I'm delivery captain on a Vagabond 47, with owner aboard, from Annapolis to Norfolk, within four to six weeks. Retired power charter boat Capt. Dan, of Wachapreague, will be aboard. I'll have a bunch of photos and a detailed account posted on my web site after the trip. Since the largest boat I've handled is an Irwin 39', I've waived my fee for this run in order to get the experience.

This year, I decided to try and book deliveries from the NE, the Chesapeake, or Norfolk south, and in the reverse direction this Fall. I'll be retiring next year from the day job, moving onto a 40'+ sailboat, and doing any deliveries that come up.

I'd like to line up three or four experienced crew for any offshore deliveries I book. They will not be rail bait nor do they have to have a lot of experience, or even have run offshore. By the time they complete a run from the NE to Norfolk on the Atlantic, they will be well-experienced in driving the boat, navigation, weather planning, heavy weather sailing, etc. I'll teach them all that.

There will be no racing or trying to see how fast the boat will go! I believe in doing a run as easy as possible. A buried rail is not my idea of fun sailing.

Crew should expect to be sailing in up to gale conditions and up to 8'-10' seas, but not for the entire trip. There are very few places along the way to put in and get out of the weather. Last run I made, it took five days and we had three days of gales, but most waves were only 4'-6'.

Deliveries to the North will be made up the Chesapeake, unless an offshore run from Norfolk would be with favorable winds, and any crew should expect it to be a hard, wet slog to windward if the Fall gales blow. Which they will! If it gets too bad, and we are just plain tired of it, we'll put into a harbor, rest up and wait out the storm.

I don't give an owner a firm date upon which I will get his boat to its destination, even motoring down the ICW. Deadlines can result in tired crew, exhaustion, making mistakes, etc.

All crew will be paid, although how much depends upon what an owner will pay. Owner covers expenses, and any required return transportation. If you know of anyone who might be interested, forward my email address to them, and the snail mail address, if they are not on line. I'll need a copy of their sailing resume. No one need worry if they have little experience and it is only in small boats, even if only in Lasers, etc.

I'd like to have a couple more crew on the delivery of the V-47, but since I haven't seen the boat, I will not invite others to join, yet. I need to go over the boat from bow to stern, first, determine what needs fixing, and get the owner to do the repairs before the boat leaves the dock. This will be a daylight run only, anchoring or at a marina each night. Plus, since it is not paid, we all have to bear our own expenses, except I would assume the owner will stock food.

If you have gotten this far, my apology for such a long message.

--
Roger Woods
See my sailboat delivery/voyage schedule at:
http://members.tripod.com/~PublisherRLW/
Plus sailing stuff, fat stuff, or whatever tickles my fancy!
Norfolk, VA
757-461-6850