Trailering my boat to Portugal

realslimshady

realslimshady

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I realise this has probably been asked many a time, and that as we are post-brexit and mid-covid it is very much a rhetorical question, but (assuming things go as hoped and I'm on the ferry on 30th May with entry to and transit through Spain allowed) what reaction might I expect, and what questions and paperwork demands do people think Spanish customs are going to want from me concerning my 50 year old, 5k boat?
 
realslimshady said:
I realise this has probably been asked many a time, and that as we are post-brexit and mid-covid it is very much a rhetorical question, but (assuming things go as hoped and I'm on the ferry on 30th May with entry to and transit through Spain allowed) what reaction might I expect, and what questions and paperwork demands do people think Spanish customs are going to want from me concerning my 50 year old, 5k boat?
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They will confiscate the boat and put it in a museum!
 
Google translated from Spanish gov website by coincidence I downloaded last night.
Best of luck with the translated “Sanitary Control Form and QR code”
Note the “not even one night”

Travelers in transit through Spain:
Although the transits through Spain by road are authorized, it is forbidden to stay in one of the regions crossed by car, not even for one night.
The supporting document must be the original, will be written in Spanish, English, French or German and may be presented in paper or electronic format. The document will contain, at least, the following information:
Traveler's name and surname
Passport or identity document number (which must coincide with the one used in the Sanitary Control Form with QR code)
Test date
Identification and contact details of the center conducting the analysis
Technique used
and negative test result

Covid-19: ENTRADA EN ESPAÑA
 
If driving through France into Spain, there will not be any customs. If getting the ferry direct to Spain then probably. But I never got asked or checked for anything when towing my boat to France and then onto Spain in the past. But I did used to take what paperwork I had to prove I had purchased the boat and had insurance just incase.
 
chillee said:
If driving through France into Spain, there will not be any customs. If getting the ferry direct to Spain then probably. But I never got asked or checked for anything when towing my boat to France and then onto Spain in the past. But I did used to take what paperwork I had to prove I had purchased the boat and had insurance just incase.
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Not sure this is true, as the Temporary import procedure is for boats arriving by sea.

Quite a few of the class associations for dinghy racing are saying that power boats will need an accompanying ATA Carnet if arriving by trailer: https://www.gbr420.uk/assets/uploads/Travelling to Europe after Brexit.pdf
 
colhel said:
They'd probably be more interested in the trailer and the weight it's carrying. I think Portugal requires some sort of registration for trailers over a certain weight, or something.
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I believe that's only for commercial trailers, or over 3500kg, which I'm not.
 
An update, just in case anyone is interested, or intending to do this.
Took the ferry to Santander in early September. As we rolled towards the Guardia Civil we were ushered to one side, where a couple of officers took a slow stroll around the boat and then instructed us to report to the customs office where I was liable for import duty of 21%. At the office I showed my SSR certificate to a very helpful, friendly and english-speaking official. He asked, had I written the SSR number on the boat? Of course, I hadn't (I'd only registered it in May, thinking it might be an idea to have something officially on paper saying I actually owned the thing). Ah, he said. That's a problem. If the SSR number was written on the boat, carry on. Not written on the boat? Import duty.... Now. Can you write the number on the boat somewhere? Not on the outside, because the Guardia have already looked. I'm thinking, shit where can I get paint, all I've got is some white in the car somewhere...I know, there's a sharpie in the glovebox. I can climb inside and write it on the dashboard. Ok he says, but hurry. Then drive up to them and tell them (Guardia) that everything's ok.
So that's what we did. Scrambled up the jockey wheel into the boat. Wrote the number. Bit of blah blah with the Guardia in English/Spanish/Portuguese, helped out by the custom official, and some jocularity over my captain's hat in the cockpit - e capitan! And we were on our way. £1000 or so saved by a sharpie.
Moral of the story - mark your boat with the SSR number before entering the EU....
 
Nice story, but I believe you should even have the SSR no on the hull in UK, if registered.
From the UK Ships Register website:
It is your responsibility to have your registration number, as assigned by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen, placed somewhere visible on your boat.
 
PlanB said:
Nice story, but I believe you should even have the SSR no on the hull in UK, if registered.
From the UK Ships Register website:
It is your responsibility to have your registration number, as assigned by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen, placed somewhere visible on your boat.
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Absolutely! I take full responsibility for failing to have put the number on the hull.
 
What if the boat is not onSSR? I am a brit currently living in Bucharest romania, wanting to buy a trailer sailor in uk, wayfarer or similar (sub 750kg all up trailer) and drive it back to Bucharest. Would this be possible if the trailer isn't registered for instance?
 
The answer to SSR registration depends on Rumanian rules and the insurance question to your insurers.
 
I think you can only register an SSR if you have a permanent address in the UK.
SSR is pretty loose and really only of value to wave at foreign officials.
Dare I say use your parents address if you don’t have your own permanent in uk
I guess you are up to speed with Temporary Admission see link
H&V Yachting manage customs and tax compliance Detail Services
 
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I have thought about keeping a small day boat (sail or power) in Portugal but am put off by the fact we only go once or twice a year, would need to hire a car with a towbar or pay for storage. Also as we generally only go for 2 weeks max at a time, would we get any real use.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone is or knows someone in a simiar position.
 
colhel said:
I have thought about keeping a small day boat (sail or power) in Portugal but am put off by the fact we only go once or twice a year, would need to hire a car with a towbar or pay for storage. Also as we generally only go for 2 weeks max at a time, would we get any real use.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone is or knows someone in a simiar position.
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whereabouts in Portugal do you go?
 
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