Shipping a boat to Aus

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Mercurial
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Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Mercurial »

Hi all

Am plotting a move to Brisbane, Aus, in the not too distant future and wonder whether anyone out there has experience of shipping a 14 footer half way round the world – anyone who’s been in the I14 gang perhaps, who has shipped their boat around in a container for worlds, etc. This is all completely new ground (!?) to me and if anyone has any top tips or leads on good shippers, then I’d be very grateful to read ‘em.

I know the Aussies are going to want to fumigate a wooden boat so I don’t import some foul bug that will decimate their crops, etc, and doubtless there are many other reasons that it may not be a good idea but I want to fully explore the possibility of taking her with me.

It’s just that I can’t bear to be without a bit of wood to play with and there do not seem that many out there that I have spotted in my researches so far. Some ghastly lumps of glass called an NS14 seem to be in plentiful supply. Tasars too. Fireball fleet seems to have vanished, but doubtless there are some abandoned ones around which they would be keen to dump on some crazy Pom with a cabinet scraper.

If this doesn’t work out, then watch out for the Merc going on eBay! I aim to be at the anniversary event at Roadford - but the crew is pushing hard to jet off asap. We’ll see. Anyone wanna rent a nice house in Bristol?
Currently boatless - but watch this space.
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neil
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by neil »

The Australian IC team came over to the Worlds in 2005 with the Fireball team. It might be worth seeing if there's any World's happening in the UK or Europe with an Australian team and renting some space in their container on the way back.

However, there's going to be an issue on importing (so some more cost) and the biggest issues will be the importing of mud, bugs etc. The boat will have to immaculatly clean.

I can put you in contact with Chrsitian Knott - the chair of the Australian IC sailors - he's plugged into the Australian sailing scene and might be able to offer advice on transport or availibility of other classes.
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Nessa
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Nessa »

There will definitely be some aussies coming over for the contender worlds in Denmark in July. Likewise there will be Brits, possibly me included, going to Brisbane for the Worlds there this time next year - can you wait that long?

Unfortunately you have missed the boat as far as the FFs and the B14s are concerned, but i am sure there will be others.

When we took the contenders to Canada we used Peters & May who were fantastically helpful. The timber used to build the frame for the boats had to be of a specific type with every piece stamped, and we could not used any fabrics such as carpet for padding. P&M can advise on all of this.

All this being said, last night I stumbled across:

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au ... y.php?f=29

which may change your mind about aussie boats!
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JB9
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by JB9 »

There is a fantastic Jollyboat fleet in Melbourne. Just checked on google maps, just over 1000 miles away so not that helpful.
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Michael Brigg
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Michael Brigg »

I know the Aussies are going to want to fumigate a wooden boat
A serious historical footnote on fumigating boats:-

I was reading through a Yachting and Motorboat annual from 1931 just recently and was shocked to find a large advert for "The best thing in boat fumigation."

I won't mention it's name as it might attract unwanted attention from the wrong sort of search engines but needless to say the product was made by a company in Germany and a few years later their product was widely used after a compound which emitted a warning smell had been removed from the formula.

It's a shocking fact that something so innocent in 1931 is now unmentionable without causing offence. Your mention of Australian import regulations jogged my memory.

I didn't want to take the discussion any furthur here or change the direction of the thread.
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Michael Brigg »

On a lighter note...

Don't go on any containers with Neopolitan association...

Image

Or Ed might be adding a nice Merc. to that BMW he found in the West country! :lol: :lol:
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by roger »

Bob you could try talking to Toby Barsley-Dale at Hyde sails I think his email is the same. He has just been to the B14 worlds so may have some tips.
Definitely clean the boat I think it was a furball that was impounded at the worlds a few years back as there was a trace of mud on the trolly. Missed the pre worlds and only just made the main event.
good luck with the move and set up the first branch of the cvrda abroad.
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Rupert
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Rupert »

You always did tan easily, Bob, so you'll fit right in! OK, other boats from the UK that made it in Aus...the Heron, The Lazy E, the Mirror, I think. Yep, take the Merc!
I'm sure Chris249 will be able to shed far more light on the situation.
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by JimC »

Mercurial wrote:Some ghastly lumps of glass called an NS14 seem to be in plentiful supply.
NS are very nice boats and one of the more influential classes... They were invariably wood in their earlier days, and no reason why you shouldn't build a wood one if now you want to... But like most development boats the exotics have taken over because they're easier if you're building it yourself and cheaper if someone else is doing it.

Looking at their web site there are several wood or at least wood decked ones available, even wooden masts... This one sounded as if she ought to be rather pretty...
“Tornado” NS14 1560
Moulded foam/glass hull with immaculate Australian cedar and mountain ash inlaid decks. Laminated cedar and ash foils. Lightweight spruce/oregon mast 2 sets of sails by Fogg and Brewer.
A collectors item with racing pedigree and a nice turn of speed in both light and heavy winds. A pleasure for both racing and simply enjoying being on the water.
If you're wanting to go for the extreme end of the scale there are 10ft and 18ft Historical Skiffs (Hystericals) in Brisbane, and they are most certainly made from trees.
DavidC
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by DavidC »

Hi Bob,
I think you will find a lot of sailing dinghies down there to suit you but the Aussies have always had a different approach to us. They like development classes and still believe in home building so classes do develop. The NS14 is a good class as is the MG14. So many can be built from home. You can design it yourself and build it from wood if you choose.

The Lazy E is now called the National E and there is also the GP14 there. The country is so big that a lot will depend on what is sailed in your area. There is still a Fireball class and this years worlds are in La Rochelle 15-28 August.

As to taking the boat out there, you are right there are a lot of hoops to jump through. I know that for Aussies there is a hefty import tax which might not apply to you plus very rigorous health checks. Someone I know is thinking about shipping a yacht there and they have to produce a full cruising log of where the boat has been.

I would suggest that you contact Peters&May who are one of the premier shippers of boats around the world.

I do have one concern about actually shipping the boat. The hear that can build up in containers is unbelievable and measuring boats that have been transported around the world, changes were noticeable. Glass boats are not so bad and there are certainly "Post Cured" but I would have thought a wooden boat could be destroyed by that long in an oven. What it would do to glues I do not know, certainly any epoxy could soften and fail. Whether there is any guarantee of getting the container in the cool hold I do not know but there will still be dockside time on arrival.

I used to be involved with the Kyrwood 505's that come in and fitted out several of them. After 6 weeks in a container they were so dry by the time they arrived we had great difficulty in getting them up to minimum weight. We used every trick in the book and several that were not. I was often trying to find and extra 8-10kgs over what the Aussies would have needed at home. Don't want to be a killjoy but it would be worth looking at this as it would be a shame to have a kit arrive instead of a boat.

D
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by JimC »

DavidC wrote:I do have one concern about actually shipping the boat. The hear that can build up in containers is unbelievable and measuring boats that have been transported around the world, changes were noticeable[snip] Don't want to be a killjoy but it would be worth looking at this as it would be a shame to have a kit arrive instead of a boat.
This is quite true and a very good point indeed... I know of one incident where a boat proceeeded to break every (plastic) spar during a champs in Australia that was reckoned to be down to getting throughly cooked in the container. Its a significant risk, and if your container happens to be top of the pile with the sun on it for a few weeks the temperature is going to go way way high.
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Ancient Geek
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Ancient Geek »

David C is quite right about the effects of a container he may remember the effects in containers on the European Fleet (Cold moulded ones.) of a well known keel boat class returning from a Worlds in the West Indies about 9 years ago, kept a well known boatyard busy for months refairing them!
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Nessa »

If you seriously do want to take the boat to Brisbane, wait until the end of the year and ship it out in a contender container - more boats helps spread the costs, the guys have all done it before so know about custom regs, building the frame etc, plus the container will actually be going to Brisbane, probably in November.

I will be going too if I can conquer my shark phobia.
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Mercurial
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Mercurial »

WOW!! You guys are fantastic. :D

Thank you all for the replies, which together add up to an even trickier decision than I had at the start!! May be beginning to wish I hadn't asked! Just kidding.

It's quite a package of info above and I'm going to take a bit of time to absorb it all and ponder the options. The offer of a possible slot in a container of Contenders direct to Brisbane is very tempting - but equally the Merc is epoxied throughout and she'd be a pile of planks on the floor if she's baked in a tropical oven for weeks. Dilemma or what!

Thanks again guys and will be back on again soon.

Bob
Currently boatless - but watch this space.
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Rupert
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Re: Shipping a boat to Aus

Post by Rupert »

Apparantly, the team racing worlds are being held in Aus in Pacers, which are quite popular out there. Holt seems to have had a lot of success down under. Not sure I can picture you in a Pacer, though!
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