Firstly to drive the boat on its’ own hull to Philippines is not an easy task. There is almost 700 Nautical miles and most of it is Open seas.
No.1 : Do not buy a boat that has problems with engines. If for any reason you have done it already. Get the engine checked by official dealers or a very reliable engineer to make a list of things that need to be worked on. Basically you want to make sure the engine is in 100% good condition.
No.2 : Always hire a professional crew who has done this numerous times, infact hiring people who have not taken this journey is a gamble that will not pay off well.
No3 : Have good amount of spare parts, A professional crew will give you a list of spare parts that need. Which are ofcourse engine filters, engine belts, External fuel pumps, external fuel storage tanks, fire extinguishers, VHF system, navigation systems, AIS system or any other emergency system, life rafts.
No.4 : Dont rush and do many sea-trails before taking the journey. It is important that you test the boat for almost a month, if the crew stays onboard and takes the boat for several long sea-trails, then they have a pretty good idea of what can go wrong. This also helps to know if the engines will over heat after a long journey. It will also give them indication of any oil leaks or cooling water leaks that can avoid a disaster.
No.5 : Check the weather and consult professionals. A surveyor or a professional crew will also be able to check the weather properly and will not take unnecessary risks.
No.6 : Ensure fuel tank cleaning. It is a must to clean the tank. For old boats, the sludge will resurface during the open sea ride and clog the engine. Cleaning fuel tanks is not a easy job. Sometimes the access is limited and shipyards will use pressure washers and empty tanks several times and filter fuels. However, a good shipyard will be able to do the job.
No.7 : Get clean fuel and ensure the fuel drums you store the fuel in are clean. There are lot of cheap industrial drums which are laced with chemicals. So ensure you wash and dry the drums before storing the fuel, and get your diesel from a reliable source.
No.8 : Do not be in a hurry. This point I make twice, because we understand that each day the boat stays in Hong Kong is an expense. Hong Kong is an expensive city and even more when it comes to boats. But thats why you should know, that it is not going to be cheap to do this. But trying to meet some deadline and rushing the job will end up in a bigger loss.
We always recommend to hire a professional surveyor to check final things and do a final sea-trail with the crew before taking off.