Flights within US - NB(ish!)

[Paragon]

I'm going to be looking at a couple of boats in the US in the next month or so and wondered if it were cheaper to buy flights here to both locations or whether to fly to one and purchase tickets for second flight over there. Anyone with any experience of this?

My thanks in advance.

John

 

[ubuysa]

I've always booked my US flights end to end, ie. I've booked the US internal flights here. However, given the enormous strength of the pound to the dollar, my bet is that you'd get a better deal buying the internal flights over there in dollars. I suspect that if you buy the whole thing here they'll charge you in pounds.

Tony C.

 

[johnc1]

It depends on how tight your schedule is.
When we did it last year we were hopping from one destination to the next & didn't want to waste the time, or risk not being able to get a flight when we wanted, so booked all the flights from the UK.
Considering the potential boat purchase value, the extra few quid on flights won't make much difference.

Good luck & hope your trip's successful.

JC

 

[Paragon]

Many thanks for the advice, been looking on Expedia.co.uk & .com and there appears little difference, in terms of the online route, whether I book here or "via" there. Going out at the end of the month so will book it all from here I think as time is limited.

Thanks for the replies guys!

John

 

[DrCot]

Please make contact, interested in buying in the USA, just started reseaching, what are the problems/details to be aware of? lenght of stay, re; continious period/ acumulated stay within one year?
Help!! sent email to consulate
Thanks Dave

 

[johnc1]

Regards buying in the US a couple of things to consider.

If your going to sail the boat back,depending on where & when you buy
the boat you may not be able to sail her back immidiatley due to the
hurricane season late June-October, then you're getting into the winter months when it isn't best advised to make an Atlantic crossing, so it may mean keeping the boat in the States until April/May to sail her back, but marinas are quite a bit cheaper than here.

If you have it transported, the VAT & import duty is based on the cost of the boat PLUS the cost of getting the boat to the UK, i.e. transportation costs, so could add quite a lump to the overall cost.

Insurance is difficult. American insurers won't insure you because you're
not an American citizen & over here & British insurers won't insure you
because the boat's over there, or if thay do it's very expensive!!!
If the boat's to be left in a marina & not used until you pick it up,
posibly the best bet is to rely on the $300K liability insurance required
by the marinas.

If the boat's to be left in a marina for any period of time find a local
guy/girl to do a monthly check on it(fire up the engine, check bilge, check stuffing box etc.) There's usually plenty of people around providing this service, just a matter of finding one you're happy with.

The boat will need to be taken off the American register & SSR registered. The broker doing the vessel documentation & bill of sale will deal with the American register, you will need to do the SSR.(documentation costs about $300).

Hope this helps

John

 

[Paragon]

Thanks John, things have moved on a little since my post. I was trying to see three boats (my top three) two were in the states and the other in the Caribbean. Following the previous posts I found Expedia .co.uk and .com very helpful and spent ages trying various combinations of travel to enable me to see all three without becoming a dribbling wreck or costing a fortune in hotels and car hire. The main problem was in connecting flights, getting from A to B wasn't an issue but to get to C the connecting flight invariably left 2 hours before you got in so you had to get accomodation until the next day's flight and so the costs went up!

In the end I had to hold my hands up and as the Caribbean one was my favourite, I've signed a contract to purchase which takes the boat off the market and lets me either buy or dismiss and thus I'm only going to see this one at first. I am hopeful that it will be what I am expecting and choices 2 & 3 wont be needed., I leave on Thursday.

Many thanks for the advice though, I am, if all goes through ok, intending to return around May avoiding the dreaded season.

Regards

John B /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[DrCot]

Thanks Johnc1