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Cruising to Hawaii from California?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Stefnopolis, Dec 23, 2011.

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  1. Stefnopolis

    Stefnopolis New Member

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    I am new and have a question for you guys...
    I was reading a thread here about crossing the Atlantic and I started wondering how long it would take to cross the Pacific. To be more specific what I was really thinking was, how long it would take to get to Hawaii from California on a 40'? If even possible? Not that I am considering doing this but who knows, maybe someday. Motor yacht by the way not sail.
  2. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The short answer to your question is, it all depends. It depends on the type of 40' (which is a bit small to do that trip on it's own bottom unless it's a sailboat or Nordhaven 46'). It depends on how slow you have to go to get the fuel economy and range, how much spare fuel the boat is capable of safely carrying, and hull design and more.
  3. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    It's about 2400 miles and then about 3900 from there to Japan. Not many 40's carry the fuel for that distance, but you'd be looking at a trawler or a sail for sure in that size.
  4. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

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    The remaining duration of your marriage probably.:D
    DCaretaker likes this.
  5. BLouder

    BLouder New Member

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    I used to work with a gentleman that raced from SF Bay to Hawaii every year in a 52' Santa Cruz sailboat. As I remember it took them somewhere between 7 and 10 days running 24 hours a day at race pace. Then he would fly home and the crew would spend the next 3-4 weeks fighting the current to bring her home.

    Is there an option to refuel part way through? Is there a service that can be arranged?
  6. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    This is probably the race he did.

    Transpacific Yacht Club

    Anything is possible.... if you have the money and are prepared to pay for it.

    There were no fuel docks last time I went Honolulu to Seattle on a yacht.
  7. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    A 50' Pacifca, MAGIC made the trip from Newport Beach with 1,000 gals in fuel tanks, plus drums and bladders and re-fueled at sea from a larger boat.

    Also a 48' Pacemaker, the former ZOPILOTE made it from San Diego.
  8. BLouder

    BLouder New Member

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    Wouldn't mind sitting down and chatting with the captain on those trips.
  9. PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    That would be a very interesting trip in a 40 footer. Or even the 50' Pacifica. Loaded with extra fuel. I'd love to tip glasses with that captain too!

    It's a regatta we've been wanting to sail but haven't as of yet. As stated, 7 to 10 days under racing conditions. I know others who have done in 50 to 60' blowboats around the 16 to 20 day mark at a cruising pace.

    It's a trip that requires a fair bit of planning, training, and equipment confidence based on the conditions which can vary widely. There is absolutely nowhere to limp in, should you need parts, supplies, medical attention, etc. True blue water sailing.
  10. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

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    A lot of sailboaters make that trip. Many of them end up parking the boat at Ala Wai marina in Honolulu when the wife says "It's me or the boat!" then takes the next flight home.

    Some boats carry on to Shangri-La but not many sail back to the mainland with the original crew onboard. It can be a wretched experience on a containership.
  11. travler

    travler Senior Member

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    i have matbe the trip a few times it's pretty boring untill the weather get's bad then there is no place to hide all i can say is have all the spare parts you think you will need and then some, a lot of patients and some good bodies that can stand wheel watch if things go good we can cross in about 8to9 days if the weather gets bad and the sea's get mixed up it can take 20 days are more i have seen fish boats make this trip as small as 55 ft but they carried a lot of fuel (if my memory serves me well it was 9000. gallons) there are a lot of variables to deal with good luck if you try this

    travler
  12. Stefnopolis

    Stefnopolis New Member

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    Antonio Torres Registered User posted...

    1984 - brazilian Amyr Klink crossed (alone) the South Atlantic in a rowing small boat.
    No sails, no engine.
    LOA: 5.94 m
    Displacement: 1200 kg
    Propulsion: human muscles (ocean streams also helped)
    Fuel: dry food and water (soft)

    Duration: 100 days
    Distance: 3500 nm
  13. Stefnopolis

    Stefnopolis New Member

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    I would probably never make it in my 40' haha. I have two 150 gal gas tanks. there would have to be like 3 fueling stations on the way im assuming. I could see how he could make it with a paddle boat because its human propulsion, but I dont understand how or where his supplies would fit. Thats about 18 feet worth of boat. Imagine the cold. Thats crazy if real.
  14. Stefnopolis

    Stefnopolis New Member

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  15. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    300 gallons of "GAS", not diesel? Most of the gas boats I'm familiar with in that size have a range of well south of 200 nm. That's a lot of fuel boats you'd need stationed and the price would probably be upward of $100 a gallon. If you can afford that you might just want to go for a serious passage maker or put up sails.:D
  16. Stefnopolis

    Stefnopolis New Member

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    200 nm... A nautical mile is about 1.3 miles right? Well this trip would never happen. :(

    Ok.. so, for motor boats... what is the proper... what is the smallest yacht/boat capable of crusing the seas without having to worry too much.
    To refrase that... what would be a good sized gas tank and boat size for a trip like this or trips in general.

    I know my boat was built to take trips to baja Mex from here in California.
  17. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    A trawler or sailboat.

    A nautical mile= 1.15 s. miles
  18. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    1.15. 2,400 miles :- 1.15= 2,087nm From there it's a matter of how fast you want to go based on your fuel burn. At say 10 kts. that's 209 hours and if you burn say 20gph that would mean you'd need 4.180 gals. However, using the rule of thirds (you want to pull in with 1/3 tank to spare for emergencies) means you'd like to start out with 6,270 gals. You also have to account for generator usage and a margin of error for rough seas where you'll burn more. Don't know of any gas boats that carry that much, nor even diesel sport boats. So you're talking about very large yachts, trawlers or sails. Not the sort of trip that's done without serious planning.

    Don't believe salesmen. Technically that trip could in reality mean San Diego to Tijuana. Do you know your gph burn rate and how much you hold? Only believe your own figures. Awhile back I had an owner tell me his boat could make it from Newport, RI to Cape May, NJ. After having Sea Tow deliver me enough fuel to get into Atlantic City I called the owner. His response was 'Well I've gone from Montauk to Atlantic City, isn't it about the same distance?'. Looks real close on those Dinner placemat maps, but it's an extra 3 hours at 30gph. That was the last time I believed an owner.
  19. wscott52

    wscott52 Senior Member

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    If you're talking "any ocean, any weather", I think you're talking about an 80-100' steel trawler yacht. At least for me. Even then you can get into trouble in something like an open ocean hurricane.

    Just curious, what exactly is your 40' boat? NYCap is giving you good advice about actual versus claimed range. We had a 50' DeFever in the 1980s with a claimed range of 1500 miles but an actual range of 1100 miles. It might have made 1500 miles at six knots with no generator but that's not how we used the boat. Until you've done the numbers yourself you sure don't want to bet your life on them.
  20. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Not a bad figure to run with if you can haul the extra weight and have the space.

    Not the words I expected to see from the infallible NYCAP123 however.

    Lucky the consequences were no more serious than a bit of frustration.