Qualifications and insurance for single hander

[kohaku]

I owned a Sigma 33 in Dubai for 7 yr and sailed her to India single handed. I have no formal quals other than short range radio.
I intend buying a boat in the States and then on into the Pacific and then back to the UK when I'm getting past it. Unfortunately I'll be single handing.
I need to know:
1. Are there qualification requirements for the US, Carribean and Pacific?
2. What are the insurance requirements and are they available to a single hander?
3. If I buy in The Eastern US, what are the requirements to transit the Panama Canal.
4. Are there any companies which will take your non EEC boat through RCD compliance on me return to UK.
I'll probably buy a Tayana 37 unless someone knows better.

 

[ashanta]

As you know this is a great website and it is apparent that you have a great experience. However, for people to help you should make them feel, somewhat, more comfortable by putting some info on your BIO.
Regards.

Peter.

 

[alant]

3. If I buy in The Eastern US, what are the requirements to transit the Panama Canal.
___________________________________________________

Try the following-

http://www.onpassage.com/Panama_Canal/Panama_Canal.htm

 

[Anonymous]

Can't help with most of your points other than to comment that if you are a British-flagged vessel then you won't need quals other than for inland waterways and, maybe, the Panama Canal. Maybe your best bet is to register the yacht in England as the first step - it isn't hard or expensive and doesn't require any coding.

Insurance and single-handers and short-handed yachts is a problem. My insurance (GJW Direct) covers me for single-handing in daylight hours only - they wouldn't budge - so my insurance lapses from dusk to dawn. My insurer wants a crew of three to cross Biscay; again, they wouldn't budge. We can live with that but on your passage it wouldn't make much sense.

 

[kohaku]

Thanks for the advice.
Re remark from Ashanti. I'm sorry if I sounded terse. I intended to be short and sweet but it seems to have been taken as short and bitter.
A bit of background about me. I'm a 61 yr retiree from teaching physics and electronics. I refitted my Sigma 33 in Dubai over the 7 years I owned her and learnt a lot. The bodges of previous owners, marine engineers, boat builders and equipment manufacturers have led me to the prime directive of cruising. Know, check and evaluate every inch of the boat. It's no good being the best sailor in the world if a pipe fails, the boat sinks and the liferaft doesn't inflate.
So I'm reasonably experienced on the maintainance side but I'm quite an inexperienced sailor. The idea of taking on the oceans on my little lonesome fill me with dread. In my log I wrote after a night dodging ships and a fishing fleet, " Nobody in their right minds would cruise single handed". So here I am, staring out from the Scarborough cliffs. I've gone cold turkey for 2 years now and I've gotta go again. The budget is just about enough but what really does scare me to death is officialdome. Hence the questions. I kept them specific as those were the points I am particularly worried about and can't find answers to.
Thanks again to all those replies.
My real name is Terry Green

 

[michael_99]

Terry, first, do you REALLY want to do this?? It sound like you don't trust your self.Try to keep this in mind, that the most dangerous place you are likely to be , is in a car.Every day thousind of people are killed on the roads around the world..Just before xmas, I saw this old man climbing on to his boat here in Brisbane, a stop-over place for around the world sailors. He was in his 70's and his boat was 18 foot long. He had come all the way from Sweden. If he can do it in a 18 footer, I'm sure you can do it in a 33 footer.I am planning a trip in a 23 footer. For most of the places you are likely to go, officialdome is not a big problem. And there is always someone who has just done it, who can help you. Read some books about people who have done what you want to do.
Insurance will be a gamble. You will find it either impossiable to get, or so expensive you might not be able to afford it. Most people sail without it. You know your state of health, so use that as a guide. The boat is up to careful handling and luck.
Above all, do not start to play the WHAT IF game. Aks yourself what is the worst thing there can happend, you die, but that is much more likely to happend on the road. Once you get going, you will see you have worried for nothing. Prepare the best you can, and then go.
Best of luck.

Ps, I do hope you lose sight of land.

 

[CodStewart]

Yes, best of luck.

 

[AndrewB]

I recall no specific formal insurance requirements to enter any Caribbean country or the USA by yacht, unlike certain European countries such as France (incl. Martinique, Guadaloupe), Spain, Portugal.

Check the Noonsite website, the subsections on "Formalities" within each country section, for a list of what you formally require for the country you propose sailing to. This site includes information on all popular cruising destinations.

 

[duncan]

Re: handling the boat - and handling the red tape

I think many will emphathise with your view. I have over the years not done many (relatively local) trips because of uncertainty over the welcome, facilities etc
I am sure you will have a great trip - and take one leg at a time!