Getting a Cat from Florida to the Med

[dxbpilot]

Hi,

I'm brand new to this forum. I'm an aussie currently living in Dubai but plan to quit my job in the near future and start sailing the world.

Would like to start in the Med first but I have noticed there are far more yachts around in the states for sale. They seem to be better equipped and better priced.

Does anyone know what the cost would be to get a Lagoon 380/Tobago 35/Mahe 36 to europe would be ? IE from Florida ?

I'd love to leave from here initially but the instability in the region makes that almost impossible.

I'm not totally opposed to an Atlantic crossing but was hoping to get a bit more experience pottering around the med before attempting that one.

Something like this is the dream.
1994 Fountaine Pajot Tobago 35, Fort Pierce Florida - boats.com

Thanks for the advice

[jdazey]

One possibility would be to hire a delivery captain such as our very own Boatman61:

https://deepwaterdeliveries.com/

He's done a little bit with catamarans

Cheers,

[dxbpilot]

Great,

Thanks a lot. I'll send them an email then.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by dxbpilot

Would like to start in the Med first but I have noticed there are far more yachts around in the states for sale. They seem to be better equipped and better priced.

It really depends on the individual boat you are looking at. I don't see that US boats are significantly cheaper or better equipped, with the exception of generator and air-condition.
Once you factor in the cost of visiting a number of boats in remote places, the hassle of survey and fixing/ equipping her remotely, and finally delivery to the Med you may find that the price difference does not really exist.

The one you linked looks good but is already quite old and not cheap. A more recent model will be easier to sell on the future. For example you can certainly find a Mahe that is half the age for a similar price. A Lagoon 380 is also within reach, especially if you don't need vat paid status.

[Rapanui]

One factor that springs to mind is that the boats you have targeted are fairly old now and highly likely not to be in good enough shape for an Atlantic crossing without considerable work.
The Med is stuffed with the boats you are looking for, they are all built nearby, they are 230v, and you can start cruising right away.
One word of caution, while mostly you can potter in the Med, this is not a tradewind area but has regular usually short periods of bad weather which can be intense, especially in winter.

[MikeFergie]

When I was looking to buy the med boats were always much cheaper than USA boats

[Ostinato]

We've been quoted about $19k US to ship a 12m cat from the med to the US less than half of what were quoted to have crewed back. Plus once you get it here (to Europe) you have to deal with the VAT issue which requires to get your boat out of the EU every 18 months or pay VAT on the boat. As the EU has expanded that has gotten harder to do in the Med physically (and safely from a political point of view).

I sailed mine across. If I had it to do I would buy boat in Europe and do any refitting here.

[dxbpilot]

Hi,

Thanks everyone for the very informative replies !

Being in Dubai the purchase is going to be remote wherever I end up buying. But Europe is certainly closer and I'd be able to get going straight away.

I ve been quoted €7500 euros plus flights/any costs incurred i.e. Fuel etc. for the ferrie service so I guess that would end up around €10,000 in total.

I don't plan on staying the the med longer than 18 months, with that in mind where's the easiest/cheapest place for registration ?

[boatman61]

Easiest would be set up an LLC in Delaware and register it there.. cheapest is the UK SSR around £25 for 5yrs but with that you have to prove residency for at least 6mths a year.. there are back doors but not mentioned on here..

[dxbpilot]

Wow, I was expecting caymans or something along those lines. Great thanks. ��

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, dxbpilot.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Easiest would be set up an LLC in Delaware and register it there.. cheapest is the UK SSR around £25 for 5yrs but with that you have to prove residency for at least 6mths a year.. there are back doors but not mentioned on here..

If you are a EU passport holder you run a certain risk. As a EU citizen there is as far as I know no legal way of using your own boat with VAT unpaid.
You can register for business / carter use without VAT.

A EU citizen with a Delaware registration will raise more than one eyebrow with any customs officer looking to make a good impression with their boss. Same for a UK boat with non-UK citizens on board.


Some folks say that customs don't care about VAT on a boat, or that they consider VAT on a UK boat to be a UK customs issue. However if you have no proof of VAT then you are at the mercy of some bored customs officer.
No proof means you are de-facto importing the boat into their country and if they want it immediately becomes their business.


We have been checked for VAT papers four times over the last few years, and except in Bari / Italy they just had a short glimpse.
I could have presented an invoice for a ton of toilet paper and they would have been equally happy.

[dxbpilot]

Hi,

Ok. I will be traveling on an Australian passport with a UAE residency.

I have no assets etc in euroland.

[dxbpilot]

So I figured I just need the simplest yacht registration somewhere that's easy to deal with.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by dxbpilot

Wow, I was expecting caymans or something along those lines. Great thanks. ��

Depends if you are EU citizen. If you are, you need VAT paid status or you take your chances (most folks seem not to bother).


If your are no EU citizen you can register wherever you want. You just need to adhere to temporary importation rules (you have to leave for a day every 18months to reset the TI clock)