It is surely a crazy idea?

[Long John Silver]

I have seen a yacht for sale in Brazil and am pondering the potential journey back to the UK.

What route would you take and when would be the best time of year to do the trip?

For now I just need to work on the other half and perhaps go out there to take a proper look.

 

[tcm]

Yet ANOTHER person who has nicked the original LJS's name. Ooh he won't be pleased.

Anyway, the trip back probably goes via the caribbean sometime between say December to May, and then via Azores back to Europe setting out sometime in June.

Edit: and it's definitely not a crazy idea, although i do think you could look at similar boats nearer home, perhaps? Carib is nearer?

 

[BobnLesley]

Not crazy, but the yacht would need to be offered at a very attractive price to make it worth the effort/risk. You don't sy whereabouts in Brazil that the boat's located - it's a big country. Certainly the passage from Recife up to the Caribbean's easy enough and fast too, the Guiana's Current will fairly whoosh you up to the eastern Caribbean; to my mind, a far greater concern would be the boat's current state of repair, as a major (or even minor) refit prior to reaching the Caribbean Islands is likely to be difficult and costly.

We've not been to Brazil ourselves, but we've two friends who needed to get parts in there from abroad and both reported enduring major costs, delays and hassles with customs and shipping agents before they got them. As for hauling out, I can't comment on Brazil, but we certainly didn't see anywhere in F Guiana or Suriname where you could lift a yacht; so realistically, if said yacht's not good to go already, then I'd look elsewhere.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

There are also issues to do with paying VAT on importing the boat to the EU and RCD compliance (required, and potentially costly to acquire - cost variable from not much to a re-engine job). Lots of threads covering this, usually about people considering buying a boat "cheap" in the States and sailing it back to the UK. The RCD cost depends on the boat - a type that was marketed in the EU may well be quite simple to make compliant; one with an engine that doesn't meet EU emission regulations will require a new engine. There are also issues to do with getting stability certificates and so on.

 

[Yngmar]

Do consider that a used boat that's been sitting in Brazil for some time may not be ready to do an Atlantic crossing without major work. You might end up being stuck trying to source spare parts or engineers in a place where they're surprisingly hard/expensive/slow to get. Travel and accommodation costs tend to pile up too. If I was you, I'd go there to take a look, but with the spirit of it being a fun holiday with a bit of boat viewing, so the disappointment isn't too great when it all looks a bit mouldier than on the brokers photos.

 

[Ashman]

If the boat is in seaworthy condition and ready to go you can make an easy and fast passage north most of the year to Trinidad where every marine service is available at realistic prices before heading up the Caribbean to Bermuda and crossing to the UK in May.

But beware, we cruised the north east of Brazil last year and although it is a wonderful country to visit the marine industry there is virtually non existent. As other posts have suggested the cost of importing marine spares is high. While we were there we had to replace our echo sounder with a UK sourced one and despite our best efforts to claim 'boat in transit' tax free status we still ended up paying 90% in tax!

I can give you by PM the contact details of a very helpful British boat builder who has a yard in Jacare, near Cabedelo if it would help.

 

[duncan99210]

It could well be a scam on the usual lines of pay me some money and I'll let you have this yacht......

 

[nauticalnomad]

Its Brasil.... If its what you want then Id sell up and become single and go there view the boat.. Haggle it down to what its worth and buy it and restore it over the next couple of years and sail the Caribbean..
Get your self a nice hot Brasilian bikini clad hottie as crew..

 

[wazza]

Now that's sounding pretty promising..

 

[Long John Silver]

Its Brasil.... If its what you want then Id sell up and become single and go there view the boat.. Haggle it down to what its worth and buy it and restore it over the next couple of years and sail the Caribbean..
Get your self a nice hot Brasilian bikini clad hottie as crew..

Fantastic advice. I'll do that!

 

[AndrewB]

There are good facilities at Salvador for yacht repair etc.

Also (see Nauticalnomad) it's a very easy place to find a Brazilian hottie if you are in need of company - though I've known yachties get stuck there because once installed, said hottie has raised objections to actually going sailing outside the bay. So pick carefully ... the daughter of a repair yard manager could be a good choice.

 

[Suffolk Punch]

Brilliant plan nauticalnomad.

 

[RichardS]

Brilliant plan nauticalnomad.

SWMBO might well disagree!

(if she still remembers the conversation after so long)

Richard

 

[ip485]

It has probably all been said already but I thought of something similiar.

Consider

1. Costs involved. You could spend a lot of money establishing its not worth the price. Dip toe in very carefully and get as much info, photos etc without spending any money. Then get some more done at arms length before going. I suspect you could find a local surveyor through independent means who could let you have a view by mail.
2. Nail down whats got to be done before the passage, and how long it will take and who can do it. Things take long enough in the UK, in some places though you can double or triple that despite all the assurances it will take 5 minutes until one job leads on to another and "unexpected" problems are found.
3. Think about the tax consequence of the import and the work in the UK to deal with these once you get back.
4. Take into account the cost to you in time, money and heart ache, and not putting aside the risk that you spend a fair amount before realising it is a non starter.
5. Think about the title and how you know given the laws of the country concerned that all is well with the deal.

I have no idea of the amount involved and it could be a real winner, but the risks are substantial and I suspect not worth it unless there is a significant amount involved.

 

[PhillM]

Wouldn't it be cheaper / safer and more fun to buy a boat here, ship it in a container to Brasil then sail it home?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Yet ANOTHER person who has nicked the original LJS's name. Ooh he won't be pleased.

Anyway, the trip back probably goes via the caribbean sometime between say December to May, and then via Azores back to Europe setting out sometime in June.

Edit: and it's definitely not a crazy idea, although i do think you could look at similar boats nearer home, perhaps? Carib is nearer?

Quite right tax collector, you tell him!