# Sail from Los Angeles to South Korea and back



## brokerhahn

I wonder if I could sail from LA to S.Korea with a small sail boat (22')

I am a beginner and need to take safest and fast route possible.
I would be sailing with 2 kids (15 yo and 18 yo) and another adult. (4 people)

Any suggestions? 

including -route depending on the season
-items/equipment I would need
-where to avoid.. etc.

Thank you for your help.
-RJ-:boat :


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## jerryrlitton

Just off hand I would say the boat is a bit small. That's a lot of time on the water. Very hard to carry enough provisions for one person let alone four. Not even talking about the lack of personal space nor the dreaded full/fin/spade/skeg/production/bluewater/encapsulated/external/benehuntalina/steel vs glass stuff that is fixen to come about shortly.....wait, did you say "fast"? First class airfare for all would be far cheaper.


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## capttb

~5200 NM theoretical on the great circle route, 54 days if you could average 4 knots, which you couldn't, bring extra drinking water and sunscreen, bon voyage.
There is no safe or fast way for 4 people to cross the Pacific in a 22' sailboat unless you put them on the deck of a freighter.


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## JonEisberg

brokerhahn said:


> I wonder if I could sail from LA to S.Korea with a small sail boat (22')
> 
> I am a beginner and need to take safest and fast route possible.
> I would be sailing with 2 kids (15 yo and 18 yo) and another adult. (4 people)
> 
> Any suggestions?


Just one:

_DON'T..._

;-)


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## tdw

Of one thing I think we can be certain ..... "and back" is surplus to requirements.

An acqaintance of mine circumnavigated in a 25'er, part of the way with a wife and new born. That was cramped and they did not do any passage as long as LA - South Korea. 

I mean, for heavens sake. Go outside and mark up 22' from bow to stern then have your "children" and wife stand inside the lines. Then add food and water. Now while you are all standing there (or should I say crouching) ponder why it is that this just might be a really really stupid idea. 

In short .... Oh FFS.


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## tdw

JonEisberg said:


> Just one:
> 
> _DON'T..._
> 
> ;-)


Come now John, negative vibes there, negative vibes. You are trampling on this good man's dreams. Think positively. Look on the bright side .... I for one can see a Darwin award in his future. :laugh


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## chuck53

If you do it, there will be a lot of people that would love to take out a life insurance policy on you.
First of all, as said above, there is no way a 22 footer is going to carry 4 adults that far for that period of time. 2nd...there is no way you can carry enough provisions to make the trip.
3rd....you have no sailing experience. 

IF you had a couple years sailing experience including blue water (middle of the ocean) sailing.
Maybe IF you had a 35 footer and you make more than a couple stops along the way to re-supply.
AND that 35 footer is a true blue water boat...
You might have a decent change of completing the voyage.

If you don't believe us...buy a 22 footer and the 4 of you go spend a week on it. YOu don't even have to leave the dock...just stay on board and never leave the boat. See how you like it.


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## Minnewaska

brokerhahn said:


> ...I am a beginner....


That's not a beginner's trip. One doesn't cross an ocean by learning how on the internet.


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## chuck53

I get the feeling we are never going to hear from brokerhahn again.


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## Capt Len

Lots of ways to clean up the gene pool. At least he planned to take the family


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## Erindipity

chuck53 said:


> I get the feeling we are never going to hear from brokerhahn again.


Yup, I wonder how far this Trollpost will travel.
But it was a pretty good one. I'm in:

You will need a good inverter and an electric chainsaw. Figure consuming the 15 year old by Hawaii, and the 18 year old by Guam. After that, it's up to whomever has current custody of the chainsaw.
Oh, bring along lots of fresh water. Long Pork tends to be salty.

¬Erindipity


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## Capt Len

A swede saw would be more practical But recrewing for the return would have to be done on sail net because Koreans wouldn't fall for anything this stupid.


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## aeventyr60

One of those Macgregor 26's would probably do the trick...50 Hp and all


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## miatapaul

You might do well to try to do the trip with a tiger on board. Worked on life of pi. 

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


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## tdw

Erindipity said:


> Yup, I wonder how far this Trollpost will travel.
> But it was a pretty good one. I'm in:
> 
> You will need a good inverter and an electric chainsaw. Figure consuming the 15 year old by Hawaii, and the 18 year old by Guam. After that, it's up to whomever has current custody of the chainsaw.
> Oh, bring along lots of fresh water. Long Pork tends to be salty.
> 
> ¬Erindipity


Further than they will is my guess. :laugh


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## Erindipity

miatapaul said:


> You might do well to try to do the trip with a tiger on board. Worked on life of pi.


I saw "Life Of Pi" for the first time a few hours ago...
One will need more than a Tiger on board. There's also the Zebra, the Orangutang, and the Spotted Hyena to consider.
One glaring omission in the Movie- that was a very Boat-Trained Tiger. Where's all the Tiger Poop? The Lifeboat didn't even have a Tiger Poop Deck.

And then, there's the assignment of personage. The Zebra and Orangutang are the two kids obviously. (Among the tools aboard, I saw neither Chainsaw nor Swede Saw. Frankly, a Tiger with a Chainsaw Paw is awesome.) To refer to one's Significant Other as a Spotted Hyena may cause trouble on a 22' Boat. Even berthed.

Next, there are Islands populated entirely by Meerkats. Avoid them.

And lastly, Marine Insurance. Get a Policy that covers any and all contingencies.

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright
On the oceans of the night
What is that on your pretty paw
Do I see a chancy Chainsaw?

When one is gifted with Zebra at Sea
Does one consume it with tangy Kimchi?
Orangutang goes rather well
With a decent Zinfandel.

Why wait for the nearest Marina
To partake of Spotted Hyena?
After that, no need for abstaining
When one still has three paws, remaining.

¬Erindipity


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## MarkofSeaLife

Go For It!! :laugh :2 boat:


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## Minnewaska

MarkofSeaLife said:


> Go For It!! :laugh :2 boat:


Awesome answer and I just may adopt it for myself, when faced with these silly "can I" questions.

However, they typically want a how-to or what-to-bring or some other follow on that just isn't worth the effort, so the combined answer become, just don't.


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## brokerhahn

Hahaha...
Thanks you all for delightful feedbacks.
I knew it was absurd question but asked away anyway hoping there would be a way.
I am in a process of buying 22´ sail boat and wondered if it could be possible.

For the sake of argument, If I do take lot of stops on the way and take about 6 month or more, could it be possible?
(Stopping every 4~5 days or so)

If it is, what would be a possible rout?
So sorry for dumb question but can't help my self dreaming.

Again, sorry for my ignorance.
Thanks.


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## scratchee

I'm sensing that you're not really interested in sailing a boat to Korea, you're interested in getting to Korea and you wonder if a small boat might be the way to do it. If this is the case, then I think one way to look at it is that it's possible in the same way that it's possible to get from Florida to Alaska on a unicycle.


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## Minnesail

I will sail my 22' boat from Minneapolis to Los Angeles and join you, we can buddy boat across.


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## tdw

Mate, see my first reply. Even for a freaking weekend at anchor 22' is probably too small for two teenagers and their parents. Then you have questions of seaworthiness. Now I know that John Guzzwell sailed the 22' Trekka around the world but he was solo and the boat was purpose built. There are only two possible outcomes you will achieve by stuffing four people into a 22'er . One is murder/suicide and the other is drowning. 

Now ... have butchers at a map. In a 22'er you could maybe, just maybe do 120nms per day. Now draw an arc showing all possible destinations 120nms from LA. Get back to me in due course with all the places you intend stopping at. 

btw .... why South Korea ?


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## MarkofSeaLife

brokerhahn said:


> Hahaha...
> , If I do take lot of stops on the way and take about 6 month or more, could it be possible?
> (Stopping every 4~5 days or so)
> 
> .


What stops? Have a look at a map and us where you could stop.

Its not rocket science to open an Atlas and draw a line. There aint nothin out there except Hawaii.
The trip over the top via the Aleutians is up wind in the Screaming 50's and then you hit Russias Siberian coast.

Have you looked at a map????

Go watch that TV show about crab fishermen in Alaska and then imagine not having thier 100 foot boats but some flimsy sail boat 1/5th of the size. And sail INTO all those storms not away from them.


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## chuck53

brokerhahn said:


> Hahaha...
> Thanks you all for delightful feedbacks.
> I knew it was absurd question but asked away anyway hoping there would be a way.
> I am in a process of buying 22´ sail boat and wondered if it could be possible.
> 
> For the sake of argument, If I do take lot of stops on the way and take about 6 month or more, could it be possible?
> (Stopping every 4~5 days or so)
> 
> If it is, what would be a possible rout?
> So sorry for dumb question but can't help my self dreaming.
> 
> Again, sorry for my ignorance.
> Thanks.


Have you actually looked at a map of the Pacific? Where do you plan to stop every 4-5 days?
like I said...spend a week on a 22 footer...at a dock...and never set foot off of it. You will soon give up this dream of crossing the Pacific.


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## tdw

brokerhahn said:


> If it is, what would be a possible rout?
> 
> Thanks.


I fear the whole thing would be something of a rout. :eek


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## tdw

MarkofSeaLife said:


> What stops? Have a look at a map and us where you could stop.


Oh duh .... he'd just deploy his sea anchor. That's what everyone does isn't it ? . I thort yu gnu about this sailing malarky ?


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## aeventyr60

Have you ever looked at a chart of the Pacific Ocean? I don't see many places to stop....Ignorance is one thing, stupidity is another.


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## aeventyr60

A good story of two Japanese sailors completing the Journey from Japan to California here:

Latitude 38 - 'Lectronic Latitude


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## Minnewaska

I smell Troll..........or dreamy teenager, or teenage troll.


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## brokerhahn

Well.. Thanks for all replies.

I had this question because I wan planning to buy 22'.
Then, the deal didn't go through, and I am searching for another sail boat.

Of course the purpose of bying sail is to sail near LA (to Catalina Island or even down to Baja Mexico)
But wondered if it would be possible to travel to Asia even if it takes 1 year or so.

What size would be the smallest for long (distance and time regardless many stops on the way) sailing.
I guess 35' should be ok. Am I right?

The reason why I said Korea was because I found some sailing route maps to Europe across the Atlantic, but I could not find anything beyond to Asia (China, Japan, Korea). 
This made me curious if there would be possible route; avoiding storm, pirates and all.

Once again, thanks for your kind replies.
Cheers!


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## rnixon

brokerhahn said:


> What size would be the smallest for long (distance and time regardless many stops on the way) sailing.
> I guess 35' should be ok. Am I right?
> 
> The reason why I said Korea was because I found some sailing route maps to Europe across the Atlantic, but I could not find anything beyond to Asia (China, Japan, Korea).
> This made me curious if there would be possible route; avoiding storm, pirates and all.


You need to have sufficient training and / or experience to answer those questions yourself before you stake your life, and those of your passengers, on the answers. You can't put four inexperienced people on any size of (suitable) boat and hope it to get anywhere safely.


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## tdw

brokerhahn said:


> Well.. Thanks for all replies.
> 
> I had this question because I wan planning to buy 22'.
> Then, the deal didn't go through, and I am searching for another sail boat.
> 
> Of course the purpose of bying sail is to sail near LA (to Catalina Island or even down to Baja Mexico)
> But wondered if it would be possible to travel to Asia even if it takes 1 year or so.
> 
> What size would be the smallest for long (distance and time regardless many stops on the way) sailing.
> I guess 35' should be ok. Am I right?
> 
> The reason why I said Korea was because I found some sailing route maps to Europe across the Atlantic, but I could not find anything beyond to Asia (China, Japan, Korea).
> This made me curious if there would be possible route; avoiding storm, pirates and all.
> 
> Once again, thanks for your kind replies.
> Cheers!


You could, and others have done so, do it in less than 35' but that is probably a reasonable starting point if you need room to swing that cat, and with two teenagers on board you may well need some discipline. :eek

Reality is that if you want to consider such a voyage you should probably start off by having a look at "Noonsite". With ocean voyaging it is not simply a matter of point to point. You need to consider the seasons for instance. Another good suggestion would be to get hold of Hal and Margaret Roth's splendid tome "Two on a Big Ocean" in which they tell the tale of their circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean leaving from US West Coast.

There are others here with vastly more experience than I but I'm pretty sure that most people who voyage to Asia from America would first head towards Australia/NewZealand. The reason btw, that there is not so much information about Japan/China/Korea is that they are not part of the road well travelled and even in the recent past have not been welcoming to cruising sailors. Partly legal restrictions, partly language, partly geographical.

www.noonsite.com

Two on a Big Ocean : The Story of the First Circumnavigation of the Pacific Basin in a Small Sailing Ship: Hal Roth: 9780963956644: Amazon.com: [email][email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com[/email]/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@51T90Y1PFEL


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## tdw

Minnewaska said:


> I smell Troll..........or dreamy teenager, or teenage troll.


I'm thinking simply dreamer. I reckon if people couched their initial question in terms of e.g. "I'm a dreamer and was wondering if small boat voyaging from the US to the Far East is feasible" they'd get a better response but hey, this is the internet after all and people sit doodling (guilty as charged m'lud) far more than they should.


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## Siamese

Just make sure you account for the sex on board. You haven't mentioned the genders of your crew or whether you're related to each other. Don't forget to consider all the possibilities for both solo and partner situations and whether any of you will require privacy. A small inflatable dinghy with a screen could be useful. And don't forget the birth control, as childbirth is tricky at sea in a small boat and infants tend to be demanding.


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