New guy in town- coronado boats

[Andy H.B.]

I saw in USA a lot of boats cheaper than in Europe...and they look better(on the website anyway). I am considering buying from USA also, but my concern is the flag. I think that I can get Red Ensign from Bahamas also, but I don't know for sure if they register only 12 meters( 40 feets) and above or not...maybe I'm reading wrong info... cand anyone help me?
P.S. I will be forced by my ignorance in sailing to stay in the area where my boat is. I can't think ocean crossing without strong practice.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Andy H.B.

I saw in USA a lot of boats cheaper than in Europe...and they look better(on the website anyway). I am considering buying from USA also, but my concern is the flag. I think that I can get Red Ensign from Bahamas also, but I don't know for sure if they register only 12 meters( 40 feets) and above or not...maybe I'm reading wrong info... cand anyone help me?
P.S. I will be forced by my ignorance in sailing to stay in the area where my boat is. I can't think ocean crossing without strong practice.

Well if your buying abroad make sure of your visa limits etc... USA you'll have to be out in 90 days...
I suggest you look for boats in the Caribbean... base yourself in St Martin... good hub for cheap inter island flights and lots of boats kitted out for live aboard... no hassle for EU citizens..
You don't say if your a UK resident... for the red ensign...

[Andy H.B.]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Well if your buying abroad make sure of your visa limits etc... USA you'll have to be out in 90 days...
I suggest you look for boats in the Caribbean... base yourself in St Martin... good hub for cheap inter island flights and lots of boats kitted out for live aboard... no hassle for EU citizens..
You don't say if your a UK resident... for the red ensign...

I'm romanian and Romania is full member of EU so I can register a boat in Gibraltar or Bahamas( according to their sites) in my name without needing the company trick.

[Andy H.B.]

My question is that Bahamas or Gibraltar have regulations about how big your boat must be to be registered. I readed somewhere that in Bahamas the minimum LOA is 12 metters(40 feets)... it is correct?
P.S. I'm Romanian as Jimmy Cornell is. :P

[Andy H.B.]

No answer?

[Andy H.B.]

Views: 405
Replies: 19...HALF MINE.
Maybe i have stupid questions.

[Weyalan]

Heh, nothing wrong with your questions, but I suspect that not many people would know the answer to specific questions about registering a vessel under a Gibraltar or Bahamas flag... most cruisers I know just register under their home port / country, so probably people don't know the answer to your question.

Given that you are Romanian, I would suggest that you start your search closer to home... there are huge fleets of decent production boats in charter in Europe... Greece, Turkey, Croatia for example, and I expect that there are other fleets in the Black Sea, Spain, Italy, Portugal, etc. Charter boats usually get sold after a few years in charter so you can potentially buy a 5-10 year old boat direct from charter at a fraction of new boat cost.

Also, in terms of value for money, it is hard to go past the main European production manufacturers... Beneteau, Jeanneau, Bavaria, Elan, etc. Some people say that these are not "proper cruising boats", but plenty of them have been sailed around the world and it is hard to argue with the value for money that mass-production offers.

One piece of unsolicited advice... look for the smallest boat that meets your needs, not the biggest boat that you can afford

[Andy H.B.]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

... most cruisers I know just register under their home port / country, so probably people don't know the answer to your question.

I wish that I could do the same but here they use to change roules and regulations, taxes so often than I found better to register under Red Ensign.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Given that you are Romanian, I would suggest that you start your search closer to home... there are huge fleets of decent production boats in charter in Europe... Greece, Turkey, Croatia for example, and I expect that there are other fleets in the Black Sea, Spain, Italy, Portugal, etc. Charter boats usually get sold after a few years in charter so you can potentially buy a 5-10 year old boat direct from charter at a fraction of new boat cost.

Croatia looks too expensive, Greece&Turkey hard to understand and trust. I'm allready looking in western Europe but I see better looking, better equiped and cheaper boats in the US. I'm still doing the math to see if is cheaper to buy from US taking in consideration all other costs involved in buying in US.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Also, in terms of value for money, it is hard to go past the main European production manufacturers... Beneteau, Jeanneau, Bavaria, Elan, etc. Some people say that these are not "proper cruising boats", but plenty of them have been sailed around the world and it is hard to argue with the value for money that mass-production offers.

After reading forums long time I can't still figure out wich are the proper cruisers.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

One piece of unsolicited advice... look for the smallest boat that meets your needs, not the biggest boat that you can afford

Good advice. Thank you.

[Andy H.B.]

I found lots of Hunter 310 in the USA...what about those? Are they good cruisers? Are they fit for ocean crossing ....circumnavigation ? What you think?

[Andy H.B.]

Hunter 310 in out of my list. Somebody directed me to a good page that points me to right direction: Selecting a Boat for Offshore Cruising. That includes a very big and I think good list of boats good for the purpose.

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by Andy H.B.

I wish that I could do the same but here they use to change roules and regulations, taxes so often than I found better to register under Red Ensign.

I'm not saying that what you are proposing is wrong, merely that it is unusual, so most folk will not be able to answer questions

Originally Posted by Andy H.B.

Croatia looks too expensive, Greece&Turkey hard to understand and trust. I'm allready looking in western Europe but I see better looking, better equiped and cheaper boats in the US. I'm still doing the math to see if is cheaper to buy from US taking in consideration all other costs involved in buying in US.

When you are doing the math on costs, factor in that you are probably going to look at several boats before you find the right one. Please don't take this as criticism, but given that you are relatively inexperienced, you might want to find a friend or colleague who is experienced with the type of boat you are looking at, to assist you. You will definitely want to get a good surveyor (and not one recommended by the seller) to help you to.

Do the math, also, on the cost of getting the boat back to Europe. This will not be a cheap exercise. In your price-range you will be lucky to find a boat that does not need some work to make it "blue-water" capable.

Originally Posted by Andy H.B.

After reading forums long time I can't still figure out wich are the proper cruisers.

What makes a "proper" cruiser is more about the sailor than the boat. The best blue-water boat in the world will be useless if the sailor is not capable and a capable sailor can almost any boat usable. If you can find a way to get some sea-miles on the type and size of boat you are considering, even if only as unpaid crew, you will have opportunities to learn before you take the big step of purchasing.

[Andy H.B.]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I'm not saying that what you are proposing is wrong, merely that it is unusual, so most folk will not be able to answer questions

You don't say but is an innuendo. I don't see what can be wrong to want safety, predictibility and protection from your flag for you and your investement. And all that legit!!! Unusual? I don't think so. Look how many thousands of boats are registered under courtesy flags( I didn't count here the commercial vessels...only yachts)... I was only trying to cut some corners and find out quicker some infos having so much to read latelly...but in the mean time I found out what I wanted to know.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

When you are doing the math on costs, factor in that you are probably going to look at several boats before you find the right one. Please don't take this as criticism, but given that you are relatively inexperienced, you might want to find a friend or colleague who is experienced with the type of boat you are looking at, to assist you. You will definitely want to get a good surveyor (and not one recommended by the seller) to help you to.

I said I'm not much of a saylor but I think I can handle the rest and I will have to take my chances ( I'm a former deck officer, and a marine engineer but instead of sailing with merchant ships I choosed to stay ashore and repair the merchant ships...I don't say that steel is the same with fiberglas but I will try my chances) because my experienced friend or colleague doesn't exists.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Do the math, also, on the cost of getting the boat back to Europe. This will not be a cheap exercise. In your price-range you will be lucky to find a boat that does not need some work to make it "blue-water" capable.

Yes, I'm trying to do the math and figure out. That's why I said that I find Bahamas suitable if the boat is in USA...beeing closer and me not beeing much of a saylor. It costs too much to ship the boat to Europe(10k-15k as I saw on the websites). I still don't know how much will cost me to hire an YM from USA or western Europe to cross the Atlantic with me and my boat for example...but I still think Bahamas will be the right option. Sailing about a year or so in the area and then crossing the Atlantic if the plan will be returning to Europe.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

What makes a "proper" cruiser is more about the sailor than the boat. The best blue-water boat in the world will be useless if the sailor is not capable and a capable sailor can almost any boat usable.

Soryy, I'm not ironic but this is a little bit philosophy. I said that I want a boaty to be safe in (speaking only about the boat not about my skills) and as confortable as she can be.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

If you can find a way to get some sea-miles on the type and size of boat you are considering, even if only as unpaid crew, you will have opportunities to learn before you take the big step of purchasing.

Yes, will be usefull but I know nobody with a boat in generally and they are only few sailing boats in my country. Maybe I will try on forums later, after selling the house and finishing the rest of the things I have to do before leaving. I'm thinking at this issue.
And comming back to philosophy, I KNOW I CAN!

[Andy H.B.]

I think I'm in love with Dufour 36 CC.

[Weyalan]

Sorry if I sounded discouraging - this was not my intent. It is great that you have a dream and, certainly, buying your first boat is an exciting time (I bought my first not so long ago). I wish you the best of luck.

[Andy H.B.]

@Weyalan
Don't worry, I'm not so easy to discourage. I'm doing my research now and every thought is important to me. I thank you for yours.