Shoestring cruising plan - advice/critique?

[MaxCG]

If you do continue with your original plan of buying in the EU and bringing the boat back here it would do us all a great service. You would be wise to fess up for the VAT. However the matter of retrospective CE compliance for imported secondhand goods would be bizarre even for even UK civil servants to pursue.

We need a pathfinder here.

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Afraid I won't be of much use there anymore! I've had an offer accepted on a boat with a mooring near me in Wales. Seemed like the more sensible option after all. Although I agree that someone really does need to give it a go. The current regs surrounding CE/UKCA compliance, as regards older boats, does seem like a load of b**locks to me and I seriously doubt that it would be pursued in practice. I would have paid VAT and ignored the rest in truth.

 

[Kelpie]

Afraid I won't be of much use there anymore! I've had an offer accepted on a boat with a mooring near me in Wales. Seemed like the more sensible option after all. Although I agree that someone really does need to give it a go. The current regs surrounding CE/UKCA compliance, as regards older boats, does seem like a load of b**locks to me and I seriously doubt that it would be pursued in practice. I would have paid VAT and ignored the rest in truth.

Your can't keep us in suspense, what did you buy??

 

[MaxCG]

Your can't keep us in suspense, what did you buy??

Haha all right then! She's a Varne 27. (No, I hadn't heard of them either). New rigging and newish sails. Got a survey booked in for Monday. Varne 27 For Sale, 8.45m, 1978

 

[jaminb]

Very nice - she looks very seaworthy. Fingers crossed on the survey

 

[Tranona]

Excellent choice for the job. Very unfashionable but has all the right qualities and a big step up performance wise than the previous generation of designs. Plenty left in the budget for downwind sails and offshore gear.

 

[GHA]

That looks great, plenty there to get cruising. (apart from decent a hook & more chain.. )

 

[geem]

disagree I'm afraid, just has it out along with brasil and beyond (Carib looks like a car park these days on google sat, not very inviting)
Like the book but fatty is far in front for what happens day to day.

We are anchored in a huge bay. We are one of 5 boats. There are always places to go where there are few boats if that's what you want.
We enjoy dipping in to the social scene and out again when we have had enough.
The reason why the western Caribbean is popular is the unrivalled sailing and fantastic winter weather. There are few places that offer that.
Compared to other spots, the Windward and Leeward islands are comparatively safe. Not do some of the spot on your short list. Friends robbed at gun point. Two sets of Brazilian friends advised us not to sail to Brazil. In their opinion, no safe for cruising and one of the reasons why they are cruising the Caribbean instead

 

[GHA]

We are anchored in a huge bay. We are one of 5 boats. There are always places to go where there are few boats if that's what you want.
We enjoy dipping in to the social scene and out again when we have had enough.
The reason why the western Caribbean is popular is the unrivalled sailing and fantastic winter weather. There are few places that offer that.
Compared to other spots, the Windward and Leeward islands are comparatively safe. Not do some of the spot on your short list. Friends robbed at gun point. Two sets of Brazilian friends advised us not to sail to Brazil. In their opinion, no safe for cruising and one of the reasons why they are cruising the Caribbean instead

Spent time cruising both areas in the past. Brazil crime is purely business and manageable after research if bit dull having to leave everything valuable at home. Vast majority of people just lovely warm and friendly. Chuaguaramas just as dodgy and any US inner city worse imho. Last time I was anchored in St Lucia 10 people were shot in 1 day including young lady in crossfire. South America in the lead atm for me, no hurricanes down there. . Least it's easy to go north with that lovely current.  to each their own.

 

[geem]

Spent time cruising both areas in the past. Brazil crime is purely business and manageable after research if bit dull having to leave everything valuable at home. Vast majority of people just lovely warm and friendly. Chuaguaramas just as dodgy and any US inner city worse imho. Last time I was anchored in St Lucia 10 people were shot in 1 day including young lady in crossfire. South America in the lead atm for me, no hurricanes down there. . Least it's easy to go north with that lovely current.  to each their own.

We have spent time in Brazil. Two sister in laws are Brazilian. There are lots of nice people but also a fair bunch of criminals. Going out in the day in parts of Brazil is not to be recommended. There are some beautiful costal stretches. Lovely but not great sailing. Winds blow from lots of directions.
They aren't in the Trades consistently like the Caribbean. Anchoring is super easy in the Caribbean. Often the whole Leeward side of an island is an anchorage due to the reliability of the Trades. For shelter in a fair few places in Brazil, you have to go into city marinas to get protection from the weather. Something we simply don't do. It's horses for courses. I know you have spent a lot of time in Portugal. It's way easier to get away from other yachts here than it is in Portugal.
Portugal has a mainly harbour and marina based system. Over here, it's anchoring with a small scattering of marinas. Very few people choose marinas as its hot and far more comfy at anchor in the Trades.

 

[prestomg27]

Haha all right then! She's a Varne 27. (No, I hadn't heard of them either). New rigging and newish sails. Got a survey booked in for Monday. Varne 27 For Sale, 8.45m, 1978

There is one in our sailing association. Very nice boat, solid. Not the fastest but pretty seaworthy.

 

[Stingo]

Am I reading this right that you are planning with lots of dinghy but no yacht experience to buy a small old yacht and sail it single handed across the atlantic in your first season? I don't think budget will be your biggest problem.

Ha, this reminds me of a forumite with a very similar history who bought an ancient Oceanis 390 and set off single-handed. According to the experts on here, he was going to die sometime during his Biscay crossing.

Nearly 30k NM later, that idiot, currently known as Da Gringo on Stingo, is still alive and well and cannot wait to buy another boat to escape the madness of "civilisation".

To @MaxCG, just go for it. A boat will never be "ready" or perfect. It's better to be fixing something at anchor, in turquoise waters with the sun on your back.

And don't let the naysayers put you off.

 

[V1701]

Engine not original either, another big plus. I've had an Albin Vega with a Navik windvane and a Bowman 26 with a Hasler SP3, both worked well, worth keeping an eye on ebay, such things sometimes come up on there. More room in the Varne than either of the two boats I've mentioned and definitely better looking, good choice...