Mexico confiscated 380 yachts - MERGED THREADS

[Nirvana64]

Thanks for posting the Latitude 38 report. We were in La Cruz on Nov 26 and experienced the "raid". It was disconcerting that the officials were accompanied by armed federales, but the 2 officials that questioned me were very polite and their armed companions stood a couple hundred feet away. We recently purchased the boat in PV and the TIP was in the previous owner's name, but the officials were fine with our paperwork. I am glad to hear there have not been any boat confiscations.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Nirvana64.

[Cyndimarcus]

Hi Doug, your information has been helpful to us, hearing your situation was resolved was heartening. How long did it take for you to get this straightened out?

We just arrived in San Carlos, Sonora to find a notice taped to our boat. The marina was vague about the time frame this would be cleared up. We are scheduled to move the boat to the boatyard today, so we will be pursuing the potential time frame of when we can actually leave before we make any moves.

I'm assuming others are going through this also. I'll keep you posted.

[Kenr74]

So there will NOT be a big sailboat auction sponsored by the Mexican government any time soon?

[Tarzan]

As one of the victims of the SAT sweep - a short update on my situation.

Its very short actually, noting has changed, the boat is still impounded for an unknown reason and for an unknown length of time.

Action taken so far
The marina has presented the documents (and yes they are in order) to a lawyer representing me and the other 19 boats affected. This happened on the 10th December.

Comment
There have been a lot of comments relating to this post varying from useful advise, positive encouragement and other not useful stuff. In the end its me who has quit his job, apartment etc in order to sail across the pacific in March 2014. Feel like the rugs been ripped out from underneath me as like most of us this is a trip of a lifetime requiring years of hard work and planning.

While I have no idea what the outcome will be or when I think its important for those contemplating similar ventures to be aware of the situation with myself as an example.

Waiting....

[svseachange]

Good luck, sailor. We stand in solidarity with you. I hope the situation is resolved soon.

[rebel heart]

Most of the boats in La Cruz that were "confiscated " got released yesterday. Raffa the marina manager walked the whole marina with SAT and re-verified everyone's paperwork, this time with a few days notice.

Mike at PV Sails helped a lot to organize.

[boatpoker]

I surveyed a large powerboat for a fellow Canadian in Toronto. it was a licensed boat (= to US state registration). When the deal closed we scheduled another visit to do a tonnage survey as he wanted the boat Federally Registered (= to USCG documented).

He got impatient waiting for the registration and headed across Lake Ontario to Wilson NY for the weekend. When he checked in at the videophone and could not provide proper paperwork for his boat, USCG was dispatched and "arrested" (their terminology) the vessel.

He had to leave the boat there until everything was squared away, paying the marina for three weeks, rent a car to get back to Toronto, had to pay me to drive around the lake to do the tonnage measurement and had to pay a fine.

The whole episode cost him around 11k for the lack of proper paperwork.
When you go into another country, you had better understand their rules. and the risks.

[Ocean Girl]

"Most" of the boats being released seems poor consolation for the few that have not.
I think the gov thinks this will scare people to make sure their paperwork is in order, and it will, though many have stated here that their paperwork WAS in order. But this event will also put many off, not wanting to deal or risk it, and decide to just go somewhere else, it's a big world.

I LOVE Mexico, the people are what really make that country beautiful and unique. I traveled by bus, train and cayuca to get from Texas to Guatemala. Many beautiful moment watching, interacting, making friends. Such a contrast to their gov.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

Many beautiful moment watching, interacting, making friends. Such a contrast to their gov.

I think the same could be said for the US, Canadian, Italian, German Governments...it's the nature of People vs what they become when working for Big Government. A quick internet search will find all Government abusing freedoms, rights and common sense.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

I think the same could be said for the US, Canadian, Italian, German Governments...it's the nature of People vs what they become when working for Big Government. A quick internet search will find all Government abusing freedoms, rights and common sense.

Mother should I trust the go-vernment?

(Only the Pink Floyd generation will get it )

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

"Most" of the boats being released seems poor consolation for the few that have not.
I think the gov thinks this will scare people to make sure their paperwork is in order, and it will, though many have stated here that their paperwork WAS in order. But this event will also put many off, not wanting to deal or risk it, and decide to just go somewhere else, it's a big world.

I LOVE Mexico, the people are what really make that country beautiful and unique. I traveled by bus, train and cayuca to get from Texas to Guatemala. Many beautiful moment watching, interacting, making friends. Such a contrast to their gov.

There's never really been a middle class in Mexico and even now it's pretty tenuous. It really hails from the Spanish viceroys and the hacienda system where there was a very tiny amount of rulers and then a lot of destitute people who were powerless and uneducated.

It's such a weird country. You'll hear people use the term "innocentes" (literally, "innocents") about the population in Michoacan (or really any rural area) which is a polite and gentle way of saying uneducated and simple. It's also a country that spends a very high percentage of GDP on education.

It's pretty telling in the government too. Since the days of Andrew Jackson politicians in America were always valued for being "a regular American" or at least being able to relate as one, even if they were lying. Mexican politicians still very much act like members of an aristocracy where power and control are valued much more than democratic principles.

In the end Mexico very much is a socialist republic ruled by parties and many people rely on the spoils system for their daily bread. Or tortillas, as it were.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

There's never really been a middle class in Mexico and even now it's pretty tenuous..

Interesting how perceptions differ.
After 4 years in Mexico I saw a large and growing middle class. The major international chain stores like Home Depot, Costco, WalMart, etc are not building those stores for the poor, but for the growing middle class.

I think the problem is with what our definition of "middle class" means. Our two Mexican God children in San Blas, Nayarit and their family consider themselves to be "middle class", but our standards the are poor. Sure if you judge Mexico by the standards of the US Government's defintion then the whole country would be below the povery line. But viewed internally and by many standards throughout the world, Mexico does have a rather sizeable middle class.

We have a store front in La Paz, for example, and 60% of the business there is coming from the local Mexicans. This surprised the heck out of me and our guy in Mexico frankly because our perception was that our main buyers would have been gringo cruisers.

Watching the Mexican people, I also think they have a better understanding of how capitalism works than the average American! Little mom/pop shops are everywhere and a teenager with a Taco cart can make his own way in the world and become quite successful depending on how hard he wants to work. Just like there is a HUGE seperation between the political class and the unwashed masses in Fly-over-county in the USA, it's the same and even more so in Mexico.

[Cyndimarcus]

We are currently in the work yard in Marina Seca San Carlos. We have been told to let the marina know when we are ready and they will ask the lawyers. Crossing our fingers.

[jeremiason]

When we cruised Mexico, we were surprised how many cruisers decided to ignore the rules and not purchase a TIP. We came south from California and could not purchase a TIP until we arrived in La Paz. It took about 40 minutes, including filling out the paperwork. Now I understand it is even easier.

It is such a simple thing... Yet when caught without, cruisers raise the unfair flag and start complaining how corrupt Mexico is.

After cruising through 8 different countries on our trip from San Francisco to Florida, I can tell you Mexico is one of the simplest countries to check in to, sail around in and check out of.

All the other countries we visited required you to obtain a Zarpe every time you sailed from one Port to another and of course charged you for each one... That does not happen in Mexico.

So my suggest is either follow the rules or try some where else.