first ever crossing of the ATLANTIC!.

[Boo2]

Confidence is a big factor. For the uphill gig WtoE, i think it would be a good idea to take someone who's done it before.

Sorry for the dumb question but the currents and prevailing winds both flow from W to E, so why is this "the uphill gig" ?

Boo2

 

[Neil_Y]

Sorry for the dumb question but the currents and prevailing winds both flow from W to E, so why is this "the uphill gig" ?

Boo2

It's because E to W is trade wind sailing but coming back even though the prevailing winds are helping, you are skirting the edge of low pressure systems, which means you can be without wind or get upwind conditions when these systems push south. You also get the swell from the systems coming south so the passage can get a little uncomfortable. We had 50knots ahead of the beam and swell from two directions 3 days from the Azores in June. Definitely much harder work than the crossing the other way.

 

[sighmoon]

Any boat you buy over there and sell over here has to be Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) compliant. If you can't find one that already is, it can be a VERY expensive and tedious process to make it conform: most of the RCD stuff is built in at the time of manufacture. And if it doesn't conform, you won't be able to resell it, or – I believe – even transfer it into UK ownership. Plus, you'll have to pay VAT on the import - soon to be 20% of whatever you paid for it - more if HMRC believe it was undervalued in relation to the UK market.

The real advantage of buying in the US comes when you want to cruise non-European waters, when you can forget all of the foregoing.

To satisfy the legalities, you can maybe register it as Cat C
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81239