Moving to the Caribbean

[wully1]

Last two times I was in the US it was cost neutral to buy a heap and insure it for three weeks or rent.. (Colorado& Maui) I doubt Florida would be much different?
( I also doubt my chances of a successful insurance claim would have improved..)

 

[PabloPicasso]

I confess the cost analysis is strictly for me and I made the spread sheet for myself but - just marina fees at around 30-40 a night add up.. the Hydrovane is a must... 2nd head sail is a must - All I was trying to do in the video was show what my own personal or rather Golden Haze needs were... Yes you can do without a SSB but then you probably should have a Sat Phone with external antenna as recommended by the ARC and just grip files for weather are going to cost whereas the SSB is virtually free...
I want to get to the Caribbean to sail there - I have already crossed the Atlantic so it's not a challenge I am looking for - I just want the easiest cost effective way or re-locating my present boat so I can sail in the trades and sit in beach bars drinking rum and coke with my west indies sim card in my phone... But its all just opinion and personal preferences

Would the cheapest way be to sell your UK boat, fly over and by another cheaper one over there?

 

[Sea Devil]

Would the cheapest way be to sell your UK boat, fly over and by another cheaper one over there?

Well it is an option - One objection is I only got Golden Haze about 18 months ago and put quite a lot into her like Radar, Chart plotter, AIS because of the type of constant cross channel sailing I intended doing - Pre Covid.. So that money would almost certainly be lost... Plus brokers fees - but thank you I will certainly do some research -

 

[rotrax]

Pretend to be an author doing research for a book and get a long time visa.

You never know, might solve you Europe 90/180 drama...............................

 

[Sea Devil]

Pretend to be an author doing research for a book and get a long time visa.

You never know, might solve you Europe 90/180 drama...............................

I am a French resident so I have 365 in France but that only allows me 90/180 in the rest of Europe and I still have a small apartment in Spain -
so lucky because I in 4 years time I can apply for a French dual nationality and that gets me 365 all Europe...

there is already a 6 month visa issued by the French which you can apply for in the UK although it's a bit of a hassle and is only valid for France.

It's my opinion that there will be more 6 month visas made available in Spain or Portugal for all the 2nd home owners in those countries..

 

[Baggywrinkle]

On the subject of Visas, as Martinique is a French Overseas Territory, you are also limited to 90/180 days for the entire collection of French overseas territories unless you apply for a long-stay visa > 90 Days - more than 6 months and you need to apply for residency.


Visiting Martinique after Three-Month Stay in Guadeloupe - Martinique Forum - Tripadvisor

It doesn't count against your Schengen time but the rules on length of stay mirror the Schengen area. I would imagine Dutch territories do the same but haven't researched that yet.
Fortunately there are so many countries and territories you can relatively easily do the "Caribbean shuffle" - the equivalent of the "Schengen shuffle" to avoid spending more than 90/180 in French/Dutch overseas territories.

WHAT WILL CHANGE ON THE 1ST OF JANUARY 2021 :

• As of the 1st of January 2021, UK citizens will need a Long Stay visa if staying in France or in a French Oversea territory for more than 90 days whatever the purpose of stay (work, studies, ICT, Au Pairing, passport talent, visitor, family reunification, family members of French nationals, etc.).
• Specific case of owners of second homes in France :
  • If you are spending between 3 to 6 months a year in France, you are not considered as a resident in France and cannot pretend to a ‘Carte de Séjour’ under the withdrawal agreement. You will have to apply for a temporary Long Stay visitor visa ‘VLS-T Visiteur’.
  • If you spend more than 6 months a year in France, you are then considered as a French resident and must apply for a Long Stay visitor visa (visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour VLS-TS « visiteur »).

Brexit

They have a Visa Wizard, which includes Martinique and their other overseas territories here .....

Do you need a visa ? | France-Visas.gouv.fr

... have a play with it, the rules for French overseas territories are basically the same as visiting France itself .... 90/180 unless you apply for a long-stay visa.

 

[Frogmogman]

I would imagine Dutch territories do the same but haven't researched that yet.

I don't think they are. Most French territories (not Saint Barthelemy) are considered part of France and within the EU, but as with the British Overseas Territories, I'm pretty sure this is not the case for the Dutch ones.

Anyone who has visited Saint Martin has probably noticed the signs when you enter the French half of the island which say "You are entering the EU"

"La seule frontière entre la France et les Pays-Bas est aussi la frontière de l'Union Européenne. La partie française en fait partie, et est une RUP, Région Ultra Périphérique, alors que la partie néerlandais n'en fait pas partie et appartient à la catégorie des PTOM, Pays et Territoire d'Outre-Mer,"

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I don't think they are. Most French territories (not Saint Barthelemy) are considered part of France and within the EU, but as with the British Overseas Territories, I'm pretty sure this is not the case for the Dutch ones.

Anyone who has visited Saint Martin has probably noticed the signs when you enter the French half of the island which say "You are entering the EU"

"La seule frontière entre la France et les Pays-Bas est aussi la frontière de l'Union Européenne. La partie française en fait partie, et est une RUP, Région Ultra Périphérique, alors que la partie néerlandais n'en fait pas partie et appartient à la catégorie des PTOM, Pays et Territoire d'Outre-Mer,"

Just found this ... need to second source it, preferably from the dutch government web site, but .....

Caribbean Visa

What is a Dutch Caribbean Visa?
A Caribbean short-stay visa allows the holder to travel through all six of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for up to 90 days within a six-month frame.

A Netherlands Caribbean visa is a multiple entry visa, which means you can leave and enter as many times as you want within that six-month frame.

Brits get a visa waiver which means they don't need to apply for the actual visa (like the Schengen Visa Waiver) , but the same rules seem to apply. 90/180 across Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten.

A Caribbean short-stay visa allows the holder to travel through all six of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for up to 90 days within a six-month frame.

A Netherlands Caribbean visa is a multiple entry visa, which means you can leave and enter as many times as you want within that six-month frame.

However, you cannot use a Caribbean visa to travel to the European part of Netherlands or any other Schengen Area countries.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Dutch government web site.

Caribbean visas

 

[Frogmogman]

Dutch government web site.

Caribbean visas

Fair enough.

 

[Sea Devil]

Not sure where the issue is... Antigua, St Lucia, Dominica, BVIs, Grenada, Trinidad and similar island have nothing to do with the EU... nothing has changed for them.

You can keep your boat under EU legislation for 18 months then 24hours out and then another 18 months in all the EU Islands - In Martinique, Guadeloupe, ABCs etc... It is only you that is restricted to 90/180 but you can fly in stay a week or two and once you clear out the clock stops and the days out start to replenish the 90/180... there are apps to work it out.

Effectively and realistically the Caribbean has not changed unless you want to sit in an EU Island for 3 months solid which is unlikely.

 

[Frogmogman]

I think Le Marin is a pretty good place to keep your boat. in the centre of the Antilles, easy to head North or South. Very easy and cheap to get to from Metropolitan France, good value marina rates, you can get pretty much anything done there.

Do you plan to keep the boat there during the hurricane season ? (not an unreasonable thing to do if it's properly secured ashore). Bajansailor has some interesting stats on the incidence of hurricane damage up and down the Antilles.

Did you mention insurance ? I suspect with your boat, that if it stays in Martinique during the hurricane season, that it may prove uneconomic to have a policy with cyclone damage cover. I'd be interested to hear if you find a good solution to this issue.

 

[Sea Devil]

Do you plan to keep the boat there during the hurricane season ? (not an unreasonable thing to do if it's properly secured ashore). Bajansailor has some interesting stats on the incidence of hurricane damage up and down the Antilles.
Did you mention insurance ? I suspect with your boat, that if it stays in Martinique during the hurricane season, that it may prove uneconomic to have a policy with cyclone damage cover. I'd be interested to hear if you find a good solution to this issue.

Thank you - clearly you know the area... I am not sure at the moment re hurricane season - In a way it's linked to insurance but my feeling is if I can have her ashore in Le Marin then probably that would be the best way... It would need a big direct hit to create serious damage I think..

It's only 2000 to have her out at Peaks or Powerboat for the summer then fly back to Paris via Martinique...

I have made lots of insurance inquiries and not made progress as all the enquires have blocked brokers applying... I will just leave that problem for a while - it clearly will sort it self out but I probably need to reduce the insured hull value as boats are cheaper on the other side of the pond.

I could probably replace her with something to sail locally for a smaller amount of money if the worst happened - I am very open to Insurance advice..

 

[Rum_Pirate]

Yes it's possible but the cost of a car and accommodation plus the route south from Florida to Windies is all up wind - really hard work - but...

Cost of cost of a car and accommodation is surely offset by the saving in not having to ship yacht across.

Surely one can sail upwind. ?

If these two can do it, surely you can.

A Sail of Two Idiots: 100+ Lessons and Laughs from a Non-Sailor Who Quit the Rat Race, Took the Helm, and Sailed to a New Life in the Caribbean: Petrillo, Renee: 9780071779845: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Rum_Pirate]

I don't think they are. Most French territories (not Saint Barthelemy) are considered part of France and within the EU, but as with the British Overseas Territories, I'm pretty sure this is not the case for the Dutch ones.

Anyone who has visited Saint Martin has probably noticed the signs when you enter the French half of the island which say "You are entering the EU"

"La seule frontière entre la France et les Pays-Bas est aussi la frontière de l'Union Européenne. La partie française en fait partie, et est une RUP, Région Ultra Périphérique, alors que la partie néerlandais n'en fait pas partie et appartient à la catégorie des PTOM, Pays et Territoire d'Outre-Mer,"

Before St. Eustatius became part of the Caribbean Netherlands in 2010, it was part of The Netherlands Antilles.

In 2010 Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba became Public Entities of the Netherlands, commonly called the Caribbean Netherlands.

Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten[my correction] are countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and therefore have a different status than Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES Islands) which are Public Entities.

National office of the Caribbean Netherlands (RCN)

This explains it all quite well. LOL

 

[Sea Devil]

Well I have done it once helped by this book and as I said it's hard work - not a bundle of fun in a boat that you have just purchased but you are right - it is doable...

I will give it further thought - long time to November but what I want is a 30-32 ft boat with really easy handling characteristics and gear - electric anchor winch and furling both sails from the cockpit - what I have now along with chart plotter and AIS

Because I put quite a lot of money into Golden Haze when I purchased her to get her to the standard I want I have a feeling that does not increase the resale value - just makes her more attractive - but I hear what you are sayiing and will look at what's for sale in Florida and the Caribbean - thank you for the suggestion

 

[Sea Devil]

National office of the Caribbean Netherlands (RCN)
This explains it all quite well. LOL

Not sure where the issue is... Antigua, St Lucia, Dominica, BVIs, Grenada, Trinidad and similar island have nothing to do with the EU... nothing has changed for them.

You can keep your boat under EU legislation for 18 months then 24hours out and then another 18 months in all the EU Islands - In Martinique, Guadeloupe, ABCs etc... It is only you that is restricted to 90/180 but you can fly in stay a week or two and once you clear out the clock stops and the days out start to replenish the 90/180... there are apps to work it out.

Effectively and realistically the Caribbean has not changed unless you want to sit in an EU Island for 3 months solid which is unlikely.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

Trinidad to Florida is a large area.

What do you currently consider will be your cruising area in the Caribbean?

 

[Sea Devil]

Trinidad to Florida is a large area.

What do you currently consider will be your cruising area in the Caribbean?

Trinidad to Dominican Republic - not going to Venezuela - or Cuba -

 

[wazza]

You probably knew this, but the shipping company doesn't need a hydrovane, those tend to be more use when sailing your boat accross an ocean They probably have SSB on board too!

Edit - I just realised you were comparing the costs

????