J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment New owners hull #392 / transportation options?

Hi!
Our offer just got accepted on Salsa Verde from Gloucester point, VA. So we will soon be the happy owner of hull #392!

We have been looking at buying a J/30 for a few months already and want to thank you all because this forum has a been a great help for finding answers to a lot of our questions! Although, we still have some for you!

Since we live in Florida, we called many trucking companies to get quotes to move Salsa Verde from VA to Jacksonville, FL. We had no offers below 2000$!!! Any suggestions on how to move her for less money? Anyone has a truck and trailer wiling to move a boat? Or anyone has a trailer for rent?

Any thoughts on sailing her south via the intracoastal / ocean?

Thanks in advance!
Gael&Mag

Congratulations on your new acquisition.

I have brought my J/30 from New England to Miami (where she is kept) on her own bottom four times since 2000. It entirely possible and practical although in these colder months you might find some of the nights a little exigent. Buy a $30 ceramic element space heater for those nights when you will be tied up at a dock with AC power and bring an inventory of long johns and 40-degree sleeping bags for nights out on the hook.

The ICW will be too shallow at low tides but negotiable at higher tides in several locations between Wilmington, NC and Charleston but if you have the patience and prudence it is not obligatory to touch bottom. And if you feel OK about the boat and your gear and your preparations and the weather forecast you can always bite off some chunks of the coastline on the "outside". I once made the run from Cape Fear River Entrance to Jax Breakwaters in 48 hours but that was in breezes that I would prefer not to sail in when then overnight lows are in the 40's.

I have never had the J/30 in the ditch between Port Royal, SC and Jax. I have always been on the outside for that part but I understand that the shallow stuff in that section can also be managed.

You can make that trip on her own bottom for a good bit less that the cost of trucking and at the end of the run you will have a great handle on what needs to be done to get the boat improved to your satisfaction - your "list" will be impressive and you will have a locker full of neat memories.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

You are absolutely right!
Thanks for the encouragement
We are more and more leaning toward this option, especially for the experience that we will get out of it! It's nice to hear that you've done it several times, and also that you did just like we thought, take the ocean for the south half and the ICW for the other. Though I am surprised to hear the it's too shallow at low tide... bummer!

Thanks again

I shipped Vee Jay 1500 miles at about $3 a foot to Naples from Newport. Just didn't want to spend the time, at 11 ft you are supposed to need permits in some states and can't travel during rush hours. But I did get a deal on the same truck shipping a small boat back on the return trip. at 11 ft you are supposed to need permits in some states and can't travel during rush hours. My trucker couldn't drive during the week end either. 1500 miles/ four days/ done.

intercoastal is 50 miles a day, bridges closed at night.

Something goes wrong at the wrong place and you are boxed up for a week or two.

But even on a truck things do loosen up. The bolts holding the porcelain head to it's base vibrated loose. i am still wondering what else.

Vic

Might not be cheaper but you might check out Dan Steadley of Big Dog Marine LLC http://www.bigdogmarine.com/
He moves many boats to/from Key West Race.

Thank you all!
We finally made it to Florida and used Bob Gloudek, a boat transporter from St-Augustine Fl. The snow in Virginia last week was not very inviting for a first trip down the intracoastal without a heater and on a new boat...

So Salsa Verde is now masted and ready to sail again!

Magalie,

Congratulations and welcome now that you are "officially" the owner of Salsa Verde. Will you be racing? I'm not sure what part of FL you're in, but you can look at the fleet database and sort by "Fleet" or "State" to see the other J/30 owners near you.

Good Luck!
'Bill

Thanks a lot!
Yes, we will be racing around Jacksonville area for now and are planning to take part of bigger racing event in the future. Key west race week? Regatta del sol al sol? We'll see... There's still some work to do on the boat and we'll need to train our crew as well!
We are really motivated and hope to participate in class racing sometimes!