Day Charter in the Caribbean

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by avazquez

I agree. You have to do something. If not you could end up craving for a drink at 10:30 am every day! The line gets thin between cruiser and bumm!!!

You see plenty of pickled gringos down here in the Carib who don't wait till 10:30 -- you can't drink all day unless you get an early start!

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Fearnow

My game plan never included sneaking around from country to country, picking up charter. In my original post, I asked the question about "required permits." If I decide to go further with this, I realize now that I need to contact each territory, for their specific requirements. I don't need a permit to host friends from the US, and that's all I plan to do right now.

Getting legal takes time too. I've established myself in a couple of developing countries and I suggest that you allow at least one full year -- maybe more.

I've sailed a lot in the Bahamas, but not done business there -- maybe someone here that has can chime in with Bahamian specifics.

[bruce smith]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

You see plenty of pickled gringos down here in the Carib who don't wait till 10:30 -- you can't drink all day unless you get an early start!

when in Rome....

[bottomend]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Getting legal takes time too. I've established myself in a couple of developing countries and I suggest that you allow at least one full year -- maybe more.

I've sailed a lot in the Bahamas, but not done business there -- maybe someone here that has can chime in with Bahamian specifics.

I have done some business in the bahamas in the early 1990s and worked there. Usually unless there has been changes a Bahamian national {resident} must have controlling interest of any business which means putting your boat in a company where over 51% is bahamian owned and then there is the existing competition which will not welcome any "new kids in town"..Interestingly enough you can have 100% control of an IBC{ international business corp.} and buy condos and rent them for income as it is labelled "investment" income same as "interest" or stock "dividends" however a charter boat business is classed as active as a restuarant, bar, etc, The impound docks at Bimini and Nassau had a few nice boats awaiting auction last time i bothered to look however the nicest yachts usually have a reserved bid by the competition that got the boat seized initially. Even friends visiting that go ashore talking like their your paying guests can raise some "ire". Best to go to San Blas islands off Panama if you want to run "free and clear" charters to columbia etc. Most operators in the Bahamas get shut down fast unless you have a Bahamian partner. Good luck and keep in mind that unless you can fulfill a job that a local cannot do most countries only want beer drinking currency spending foreigners.Of course MRI technicians and doctors usually have no problem getting work permits but business permission can be frustrating. An old associate couldnt even open a small liquor store on ST.Lucia without major red-tape but had no problem buying a Bed-breakfast establishment.Do as much research using solid banker advise from a caribeean bank is my advise as the bankers know which businesses the foreigners can run openly etc. Cheers

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by bottomend

I have done some business in the bahamas in the early 1990s and worked there....

Sounds an awful lot like Belize...huge pain operate a business there as a foreigner. And, once you do finally jump through all the hoops, they come up with new ones!

[bottomend]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Sounds an awful lot like Belize...huge pain operate a business there as a foreigner. And, once you do finally jump through all the hoops, they come up with new ones!

Yessir, the dream is often greater than the reality, nowadays an investor can change his currency to turkish liras @ 1.79 per USD an invest in CDs @9.5% - 11% with HSBC bank and drink ice cold gin/tonics or redstripe beer all day while fishing or whatever.Playing around in business can cost a man his "life savings" and i have personally seen this happen to 2 men i met. Both were honest businessmen in their homeland but not "honest" /"crafty" enough for offshore business.One fellow lost in an Abaco island sport fishery business and was subsequently deported forthwith without any of his original capital investment and the other was "bested" by his offshore partner in a nightclub business. Often the dream is best had putting your money to sleep @9 % and relaxing with a cold beer . IMHO . providing of course that the new turkish lira or USD doesnt tank out Ha Ha .Then the 9% CD was worthless but of course Turkey is still a great place to spend lira on ice-cold Istanbul absolute vodka and fresh lime. And they got Dominoes pizza and Starbucks 24/7 which is more modern than the romans where you cant even order a pizza to the marina at 2 AM.Yea gotta have 24/7 junkfood and 7/11 for cold mix if possible. IMHO

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by bottomend

...Playing around in business can cost a man his "life savings" ...

Very true. Have also seen this happen many times. The old joke in Belize is

"What's the easiest way to make $1 million dollars in Belize? .....come here with $2 million!"

I expect you can substitute almost any developing country into that joke.

[bottomend]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Very true. Have also seen this happen many times. The old joke in Belize is

"What's the easiest way to make $1 million dollars in Belize? .....come here with $2 million!"

I expect you can substitute almost any developing country into that joke.

Yessir. i think that with a comment like the above you have seen many foreigners lose their life savings. Some of those i witnessed were unable to recover because their former income earnings years were lost but they had the USA pension to fall back on which can easily be eroded by the 1200 USD marina fees for a 45ft. craft. Enough of the warnings to "dreamers" of offshore businesses has never been posted here as a long-term lurker of this site i have noticed, I personally have use of a small 35ft searay -type weekender i seldom use and a 65ft sailboat i havent sailed since 2001. The sailboat sits in storage in the caribeean awaiting future use after i accomulate more wealth. Needless to say i dont look for income whilr using the sailcraft but amassing more wealth before committing myself to full-time use of sailcraft.Amassing more wealth is my greatest concern at presnt time so i type little about replacing "jabsco" pump impellers or upgrading electric panels. Many on this website are far more eloquent than I expressing how to do such repairs. My last transmission repair on the 65ft sailboat was so labourus i thought i would have a stroke THEN i had to repair the airconditioning fan motors and condensders whish failed sametime.. Allmost felt like selling the boat after that fiasco but i remain. IMHO all foreigners should be dissuaded from business in the islands but i know from my associates that "fleecing the foreigners" is a competition .YEA he invested 3 mill for a 50 grand a month check for ONE month. cheers

[Fearnow]

I think for now, I will be able to keep busy without working. I live to kitesurf and will be busy finding the perfect spots. I also enjoy working with the kids in DR and Hatti. Maybe help someone get ahead. Fishing and diving come next, with some SUP if I get real bored.

I assume that arrival to each island means making tracks to customs? I hope I will be allowed time to get there, as making landfall at the custom location may prove difficult.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Fearnow

I think for now, I will be able to keep busy without working. I live to kitesurf and will be busy finding the perfect spots. I also enjoy working with the kids in DR and Hatti. Maybe help someone get ahead. Fishing and diving come next, with some SUP if I get real bored.

I assume that arrival to each island means making tracks to customs? I hope I will be allowed time to get there, as making landfall at the custom location may prove difficult.

If you don't need the income then finding other ways to keep busy is a hell of a lot easier than starting a business in a "developing" country. Plenty of stuff to do in this world other than make headaches for yourself (hey, where was I 10 years ago when I could have used that advice! ). Lots of volunteer opportunities in most places and lots of cool stuff to see and do.

Not each island per se, but each time you enter the waters of a new country -- you should plan to make landfall at the nearest "port of entry" and clear in before doing anything else. Otherwise you are in the country illegally. Some cruisers choose not to do this sometime, and like running illegal charters they can often get away with it because developing countries have limited enforcement resources, but if you get discovered you could be in really deep doo-doo. Its just not worth the risk. For example, we were in Nicaragua recently, and at a routine traffic check-point officials asked to see our passports...if we had slipped into the country without clearing in then things could have gone very badly from that point forward. Instead, we had a nice friendly chat, and got directions to a really good restaurant!

You also "clear out" of the country before leaving. And, the country where you arrive will almost certainly want to see those clearance papers.

[Fearnow]

Getting closer to purchasing the boat and still want to try some day charter. Would I get in trouble if I discreetly solicit in the US for say, some scuba, or fishing while in Guadeloupe? Are all of the islands strict about doing a little business.

[mcirstea]

If you plan to operate in Guadelupe please refer to the SVC code for safety and max passenger requirements. The boat needs a captain with a french captains license too. I am very familiar with operating a day charters in the french and netherlands antilles. PM in you need any additional insight

[Lajos]

I am going on a one week charter in St Martin in January and the captain is a parasailing pro and I will be taking my first kitesurfing lessons with him while there, I am also on the market to start a charter business on a large cat in a year or so... Plenty of read tape....
Let me know when your ready for some "unofficial" guests on your boat, I might be interested in spending some time and taking some "unofficial" lessons :-)
I already did some island hopping on a cat and I'm Curently taking navigation, VHF, diesel, electrical system courses, getting ready to leave "long term"....

PM me if you have some details about the "charters"....