My yacht is impounded

[C420sailor]

Echo above. Don’t do anything without an attorney.

That said, this is all odd and doesn’t add up.

Who allows someone they aren’t very close with to borrow their 46’ boat to sail many thousands of miles over open ocean for no compensation?

You likely aren’t going to see that yacht without extensive legal work, and without being interviewed about your involvement, at the very least. I would be extremely surprised if you were not a suspect in the criminal investigation.

This is going to be extremely expensive, painful, and also potentially risky.

[GordMay]

Read Pete's linked report: https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts...-west-la-palma

The initial investigation began in February, 2020 ...

[Sequoyah]

You casually loaned your big, valuable yacht to someone for an Atlantic crossing? If I may ask, just how close are you personally or businesswise to this mechanic?

[C420sailor]

Lol, over a TON of cocaine?!?!? If that’s his boat? He’s never seeing that thing again. Just walk away with your freedom, bro...

...and avoid extradition.

[steffan]

Based on that news article I'd be worried about getting myself impounded, let alone the boat. Lawyer up, indeed.

[EngineerRetired]

Law enforcement was tracking this "suspected" boat for nearly a year and, THEY WERE RIGHT. To the OP, you are never going to get this boat back, accept it.

[siamese]

You lost me at letting your mechanic borrow your boat to cross the Atlantic. Why the heck would you do that!?!?!

YOUR boat was found full of cocaine. If I was running that investigation, you'd be high on my list of suspects.

[fstbttms]

Hmm...

[Tortuga's Lie]

Follow Captain Ron's example.......steal it back!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwD8bb9-r4k

[Stewie12]

Unless Spanish law has changed nothing will happen to your yacht until the Captain is found guilty and sentenced. Then it will be auctioned by the court. If you can find out when he is sentenced you can go to the court and buy it back.

[bluenoser613]

I would be more concerned with any potential link to the crime. If you haven't consulted a lawyer on that yet, you should.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Stewie12

Unless Spanish law has changed nothing will happen to your yacht until the Captain is found guilty and sentenced. Then it will be auctioned by the court. If you can find out when he is sentenced you can go to the court and buy it back.

My experience of these auctions in Mallorca, Almeria and other places, come auction day only the crap is left..

[Stewie12]

I forgot to add that Spanish courts are very slow and it could be 2 years or more before he is sentenced. Unfortunately by then anything that can be stolen from your yacht will be gone. I am not surprised that he was caught. All Spanish waters have a very significant radar and tracking system. They were probably waiting for your yacht to come into their waters to arrest it. I doubt if your would be held to account as you were not on board.

[P3sailor]

If this were a half-way decent vessel, why would an owner let their mechanic "borrow" it, in the first place? There is no way I would even consider something like that, something smells a bit fishy!

[gaucho]

I concur with most opinions: the owner of the yacht is a prime suspect of the investigation, who the hell loans a boat for any long passage, forget about that yacht.