Sailing Akaroa to Wellington

[antonahill 0]

I'm considering buying a boat in Akaroa and sailing it back to Wellington. I sailed dinghies twenty-something years ago but beyond that I don't have much experience. Does anyone have any advice.

Thanks

Anthony

[erice 357]

get a skipper? with offshore experience to look over the boat before you go 

 

and they or someone similar to go with you

[WarLord 0]

suggest you round up all the other 1st time posters keen on looking for crew positions and wanting boats delivered. 

 

You should be able to put together quite a  eager team

 

d

[Black Panther 705]

erice is on the money.

[antonahill 0]

get a skipper? with offshore experience to look over the boat before you go 

 

and they or someone similar to go with you

 

I was thinking I'd probably have to do that anyway. I was more interested in weather, timing etc.

[antonahill 0]

suggest you round up all the other 1st time posters keen on looking for crew positions and wanting boats delivered. 

 

You should be able to put together quite a  eager team

 

d

Thanks for being so helpful.

[wheels 405]

Take someone with experience. That Coast, (like any part of NZ's Coast) can be either a lovely experience, or it can kick you in the A. 
If you go on a light Southerly, it's ruffly a 24hr trip. A Norwester can be turbulent and unpredictably variable in strength as you move along the coast. There is an area between Kekarengu and Ward that can be really nasty when a strong Norwester or Easterly is blowing. You will often see the entire area covered in White Caps. It's advisable to be some distance offshore around there to avoid it. Which in theory, you should be by then anyway, as a line to Wellington places you well out by then. Those going to Picton tend to be closer in. Be aware that some Norwest conditions will swing to a NEaster at the North end of of Pegasus and eventually swing complete easterly and flow over CHCH as an Easterly. Often experienced early evening or morning, but can be other times if conditions are right.
Remember that it is a shipping lane from Wellington to Lyttleon, Timaru and on downward. Although not a Busy route, do be aware that you may encounter one or two Ships, especially as you approach Wellington. Any Ships going from Lyttleton to Timaru tend to hug the Peninsula, so be aware of that as you round it from Akaroa.

[Island Time 786]

Hi Anthony, provided the boat is suitable, and in good order, provided you can wait for a good forecast, this is (or can be) a good sail. As wheels said, in the wrong conditions at best it can be very uncomfortable, and even dangerous. Conditions can change very quickly. What is the boat? Have you had her surveyed? 

I agree with eric, get an experienced sailor to look her over, and then take them (if possible) with you! Otherwise, post some details on here, and some pics, and we can give you some better info...

Cheers

Matt

[erice 357]

i was shopping on trademe for a boat for about 2 years

 

IT"S EVIL

 

would see boats that were exactly what i thought i wanted

 

but they were in dunedin, chch, wellington, auckland, whangarei and the boi

 

and i was overseas

 

finally was living in auckland with boat money burning through my pockets

 

but there was nothing on tm that seemed to compare to stuff i had seen in other parts of the country at other times

 

every month the money leaked away 

 

so finally gave up and bought a sea kayak

 

4 months later a great little boat popped up on a mooring only 4km from the house

 

which turned out to be very important as the motor was completely stuffed and swapping it out taught me a lot about the boat

 

now all is sweet

 

so i'd advise

 

taking another look at what's available locally

 

be flexible

 

be patient

 

something will turn up

[antonahill 0]

Thanks for the advice. It's all very useful. This is the yacht. I'm going to see it tomorrow. I'm trying to work out whether it would be viable in terms of time and money to safely move it to Wellington. I also appreciate that dreams, knowledge, money and reality may not yet have coincided. I have a berth at Evans Bay Marina here in Wellington but  I'm not allowed to have it longer than three months without a boat.