The Pacific Crossing Guide

The Pacific Crossing Guide is a reference for sailing the Pacific in your own boat. It covers timing, suitable boats, routes, communications, health and provisioning, seasonal weather, departure and arrival ports, facilities, likely costs and dangers.

Part 1 covers preparation for both east-to-west and west-to-east crossings. Part 2 covers Pacific weather patterns, the major routes and landfall ports, with website links throughout. There are sections on rallies, coral atolls and atoll navigation, the cyclone season and laying up, electronic charts, satellite phones versus HF radio, maintenance, and Pacific festivals.

What's in this edition

The 4th edition has been updated and expanded, with new charts and photographs. It concentrates on ports of entry rather than secondary anchorages and expands the North Pacific coverage for sailors on a North Pacific circuit, particularly US and Canadian sailors.

About the author

Francis Hawkings has been sailing in the Pacific for over thirty years. From his home base in California his cruises have taken him to the South Pacific, Chile, Hawaii, Japan and Alaska.

Praise for The Pacific Crossing Guide

"The definitive work on Pacific crossings."

– Cruising

"This is both a hardcore planning guide and a gorgeous dreamer's bible. The whole Pacific is at your fingertips in this updated edition."

– 48 North (review of the 3rd edition)

"A magnum opus of excellence."

– Flying Fish (review of the 3rd edition)

"Photographs, charts and diagrams help make this one of the definitive reference books for any Pacific voyage."

– Soundings US (review of the 3rd edition)

"A complete reference for anyone contemplating sailing the Pacific in their own boat."

– Yachting Times (review of the 3rd edition)

"The go-to guide for transpacific sailors."

– Cruising Club of America

Contents

• About the Author
• Preface and Acknowledgements
• The Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation
• Route Map
• Introduction

Part 1: Preparations

• 1. Casting Off
• 2. The Pacific Ocean
• 3. Preparing the Boat and Yourself
• 4. The Balance of Power
• 5. Maintenance, Spares, and Laying Up
• 6. A Home Away from Home
• 7. Keeping Healthy
• 8. Staying Safe
• 9. Navigation
• 10. Communications
• 11. Protocol, Paperwork, and Pets

Part 2: Passage Planning

• 12. Pacific Weather
• 13. Pacific Itineraries
• 14. Routes to French Polynesia
• 15. French Polynesia
• 16. Westwards in the South Pacific
• 17. New Zealand and Australia
• 18. The South-east Pacific
• 19. South and West through Hawaii
• 20. Routes to Japan
• 21. Alaska and the Pacific North-west to California

• Appendices
• Index