croberts wrote:
I currently singlehand a 27ft sloop off the Australian East Coast on day
cruisers and two overnighters up the coast recently, but have no real
offshore experience. I am keen on trading up to 32 to 34 ft sloop so I can
cruise further afield but still singlehand if I want. Looking at the web
sales there seems to be a huge range available at reasonable prices in
California, The Gulf states and Florida? (I understand Katrina may have
accounted for quite a few in the Gulf though). I am playing with the idea of
purchasing a boat in the US and singlehanding back across the pacific over
about three months. It seems that $30,000 US will get me something about
33ft (1970s to early 80s)in reasonable nick. Prime considerstion is a
reasonable sized diesel in good condition and a sound hull/sloop rig,
(reasonably long keel i suppose). There seems to be quite a few Oday33s and
Morgan Out Islander 33s available. Has anyone any comments about my plan,
the boats mentioned or other suitable boats in that price range?

Your project seems feasible to me. My wife and I took 4 days of sailing
lessons, bought a boat, outfitted it, and then went cruising for a year
from San Diego to Panama and back with our three dogs. It was an
awesome adventure!

You can probably find a decent boat in the 33 foot range for a decent
price. Then you will probably have to outfit/upgrade the boat, which
is going to cost you another $10,000+ unless you are really lucky and
find a fully outfitted ocean cruiser which is ready to go (rare). Also,
outfitting and provisioning the boat, plus taking her on some shakedown
cruises, is going to take you minimum of 1-3 months, and possibly more,
depending on the boat.

So, if I was going to do what you plan, I would allow a minimum of 1
month of living on the US west coast to find and purchase the boat, and
then another 1-4 months and from $5,000 to $15,000 to get her ready for
an ocean cruise and do a shakedown cruise. Then, I would leave for
Mexico after hurricane season passes, and do some cruising for another
3-4 months or so in Mexico to gain some more experience and work the
kinks out. Only then would I take off for the south pacific and
Australia.

Its perfectly feasible, but allow plenty of time and money. Whatever
you do, don't buy a boat over the internet and then fly out and expect
to leave 2 weeks later. Its theoretically possible, but unlikely.

Fair winds and following seas,

Andy