Buying boat with no sailing experience. How feasible is my plan?

[st599]

Ahh I see. So the whole thing now counts as one country. What about the Canaries?

Still in Schengen.

Your boat will be fine to stay in the EU as you have an 18 month temporary import allowance, but you can't stay in Schengen for more than 90 days before exiting for 90 days. Plus as a non-EU citizen, you can also be asked to prove you have funds and insurance - entry is no longer automatic. Hence the Schengen shuffle.

Gets a bit worse next year, as the system is being automated, so it'll no longer run on passport stamps but your arrival will be logged and overstays automatically flagged.

 

[Doge]

Still in Schengen.

Your boat will be fine to stay in the EU as you have an 18 month temporary import allowance, but you can't stay in Schengen for more than 90 days before exiting for 90 days. Plus as a non-EU citizen, you can also be asked to prove you have funds and insurance - entry is no longer automatic. Hence the Schengen shuffle.

Gets a bit worse next year, as the system is being automated, so it'll no longer run on passport stamps but your arrival will be logged and overstays automatically flagged.

Do the 90 days have to be consecutive? Could I just spend more than 50% of the time out at sea?

 

[Graham376]

You guys think I should re-enforce my hull given that I'm likely to crash into so many other boats due to my lack of training?

Crashing into other boats isn't the problem. The Med isn't the mill-pond many think, in a small boat and lack of experience, you're more likely to get into trouble with high winds and nasty seas at times .

 

[Doge]

Do people really pay attention to red tape about import allowances? I'm pretty sure the youtubers I've been watching don't. One even mentioned no insurance.

 

[Doge]

Crashing into other boats isn't the problem. The Med isn't the mill-pond many think, in a small boat and lack of experience, you're more likely to get into trouble with high winds and nasty seas at times .

Well as I say I do intend to become proficient with a combination of reading, practise and possibly lessons. But so long as I'm not putting others at risk it's really down to me what risks I take.

 

[Graham376]

Do the 90 days have to be consecutive? Could I just spend more than 50% of the time out at sea?

At least 12 miles out in whatever weather there happens to be.

I'm sorry to say it but, your plans are totally unrealistic and the choice of "a small racing cruiser", which is unlikely to stand up to the likely hammering it will receive.

 

[syvictoria]

Do people really pay attention to red tape about import allowances? I'm pretty sure the youtubers I've been watching don't. One even mentioned no insurance.

Import allowances? Do you mean Schengen rules? If so, and as pointed out previously, the system is due to be automated next year, and if you are found to have overstayed, you risk both fines and deportation. Worse case scenario is that you will be barred from re-entry to the EU for a number of years.

 

[st599]

Do the 90 days have to be consecutive? Could I just spend more than 50% of the time out at sea?

No, not consecutive, but you have to check out at a Port of Entry - being at sea isn't enough, even if you're far enough offshore to be in International Waters.

Do people really pay attention to red tape about import allowances? I'm pretty sure the youtubers I've been watching don't. One even mentioned no insurance.

Unfortunately 10 months ago you didn't have to, now you do.

 

[Doge]

Import allowances? Do you mean Schengen rules? If so, and as pointed out previously, the system is due to be automated next year, and if you are found to have overstayed, you risk both fines and deportation. Worse case scenario is that you will be barred re-entry to the EU for a number of years.

I mean import allowances. People I'm following on youtube don't worry about things such as this.

 

[Doge]

No, not consecutive, but you have to check out at a Port of Entry - being at sea isn't enough, even if you're far enough offshore to be in International Waters.

So I'll just stay in international waters most of the time learning to sail. Whenever I run out of eggs ill head to the check in, go to the supermarket and check out again.

 

[syvictoria]

I mean import allowances. People I'm following on youtube don't worry about things such as this.

What import allowances? I must have missed this being mentioned previously?

 

[st599]

So I'll just stay in international waters most of the time learning to sail. Whenever I run out of eggs ill head to the check in, go to the supermarket and check out again.

Good luck with that.

 

[syvictoria]

So I'll just stay in international waters most of the time learning to sail. Whenever I run out of eggs ill head to the check in, go to the supermarket and check out again.

On a small boat, you'll be running out of eggs regularly! And water, and fuel, and internet...!

 

[Kelpie]

So I'll just stay in international waters most of the time learning to sail. Whenever I run out of eggs ill head to the check in, go to the supermarket and check out again.

I admire your positive attitude. You appear to have an answer to everything.

So just to recap, the plan is to hop down the coast staying predominantly far out to sea, only coming ashore at ports of entry when you need resupply. Head for the Canaries, cross the Atlantic, head south against the prevailing winds/currents down the South American coast, in to the Pacific, catch some big fish, and continue on to Japan where you will sell them.
Have I missed anything?

 

[Doge]

I admire your positive attitude. You appear to have an answer to everything.

So just to recap, the plan is to hop down the coast staying predominantly far out to sea, only coming ashore at ports of entry when you need resupply. Head for the Canaries, cross the Atlantic, head south against the prevailing winds/currents down the South American coast, in to the Pacific, catch some big fish, and continue on to Japan where you will sell them.
Have I missed anything?

I never said I would sell the fish. Just that its a possibility that I could look into. This type of undertaking requires some out of the box thinking.

No problem is insurmountable. Particularly when a particular path fits perfectly with where I am in life, what I like and what I want to do. I'm glad the voyage I plan will present difficulties. Is sailing a Vega down to the Strait of Magellan impossible? Clearly not.

 

[penfold]

Have I missed anything?

Don't think so.

 

[Doge]

I think the issue here is that sailing means different things to different people. If I were planning on learning to climb with the intent of eventually climbing Everest, nobody would criticise. Because mountaineering is the same to everyone who does it. Its dangerous, people understand the risks, and make a choice. With sailing you have people like Jarle Andhoy, people who sit around marinas all day posing, and everything in between. Hence there's the differences of viewpoint we see in this thread. Nobody would criticise Andhoy as irresponsible etc if he were climbing K2.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I admire your positive attitude. You appear to have an answer to everything.

So just to recap, the plan is to hop down the coast staying predominantly far out to sea, only coming ashore at ports of entry when you need resupply. Head for the Canaries, cross the Atlantic, head south against the prevailing winds/currents down the South American coast, in to the Pacific, catch some big fish, and continue on to Japan where you will sell them.
Have I missed anything?

Are all you guys that bored that you still replying to this ?
Most of us will bend over backward to help people who have a realised dream even if that come to nothing in the end , but come on guys ,
The op must be having a good laugh ?

 

[Doge]

Maybe you guys could put some sort of fence type thing around your boats in your marinas. That way you wouldn't have to worry so much about inexperienced sailors crashing into them.

I'll keep you updated anyway.. I really am quite serious. Very determined in fact. And the Strait of Magellan looks like such a beutiful place and unlike anywhere I've been before..

And thanks again for the helpful advice.

 

[syvictoria]

I don't think anyone here is remotely worried about you crashing into their boat. More that you will end up endangering yourself, or that you will blow your £10k and then want to give up after a fortnight of trying to stay offshore with just yourself and the fish for company. But hopefully it will work out for you and be everything that you want it to be.