing on it's bottom will be one hell of a shakedown cruise. They'll know exactly what's right or wrong with her rather than picking her up at a stateside port with hopes of cruising, only to spend the next year chasing problems. However the reputation of this particular boat does once again bring me to the question of whether the northern or southern route is best. What are the repair facilities for a vessel such as this like in Greenland and Iceland (and the costs) as opposed to those in Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain and the Azores should repairs be needed enroute? What would the costs and availability to get towed in be? Maybe Ken or someone else with experience with these crossings would have some ideas on that. When we shook down Valhalla (about 1500nm) we found a ton of problems, but only one (a leaking shaft log which I tightened up in short order) represented any risk to safety. All the rest were creature comforts (leaking water tank, air conditioning problems and the like).
To be honest, now we're all just jawing for the sake of jawing. Based on the OPs comments, I feel as if they are knowledgeable and responsible enough to decide whether the boat is for them, and how they would proceed if it is. All that being said- here's my jawing. I wouldn't ever take a boat across an ocean until I was confident that I could make the trip without requiring a stop at a repair facility.
That's all of our hopes whenever we cast off, but the reality is often quite different. My "book" has mechanics and yards listed as good or bad all up and down the east coast from my experiences so I don't make the same mistakes twice. What's your thoughts about repair facilities and available help along the two routes in case that becomes a factor for the OP in their decision? My hope is that some of this jawing may actually give the OP and others some thoughts they might not have had on their own.
You can't cross oceans with the thought of repair facilities being available. You need to know the boat and be ready to deal with any issues that come up on your own. That being said, the northern (recommended) route puts you no farther than 400nm from shore at any given time. While it is 1800nm from the Azores to Bermuda.
Husband and I each have our 100 ton captains licenses. On the Leopard, we took 4 hour watches --- longest trip was 7 days at sea. We had no problems. We do not relax safety ---- EVER. And - I thank you very much for assuming we did that "sailboat crap where they just leave it on autopilot and go to sleep for hours..." You do know what happens when you assume things, don't ya' NYCap123?