# Port suggestions? Where would you keep a boat; anywhere in the world?



## outdoorsman37 (May 10, 2010)

If you could keep a boat away from your home anywhere in the world where would you keep it? The idea would be to fly there and sail and vacation part time or some time during the year. Please send me some ideas. 

I live in San Diego and have an extra 30 foot. I was thinking of putting it in San Carlos, MX on the hard. 

I will eventually get larger boats so I would love to hear of distant ports that are cost effective (inexpensive) and great for vacationing. 


Thanks!


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

You have an "extra" 30 foot? If it were me, I would just sell the second and put the money into the other. Unless you had someplace you could access easily, say a couple of hour drive that had different cruising grounds, say fresh water VS salt water. If you travel there for business regularly and could use it instead of a hotel. Or if say you change seasonally say boat in Mexico for the entire winter, and Seattle in the entire summer. By the time you get the boat cleaned up, bottom painted and back in the water you will have spent the better part of a week. So if you want a vacation, just rent a boat someplace.


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## aloof (Dec 21, 2014)

Bandaras Bay. Easy to fly to from SD. Very fun. Excellent sailing. Even more fun would be the Philippines, but the flight is long.


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## harmonic (Sep 10, 2013)

Bay of Islands New Zealand beautiful spot,


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

While you can theoretically fly anywhere, there is a practical limit in time or potentially in money. From San Diego, Central America is an option, but it wouldn't be for me. I would say to go to the Caribbean. If I were going to leave my boat somewhere, year round, it would probably be St. Thomas. I'm only suspecting it would be a bit easier to manage, assuming you're a US citizen. My next preference would be Tortola, BVI, then St. Martin. All easily accessible by air, with St. T being the least expensive, most likely. Wherever you put it, you'll require a boat manager to keep an eye on her and they are no where near as reliable as stateside. I would lean toward leaving her on the hard and launching when you intend to use her.

In the end, be realistic about how often you will actually go use the boat. Add up all the costs, including substantially more wear and tear in the extreme heat and humidity, along with you airfare, dockage, management, etc. We did just that and easily came to the conclusion that it was substantially smarter to bareboat. We're not having a boat down there until we are retired and truly living on it for months at a time.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

For you on the West Coast, I might keep it up North in in the Seattle area. That would open up the San Juan Is. and Vancouver Is. etc for you during their season.


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## sugarbird (Dec 23, 2013)

Beautiful idea, and I don't want to throw cold water on it...but...you may find it's a little harder to pull off than it looks like at first blush. Trying to keep one boat in decent shape has caused many good men to cry, let alone two, especially with one of them at a distance. My experience has been when I leave my boat on the hard for even a few months untended it takes a bit of time to fix stuff that's somehow self-destructed, clean up and recommission. In some places there are reliable yacht management folks who do a super job of keeping the boat ready to go, but they typically don't come cheap. 

How much time do you think you'll be able to actually spend per year at the remote sailing spot? If it takes a week (or two) to get her ready (and a day or so to haul back out and ready her for storage), how much time will you have left to go sailing? The BVI yards always seem to have a few folks wandering around who parked their boat "for hurricane season" and then for one reason or another (health, money, job, love, etc.) are gone for a year or two, and when they do show back up the mold, mildew, rust (rust never sleeps), dead batteries, sour/sludged fuel, sun-burnt canvas and brightwork, yadda, yadda, slaps them in the face. The brave ones hunker down for a couple of months and dole out a bunch of dollars, while others tape a for sale sign on the old girl and jump on the next plane home.

It CAN be done (ask me how I know), but it can get a little complicated. Good luck!


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## hellsop (Jun 3, 2014)

outdoorsman37 said:


> If you could keep a boat away from your home anywhere in the world where would you keep it? The idea would be to fly there and sail and vacation part time or some time during the year. Please send me some ideas.


Fantasyland version? That little marina on Cortte Vecchia on the north side Venice. It would help if I spoke Italian...

Slightly less ludicrous: Burnham Yacht Harbour Nearly on the train line to London, but far enough out that it's not ruinous.

US west coat? How about Bremerton, across the sound from Seattle? Still seldom freezes, and a LOT of waterways to explore.


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## westsailpatti (Dec 11, 2014)

My cousin loves this little marina down in Panama . Sorry I don't know the name .


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Christmas Island


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## hellsop (Jun 3, 2014)

westsailpatti said:


> My cousin loves this little marina down in Panama . Sorry I don't know the name .


Shelter Bay? That's one that a lot of people like if they're waiting for scheduling a southbound canal trip.


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

Minnewaska said:


> I would say to go to the Caribbean. If I were going to leave my boat somewhere, year round, it would probably be St. Thomas. I'm only suspecting it would be a bit easier to manage, assuming you're a US citizen. My next preference would be Tortola, BVI, then St. Martin. All easily accessible by air, with St. T being the least expensive, most likely. Wherever you put it, you'll require a boat manager to keep an eye on her and they are no where near as reliable as stateside.


No where near as reliable as stateside? Really? Then you aren't getting the right manager. I take care of a few boats for friends that live in the states and probably put more effort into their boat's well being than my own! I take managing a boat for someone very seriously as do a few other people here that do so for a living. What I do see are some stateside cheapskates that expect someone to check on their boat 3X a week and want to pay $100/month for that service. You get what you pay for. There was a nice sailboat next to mine that had a very leaky packing (the manager of the boat told me) causing the bilge to cycle on more than 10x/hr. Despite numerous requests of the owner to pay to have it fixed, the owner said "the bilge pump (single without a secondary) keeps up fine". The manager was a nervous wreck knowing that if the pump failed he would look bad. Finally the owner moved the boat to someplace else. I know a guy that charges hundreds/month on a typical 40' sailboat and regularly turns away potential clients because he is too busy.

Minnewaska, you're not one of those cheapskates, are you?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

FarCry said:


> .....What I do see are some stateside cheapskates that expect someone to check on their boat 3X a week and want to pay $100/month for that service. You get what you pay for.


I suppose that could be it.

I know a guy who lived Stateside that had a boat at Sapphire Bay. I came down to take a look to buy it and the manager was going to get it ready. It clearly hadn't been touched. Not to mention, he hadn't noticed that the spinnaker had fallen off the dock and was lying at the bottom of the slip. How many times per month do you have to be paid to come take a look to notice that?



> Minnewaska, you're not one of those cheapskates, are you?


Some day, I need to get me one of those managers to find out.


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

Minnewaska said:


> I suppose that could be it.
> 
> I know a guy who lived Stateside that had a boat at Sapphire Bay. I came down to take a look to buy it and the manager was going to get it ready. It clearly hadn't been touched. Not to mention, he hadn't noticed that the spinnaker had fallen off the dock and was lying at the bottom of the slip. How many times per month do you have to be paid to come take a look to notice that?
> 
> Some day, I need to get me one of those managers to find out.


I know the boat you are referring to. I know the manager you are referring to. I know the boat owner. I thought it was the genoa in the bag in the water, not the spinn but it's been a long time... That boat manager is typically very thorough. As I recall the circumstances as told by both the boat owner and the manager, the loft left the sail on the dock or on the boat after making repairs and told the owner but not the manager. The owner ASSumed the manager saw it. The owner wasn't a very popular guy, if you know what I mean. It wouldn't surprise me if the sail was helped into the water on a dark night...

That doesn't excuse the boat not being ready to be shown to a potential buyer if the contract included that work... It wouldn't be the first time that an owner was behind in payments so the manager wasn't interested in laying out any more of his personal money for contract cleaning, varnish, etc. There are three sides to every story.

That boat has been sold at least twice since you've seen it and may have been sold a third time by now.


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## blowinstink (Sep 3, 2007)

I am a fan of this idea too. Don't let the naysayers get you down (it is not an arrangement for everyone . . . and if you don't get it, you just don't get it). At the same time, pay attention to the comments. Maintenance is an issue. Where do you feel comfortable with the mix of cost and competence of the local boatworkers? You'll want someone local to look after your boat. Next, location is more about proximity than perfection (or at least a balance of the two . . . you'll need to find that yourself based on your primary residence). Lastly, don't give up on the idea that the "perfect spot" is actually a moving target . . . here for a couple years and then there for a year before moving on . . .! If you are of this mindset . . . stick to it, I think it holds the promise of great rewards for certain folks.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

FarCry said:


> I know the boat you are referring to. I know the manager you are referring to. I know the boat owner. I thought it was the genoa in the bag in the water, not the spinn but it's been a long time... That boat manager is typically very thorough. As I recall the circumstances as told by both the boat owner and the manager, the loft left the sail on the dock or on the boat after making repairs and told the owner but not the manager. The owner ASSumed the manager saw it. The owner wasn't a very popular guy, if you know what I mean. It wouldn't surprise me if the sail was helped into the water on a dark night...
> 
> That doesn't excuse the boat not being ready to be shown to a potential buyer if the contract included that work... It wouldn't be the first time that an owner was behind in payments so the manager wasn't interested in laying out any more of his personal money for contract cleaning, varnish, etc. There are three sides to every story.
> 
> That boat has been sold at least twice since you've seen it and may have been sold a third time by now.


I had a feeling you may have heard the story. It's a pretty good one. I shouldn't disparage the manager, as it's my only interaction. But the boat was a crap-hole. Booze bottles overflowing the dry bin in the galley and all. I knew of the owner, more than knew him personally. The boat was up here in the Bay before living down there.

It was the spin, as I recall. As you know, you can see right to the bottom of the slip. Easily. There it was. I helped pull it up on the dock and spread it out. It had been down there a while.

That boat was ridden hard and put away wet. He seemed to have a bunch of 20 or 30 somethings that would race with him for booze. I met a few of them. I passed without remorse.

I eventually heard he sold it, with an agreement that it could stay for free in the slip he owned, if he could use it a few weeks per year. That kind of partnership is destined to fail. All but sure I see it listed again on yachtworld right now (for $250k less than list six years ago). In fact, while a small pic, I will bet that is me at the port helm in the pic that shows her underway. They did send a chase boat to take pics of our sea trial, to use the pics for marketing her. (by this time of the day, I already knew I was going to pass, but thought I would get a sail out of the trip  ) I can't see it really well, but recall the skipper they hired had a baseball shirt and we had my broker and surveyor along. Looks about right in the grainy pic.


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

Minnewaska said:


> I had a feeling you may have heard the story. It's a pretty good one. I shouldn't disparage the manager, as it's my only interaction. But the boat was a crap-hole. Booze bottles overflowing the dry bin in the galley and all. I knew of the owner, more than knew him personally. The boat was up here in the Bay before living down there.
> 
> It was the spin, as I recall. As you know, you can see right to the bottom of the slip. Easily. There it was. I helped pull it up on the dock and spread it out. It had been down there a while.
> 
> ...


We can agree that the boat wasn't treated well at all. My first time on it I mentioned to the owner that there was water literally pouring in from the chain plates in the cabin I was staying in. The electronics that were in that locker were covered in rust and amazingly still working.

Yes there were many young people on there and the owner loved to entertain. In the years I raced on it, myself and another guy sort of ran things, he was at the helm, I trimmed main and controlled the foredeck. Pretty much any young decent looking person was welcome to come sail. We would show up at a regatta with just three people and by race time there would be 15 or so that the owner picked up. He liked it that way...

The owner moved the boat back and forth from RI for years before leaving it down here. Too much time and money tied up in running it back and forth.

You may be right on the spinn being in the water. I do recall coming back from St Martin dead tired and the owner wishing to put it up with just three of us. That was my first experience with a cruising chute and snuffer. All went well until the owner put the boat on auto and went below. A large wind shift put the spinn on a spreader and caught the tape in there. Sent a guy up the mast but by then the spinn had torn the edge of the tape off from one end to the other. Spinn had been flown less than 3 times...

After the boat sold when you saw it, a new manager was hired and well, it was not good for the boat or the new owner... I'm pretty sure it was sold again after that and then relisted a few months ago.

When you went to see the boat the list of deferred maintenance items would have run for pages. The boat needed an infusion of cash and lots of TLC. I don't know if it ever got that. The current price may be a reflection of what is needed.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

FarCry said:


> .......
> When you went to see the boat the list of deferred maintenance items would have run for pages. The boat needed an infusion of cash and lots of TLC. I don't know if it ever got that. The current price may be a reflection of what is needed.


I scheduled a two day survey. Called it quits after day one. The owner was wiling to fix everything we found (what choice did he have) and I definitely remember the corroded leaking chainplate. Don't recall the electronics, but never got to them. I could just tell the boat was a maintenance disaster waiting to happen. He was also reneging on selling the dinghy, which was in the contract and the listed scuba compressor was gone too.

When we went on the seatrial, the hired skipper, who claimed to be the only guy the owner world allow helm the boat (probably the guy you knew), started the generator and left it running the entire time. There must have been a problem with the house or start batts or maybe the electric winch bank. I was waiting to see if he would say why he left it running, but it was a joke by then. I already knew I wasn't ever going to buy it.

I should have held the episode against my broker for not being fully informed, but I knew he hadn't seen the boat in a couple of years and he was upfront about that. He gave me my good faith check back uncashed!


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

Minnewaska said:


> I scheduled a two day survey. Called it quits after day one. The owner was wiling to fix everything we found (what choice did he have) and I definitely remember the corroded leaking chainplate. Don't recall the electronics, but never got to them.In the hanging locker was a DVR and controls for the flat screen and I believe the Tstat for the A/C. There may have been a stereo flush mounted sticking into the locker as well. That's what I meant by electronics. I could just tell the boat was a maintenance disaster waiting to happen. He was also reneging on selling the dinghy, which was in the contract and the listed scuba compressor was gone too.
> 
> Playing games with the dinghy and the dive compressor, that sounds about right.
> 
> When we went on the seatrial, the hired skipper, who claimed to be the only guy the owner world allow helm the boat (probably the guy you knew), started the generator and left it running the entire time. There must have been a problem with the house or start batts or maybe the electric winch bank. I was waiting to see if he would say why he left it running, but it was a joke by then. I already knew I wasn't ever going to buy it.


Last time I was on it the batteries were in pretty good shape easily running numerous electric winches for many hours during races. Who knows what happened. You saw the boat and figured out the condition in short order. Good for you!


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## paulanthony (Feb 9, 2015)

Minnewaska said:


> I suppose that could be it.
> 
> I know a guy who lived Stateside that had a boat at Sapphire Bay. I came down to take a look to buy it and the manager was going to get it ready. It clearly hadn't been touched. Not to mention, he hadn't noticed that the spinnaker had fallen off the dock and was lying at the bottom of the slip. How many times per month do you have to be paid to come take a look to notice that?
> 
> Some day, I need to get me one of those managers to find out.


I think you have a Jeanneau 54DS from your footer info. If so,, does she live up to your expectations. Have you done any major distances in her?

Paul


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

paulanthony said:


> I think you have a Jeanneau 54DS from your footer info. If so,, does she live up to your expectations. Have you done any major distances in her?
> 
> Paul


We love the boat. Very solid coastal cruiser with open water potential. We have guests all summer long and it's very accommodating. We love the amount of room in the "deck salon". I would have to go check the log aboard, but I'll bet we're pushing 10,000 miles on her in 6 years. We sail alot from May to Oct, up on the hard for the rest. 50 miles per weekend would be considered a milk run, but if we stay in the Bay, it could be less. I did 225 miles over a 3 day weekend last year, for example, and didn't think much of it. That was 100ish out, rest day, 100ish back. When we take two to three weeks to cruise, the sky's the limit.


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## paulanthony (Feb 9, 2015)

Minnewaska said:


> We love the boat. Very solid coastal cruiser with open water potential. We have guests all summer long and it's very accommodating. We love the amount of room in the "deck salon". I would have to go check the log aboard, but I'll bet we're pushing 10,000 miles on her in 6 years. We sail alot from May to Oct, up on the hard for the rest. 50 miles per weekend would be considered a milk run, but if we stay in the Bay, it could be less. I did 225 miles over a 3 day weekend last year, for example, and didn't think much of it. That was 100ish out, rest day, 100ish back. When we take two to three weeks to cruise, the sky's the limit.


I have been looking at a few on the market. I am quite taken with the amount of deck space and the saloon looks convivial too. Not sure why they dropped it. I have found a 49 DS for around 220k.. fully loaded but not sure I could live on it for extended periods. A few foot makes a big difference. The 54 hits the spot.


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## paulanthony (Feb 9, 2015)

Minnewaska said:


> We love the boat. Very solid coastal cruiser with open water potential. We have guests all summer long and it's very accommodating. We love the amount of room in the "deck salon". I would have to go check the log aboard, but I'll bet we're pushing 10,000 miles on her in 6 years. We sail alot from May to Oct, up on the hard for the rest. 50 miles per weekend would be considered a milk run, but if we stay in the Bay, it could be less. I did 225 miles over a 3 day weekend last year, for example, and didn't think much of it. That was 100ish out, rest day, 100ish back. When we take two to three weeks to cruise, the sky's the limit.


Post some pics if you can.. would love to see.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

paulanthony said:


> I have been looking at a few on the market. I am quite taken with the amount of deck space and the saloon looks convivial too. Not sure why they dropped it. I have found a 49 DS for around 220k.. fully loaded but not sure I could live on it for extended periods. A few foot makes a big difference. The 54 hits the spot.


If you have any questions on your search for a 54DS, don't hesitate to send me a PM (I think you need 10 or 15 posts before you can send a private message) or start a thread and I'll answer them here. I'm familiar with at least two of the 54DS currently available in North America. Another member here (Zanshin), used to own a 49DS and now has a 57. His website was full of info on the 49.

I think they stopped making the model, because it was too expensive to build in the coming recession. The new 53 is essentially the same hull and layout, but built with less expensive materials, IMO.


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## paulanthony (Feb 9, 2015)

I agree with your opinion. I concluded the same. There is a marked difference with respect to the quality in the later models. (Not as good)


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## sprega (Jun 25, 2002)

Seward Alaska. If you wonder why, fly there and charter a boat for a week this summer.


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## copacabana (Oct 1, 2007)

Brazil. No tropical storm season, year-round sailing, beautiful coastline, great food, nice people... and did I mention the girls?


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