Cayman Islands Marinas

[TwoHooter]

We are thinking of buying a boat on Grand Cayman island. My wife's daughter and family live there. A boat would give us somewhere we can stay when we visit - they have a small house and as the kids grow up space is getting to be a bit tight. Also looking after a boat would keep me busy, and although the cruising grounds are a bit limited I would enjoy driving around North Sound and possibly cruising round the coast. We know people who keep day boats on the canals but we don't know anyone with an offshore cruiser and we don't know much about the marinas. Is there anyone here with experience of Cayman? BTW we are not super-rich and nor are they. If we do get a boat it will be an old boat and I will work on it.

 

[Zanziba]

We are thinking of buying a boat on Grand Cayman island. My wife's daughter and family live there. A boat would give us somewhere we can stay when we visit - they have a small house and as the kids grow up space is getting to be a bit tight. Also looking after a boat would keep me busy, and although the cruising grounds are a bit limited I would enjoy driving around North Sound and possibly cruising round the coast. We know people who keep day boats on the canals but we don't know anyone with an offshore cruiser and we don't know much about the marinas. Is there anyone here with experience of Cayman? BTW we are not super-rich and nor are they. If we do get a boat it will be an old boat and I will work on it.

Hello, I note that this query got no replies... what did you find out?

A job offer has come up on the Cayman Islands and I wondered if anyone lived-aboard there and what the rules etc. were at the marinas regarding this? House rental looks extortionate!

 

[James_Calvert]

Hello, I note that this query got no replies... what did you find out?

A job offer has come up on the Cayman Islands and I wondered if anyone lived-aboard there and what the rules etc. were at the marinas regarding this? House rental looks extortionate!

According to my daughter currently in Grand Cayman, permanent liveaboards are not permitted. She does know of one or two but they have official residences ashore as well.

 

[James_Calvert]

Hello, I note that this query got no replies... what did you find out?

A job offer has come up on the Cayman Islands and I wondered if anyone lived-aboard there and what the rules etc. were at the marinas regarding this? House rental looks extortionate!

And as regards house rental, you get much more for your money at West Bay, Bodden Town or Savannah, but commuting and rush hour traffic can be a problem and you definitely need a car.

She would find the bills rather than the rent difficult as a single person, but manages as a flat sharer.

Hope that helps.

 

[TwoHooter]

Hi Zanziba

We did a lot of research and ended up not buying a boat on Cayman for several reasons; glad we didn't because we wouldn't have been able to afford our current UK boat. All 3 of the marinas are welcoming and I think I have spotted a couple of live-aboards there and on the canals but I don't know if it's legal or not. BTW it's absolutely essential that every boat has a slot booked with one of the cranes to ensure it is lifted out during hurricane prep. Ivan trashed a lot of the boats that had been left in the water. The best way to live aboard would probably be to find someone who has a property on one of the less "exclusive" canals (North Sound Estates would be top of my list) but no boat of their own - we know people who have a dock but no boat, and if we had bought a boat that's where we would have moored it instead of going into a marina. You mentioned rental charges - these fluctuate wildly depending on the current residency rules - in the 18 years we have made an annual visit, sometimes 2 trips, we have seen enormous changes including one period when the government were kicking people off the island with gusto and rents collapsed for a couple of years. The best source for both second hand boats and house/apartment rental is http://ecaytrade.com/ but they wouldn't let me post a "wanted" advert from the UK. I can put you in touch with a good yacht broker if you PM me, sadly can't say the same for realtors and Airbnb has been banned. James_Calvert is right about bills, the cost of living on Cayman is horrendous. If you want to pursue this I wonder if the Liveaboard forum would be better. Good luck.

 

[stuartwineberg]

Complete thread drift but the diving in Little Cayman is the best I have seen anywhere. The whole place is a marine reserve

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Set up a company, open a bank account but don't forget the Dutch sandwich

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06wrt2d/britains-trillion-pound-island-inside-cayman