Is this a viable plan?

[Olly75]

Hi all
Been lurking here while I learn how to sail and attempt to prep for a world cruise. The intention was to head off in October 18 with no real time or destination plan, other than to hit all the major dive destinations of the world.

Well, life has decided to throw a curve ball and I now need a fairly major operation, the preparation for it and the recovery is going to lay me out for the next four to five months. This is obviously going to set me back and probably mean I need to delay my departure for a year.

So was thinking this morning that I would like to make use of the down time that the UK winter brings and go cruising for a few months. I've always dreamt of the Bahamas and am unlikely to get that far north when I hit the Caribbean on the big trip so was wondering if people think its viable to fly over to the bahamas in Jan 18, buy a cheap pocket cruiser and spend a few months bobbing round the cays?

I'm thinking a budget of 5k GBP purchase price, plus the bare minimum to kit it out for budget cruising. I've done some searches but nothing in that price bracket turns up in the area so is this budget way off what is possible, or are there local sites that don't show up on Google etc?

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[hobopacket]

If you are going with this plan. It would be to buy in Florida and hop over.

[s/v Moondancer]

Call all the boat yards, sailing clubs and marinas in S Florida and ask about boats that have not paid their bills. My club, Where Sailors Belong! has sold several good boats over the years.

[TJ D]

Hi, perfectly viable plan, but I also agree that you'll be best off buying in Florida. It's an easy hop across if you wait for the right weather.

[Olly75]

It does look like there are plenty of boats in Florida, I have a concern about the visa requirements and whether buying and then trying to sell a boat a few months later is seen as a business rather than tourist activity. There is also the possible issue of getting a visa back to the states from the bahamas at all.

Are there any other areas in the Caribbean that are known for having a decent number of smaller boats? - it looks like I have a place on a trans Atlantic trip in November and will be getting dropped off in St Lucia so if I set aside the bahamas I'm pretty flexible on locations.

[JPA Cate]

It's a scary option, but you could take money, play it by ear. Wire transfers are possible there.


Ann

[inchcailloch]

Careful with wire transfers. I was transferiing £12,000 for a new engine 3 years ago.The holding bank in America would not release the funds for 3 weeks whilst fraud checks etc were carried out.......guess who had any interest during that time!! Just kept me waiting though when it was urgently required.

[Screwdiver]

Are you an UK-citizen (and therefore EU-citizen)? If so, consider buying in some of the islands legally part of EU or UK. No Problem with one-time-buy-and-sell, customs is only involved, if you do it more often. Keep the bills and records, register your boat on the UK-Flag and sell it to a european buyer. HM Tax Office will be happy to consult.

[BandB]

Boats in the price range you're looking for are often going to be in Craigslist.

[1Sunseeker]

If it works for you, it is viable.

[hamburking]

Just for the sake of argument and discussion:

Why not buy a cheap boat on the great lakes in Canada? There are plenty of inexpensive small boats here (Lake Ontario), and due to fresh water and a short sailing season, most are in pretty good condition.

In Canada, a boat with under 10hp does not need to be licensed or registered...so if you get something with a 9.9 on the stern, no paperwork at all. I'm not sure how that would work for you...but Canada and the UK are pretty chummy.

The trip from Lake Ontario down the east coast to Florida would take a month, and I'm told its a good trip. Then hop over to the Bahamas from Florida, as recommended above.

Here's your boat: 1964 Pearson Triton(Alberg) Sailboat, 28.5 ft | sailboats | Kingston | Kijiji

Or better yet, forget the Bahamas and enjoy the 1000 islands region of Lake Ontario for a few months (summer). Our low dollar, sweet water, and good beer make this an excellent cruising area.

[Olly75]

All good thoughts, I'm going to expand the search area and see if there are EUR flagged boats out there as well as that route seems like it could be easier from an admin perspective.

The purchase in Canada idea could work, and that looks like it could be a crack g boat (not to mention an amazing winter storage cost!) and a really interesting cruising area. But I'm looking to do this in january, which looks a little chilly that far north!

[mickand]

If you are a UK citizen, you can apply for a B1/B2 visitors visa through a UK based US embassy. This entitles you to be in the US for up to 6 months if you are accepted. Agree that a Florida boat in your price range would be easier to acquire. You will have to "Title" it in your name and pay 6% Florida Sales Tax. You can do this as an 'alien' - this will be your title whilst in the US and allows you to resell it easily. You will have to 'clear out' officially if you go to the Bahamas and then 'clear back in' when you return.

[Olly75]

I was reading about the b1 visa but understood that they were single use only, which would mean I would need to go through the application process to return to the US,from the bahamas, at the consulate in Nassau. I would have my outbound flight ticket which would help, but according to the immigration site the process takes up to seven days with a right to refuse.

I'll see if I can speak to someone at the embassy in London as finding a boat to buy/sell in Florida looks so much easier!

[mickand]

B1/B2 visas, if granted by the US Embassy in London, allow multiple visits - the main criteria to remember is the '6 months in any 12'. In other words it is not calendar specific - you can't do Oct, Nov, Dec 2017 and Jan, Feb, March and April 2018 - that would be 7 months in any given 12.
I believe you have to attend the Embassy for interview after application and prior to acceptance.