Wayfarer to Europe

[cirruss]

Hello all,

I am hoping to drive a wayfarer dinghy back to europe this summer where I am living currently and will need to first cross the channel and several countries to get back with my car and the dinghy behind on a trailer.

The dinghy is only worth 1k or so.

Please could anyone help me out who has done this before in terms of what the procedures/documents are with customs and what the approximate costs will be with these formalities and general ferries and things.

Many thanks for reading

 

[ridgy]

The ferries will only want to know the overall length and height so they can charge you for the extra. You can get instant comparative quotes from the ferry websites but when I last took a caravan on the ferry I think it was about 50% extra so would be less for a dinghy. As far as customs are concerned you're taking it on holiday?

 

[MADRIGAL]

Crossing the Channel, Wayfarers usually avoid ferry routes, and always cross astern of container ships in shipping lanes ... ?

 

[cirruss]

The ferries will only want to know the overall length and height so they can charge you for the extra. You can get instant comparative quotes from the ferry websites but when I last took a caravan on the ferry I think it was about 50% extra so would be less for a dinghy. As far as customs are concerned you're taking it on holiday?

Thanks, no currently living and working in Bucharest and would want to bring it back here.

Thanks
David.

 

[cirruss]

Crossing the Channel, Wayfarers usually avoid ferry routes, and always cross astern of container ships in shipping lanes ... ?

Haha, I can see how it might read like that. Trailing it on road trailer.

 

[The Q]

Read the "Unlikely Voyage of Jack De Crow."
Sailed a mirror dinghy...which was the, Jack De Crow

Down the Severn river,
Then down the channel to Bristol,
Then along the Kennett and Avon canal + Thames to London,
Then round the coast to Dover,
Then across the the channel.!!!
Then through the French canals and rivers
The German canals and Rivers to
Austria..
Then down the Danube to the Black Sea...

 

[cirruss]

Read the "Unlikely Voyage of Jack De Crow."
Sailed a mirror dinghy...which was the, Jack De Crow

Down the Severn river,
Then down the channel to Bristol,
Then along the Kennett and Avon canal + Thames to London,
Then round the coast to Dover,
Then across the the channel.!!!
Then through the French canals and rivers
The German canals and Rivers to
Austria..
Then down the Danube to the Black Sea...

Yes I know that book! Though not yet read I look forwards to reading it one day soon. I plan to drive it on a trailer using ferry back to Bucharest.

 

[Minerva]

Yes I know that book! Though not yet read I look forwards to reading it one day soon. I plan to drive it on a trailer using ferry back to Bucharest.

If you read the book you'll find his route goes straight past your house (well the Danube - still closeish) - you could get some inspiration. Although I. think I'd use an outboard over a set of oars.

Either way, in a part I'm quite envious of anyone who hasn't read that book before / gets to read it for the first time. It's a wonderful read and (for me anyway) perfect escapism from the real world.

Back to your original question, book the boat on as a trailer, any questions at the border and you're taking it on holiday. I can't imagine any official getting too muck in a tizzy over the paperwork on a £1k boat.

I'd probably fit new suspension units, hubs & wheels before a tow of that length and consider upsizing the 8" wheels to 10" (or larger) ones - you get less bounce that way and will be kinder on the boat.

 

[MADRIGAL]

Read the "Unlikely Voyage of Jack De Crow."
Sailed a mirror dinghy...which was the, Jack De Crow

Down the Severn river,
Then down the channel to Bristol,
Then along the Kennett and Avon canal + Thames to London,
Then round the coast to Dover,
Then across the the channel.!!!
Then through the French canals and rivers
The German canals and Rivers to
Austria..
Then down the Danube to the Black Sea...

Sounds great! I will look for it.

 

[benjenbav]

Suspect the answer to original question is that you will be importing goods to Romania that may be subject to the local equivalent of VAT and may require to conform to local/EU type approval.

 

[michael_w]

When i was a kid we used to tow our Wayfarer to Greece for an extended holiday. IIRC my father had to organise 3 Carnets, One for the boat, the others for the trailer and outboard. Plus of course the usual car documentation and visas to cross the iron curtain countries.

To save time on the way out we often put the car and trailer on the train from Oostende to Ljubljana.

Registration on the SSR would prove useful.

 

[footsoldier]

I took a dink and trailer out to the EU where it now resides, albeit a good many moons ago, without any form of paperwork and without any interest at all from officialdom en route. Obviously this was pre-"B word", but I have kept an eye on the implications of recent events on such matters and as far as I can see nothing has changed - the dinghy will still be viewed as a personal chattel, sports equipment if you like, that you are free to take on holiday with you. It is no different to a camping trailer with umpteen bikes mounted on top, a sight often seen in the ferry queues.

Obviously your destination country might have a view on its permanent importation, but how can they know that you are not planning to take it back to the UK on your next-but-one return trip? - although I cannot see them having any interest in such a low value item.

Sound advice, by the way, to overhaul all the running gear.

 

[cirruss]

I took a dink and trailer out to the EU where it now resides, albeit a good many moons ago, without any form of paperwork and without any interest at all from officialdom en route. Obviously this was pre-"B word", but I have kept an eye on the implications of recent events on such matters and as far as I can see nothing has changed - the dinghy will still be viewed as a personal chattel, sports equipment if you like, that you are free to take on holiday with you. It is no different to a camping trailer with umpteen bikes mounted on top, a sight often seen in the ferry queues.

Obviously your destination country might have a view on its permanent importation, but how can they know that you are not planning to take it back to the UK on your next-but-one return trip? - although I cannot see them having any interest in such a low value item.

Sound advice, by the way, to overhaul all the running gear.

Thank you footsoldier, that is very helpful!

 

[cirruss]

When i was a kid we used to tow our Wayfarer to Greece for an extended holiday. IIRC my father had to organise 3 Carnets, One for the boat, the others for the trailer and outboard. Plus of course the usual car documentation and visas to cross the iron curtain countries.

To save time on the way out we often put the car and trailer on the train from Oostende to Ljubljana.

Registration on the SSR would prove useful.

Thankyou so much Michael, food for thought!

 

[cirruss]

If you read the book you'll find his route goes straight past your house (well the Danube - still closeish) - you could get some inspiration. Although I. think I'd use an outboard over a set of oars.

Either way, in a part I'm quite envious of anyone who hasn't read that book before / gets to read it for the first time. It's a wonderful read and (for me anyway) perfect escapism from the real world.

Back to your original question, book the boat on as a trailer, any questions at the border and you're taking it on holiday. I can't imagine any official getting too muck in a tizzy over the paperwork on a £1k boat.

I'd probably fit new suspension units, hubs & wheels before a tow of that length and consider upsizing the 8" wheels to 10" (or larger) ones - you get less bounce that way and will be kinder on the boat.

Thankyou great advice on the trailer setup !

 

[cirruss]

The ferries will only want to know the overall length and height so they can charge you for the extra. You can get instant comparative quotes from the ferry websites but when I last took a caravan on the ferry I think it was about 50% extra so would be less for a dinghy. As far as customs are concerned you're taking it on holiday?

Thanks Ridgy!

 

[PeterWright]

Stories of what people did pre Brexit day will be of limited help - most of the rules have changed since we voluntarily surrendered the free movement of people and goods with EU states.

You will be taking capital assets (your boat and your trailer) from a 3rd country into rhe EU and so immediately subject to VAT, regardless of any VAT previously paid in the UK, because the UK is now, through our collective choice, a 3rd. country.

You will also require documentary evidence that your trailer complies with EU regulations.

I am not aware of Romanian marine law but, before you launch your Wayfarer in Romania, you may need to register her there and get appropriate qualification to sail as master in Romanian waters. This is best checked with a Romanian sailing club.

Make sure you have documentary evidence of her presence in the UK on B-day to avoid being charged VAT a third time (for that vessel) on returning her to the UK.

Insurance is a whole other topic - check with your insurer.

Sorry to paint such a bleak picture, but we (the British electorate) voted for it.

Peter.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

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[st599]

Make sure you have documentary evidence of her presence in the UK on B-day to avoid being charged VAT a third time (for that vessel) on returning her to the UK.

Cork Week and a few other events now have guidelines for attendees from the UK. Looking at their pages, a dinghy is classed as sporting goods rather than a vessel. They say you may require an ATA Carnet to trail your boat to Cork. Travelling From Outside Of The EU(Including GB) - Cork Week 2022

Class associations such as the 420 are also telling members to get an ATA Carnet.

However Carnets are a PITA to get and to use, you may take the decision that it's worth just paying the Import Duty and VAT (it may be cheaper than the Carnet anyway, especially if you mess up getting the stamps and lose the bond)

One other thing to check, the UK didn't require older trailers to be replaced with the lates spec, but you may find that you need to modify a trailer for use in the EU.

 

[syvictoria]

One other thing to check, the UK didn't require older trailers to be replaced with the lates spec, but you may find that you need to modify a trailer for use in the EU.

^ Definitely check this. Many EU countries have far more stringent checks and requirements for trailers than the UK, including mandatory registration I believe.