Where is the main user base for CF?

[El Pinguino]

I reckon CF participation is US, Canada, Australia, assorted northern European bits - and Ecuador.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by AuChante

Are there no-go zones? Unfriendly countries… or, dare I say, pirates? The only out-of-country travel I’ve done was with the Army, so I never had to think about it. Then there’s passports and National water boundaries. I’ve read that at the Canada/US border you can make trouble if you boat across the line.

You really need to get out more.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by kish

Largest marina in France! from Wikipedia:

Les Minimes, Port de plaisance des Minimes, is the largest marina in France for pleasure boats. It is located in the city of La Rochelle. Its name is derived from the establishment of a convent of the Frères Minimes in this area during the Middle Ages. There are slips for about 3,500 boats

And a nice place it is to boot.. Off season..

[AuChante]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

You really need to get out more.

No Joke!
I Just know what I read really... typical American. There are, supposedly, vacation destinations that are unsafe to go a few blocks from the tourist part of town. I figure it'd be allot easier to get in trouble with your own boat just cruising along. It'll be quite some time till I do a trip like that tho. Just curiosity at the moment. I do plan on fixing that.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by kish

Largest marina in France! from Wikipedia:

Les Minimes, Port de plaisance des Minimes, is the largest marina in France for pleasure boats. It is located in the city of La Rochelle. Its name is derived from the establishment of a convent of the Frères Minimes in this area during the Middle Ages. There are slips for about 3,500 boats

Marina del Rey in California has around 5000 boats...

Jim

[AuChante]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Marina del Rey in California has around 5000 boats...

Jim

lol.. found it on the map and though it was a neighborhood with slips. Zoomed in and each "slip" is a small marina on its own. That thing's HUGE! It must have its own zip code.

[JPA Cate]

It might be interesting to see how different individuals define "remote". If you intend access to areas without roads and internet coverage, that is a very different definition than "safe anchorage, few to no other yachts, and good TV reception." Some cruisers are an independent lot, others, less so.

There are some places in the Pacific Northwest, ranging from the Canadian Border to Alaska, which I personally would consider "remote", although it seemed to me that <goboatingnow> does not seem to consider it so. Places where you might wake up with an otter on deck, for instance, but with "wildlife" close by, and not related to night clubs at all. It is very different from the east coast of the US. Within the US, the people in the west do consider themselves to have some different values from the east.

Imo, Australia, NZ, and Canada all have less dense populations than Europe and the East Coast of the US. That leaves less population pressure on the other animal populations, so that they are "closer" and the place feels "remote" to me.

Ann

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by AuChante

Are there no-go zones? Unfriendly countries… or, dare I say, pirates? The only out-of-country travel I’ve done was with the Army, so I never had to think about it. Then there’s passports and National water boundaries. I’ve read that at the Canada/US border you can make trouble if you boat across the line.

The worlds a scary place , stay at home

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

It might be interesting to see how different individuals define "remote". If you intend access to areas without roads and internet coverage, that is a very different definition than "safe anchorage, few to no other yachts, and good TV reception." Some cruisers are an independent lot, others, less so.

There are some places in the Pacific Northwest, ranging from the Canadian Border to Alaska, which I personally would consider "remote", although it seemed to me that <goboatingnow> does not consider it so. Places where you might wake up with an otter on deck, for instance, but with "wildlife" close by, and not related to night clubs at all. It is very different from the east coast of the US. Within the US, the people in the west do consider themselves to have some different values from the east.

Ann

Its a boat 70% of the planet is covered with water. Nothing is more remote then the ocean. The presence of land itself is not a definition of remote in my books. But I except lubbers May think so.

[Rumrace]

It has a huge US group of people. You discover them when everything is politically offensive. You can’t talk about the trade disruption specifically in the marine industry. You should not mention production of Wellcraft Scarab 4 Winns moving to Poland for European production. Beneteau and Jeanneau shuttering a 36 year old yacht factory, don’t bring that up. Marlow launching new models like he was cutting down a rain forest in Haiti probably not a good idea to mention. You can’t mention trust in long standing trade agreements have been lost. Europe Canada and Japan moved on with a free trade group.
France wants Liberty back.
Don’t mention any of this cause youll cause fur balls to be coughed up. Deny all knowledge instead.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by AuChante

Are there no-go zones? Unfriendly countries… or, dare I say, pirates? The only out-of-country travel I’ve done was with the Army, so I never had to think about it. Then there’s passports and National water boundaries. I’ve read that at the Canada/US border you can make trouble if you boat across the line.

Yes, you need a passport for international travel. This is standard everywhere.

Not sure about what trouble you're referring to regarding coming to Canada. Crossing any international boundary must be done legally. This includes boats.

As an American, you can certainly cross over to Canada, but you have to do it legally. You are still able to transit Canadian waters if your voyage involves no stops, or other details like fishing. Boaters on the Great Lakes routinely crisscross the border this way. But if you want to stop (dock, anchor, or even go fishing), you need to legally clear in. And yes, that will require a passport.

[AuChante]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

As an American, you can certainly cross over to Canada, but you have to do it legally. You are still able to transit Canadian waters if your voyage involves no stops, or other details like fishing. Boaters on the Great Lakes routinely crisscross the border this way. But if you want to stop (dock, anchor, or even go fishing), you need to legally clear in. And yes, that will require a passport.

Interesting. I read an article (no clue where, don't believe everything you read I guess) saying that unauthorized vessels crossing the border in border lakes are stopped by Canadian coast guard. Authorization being a simple radio call to Canadian customs saying you're passing through.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by AuChante

Interesting. I read an article (no clue where, don't believe everything you read I guess) saying that unauthorized vessels crossing the border in border lakes are stopped by Canadian coast guard. Authorization being a simple radio call to Canadian customs saying you're passing through.

It's known as the right of innocent passage, and virtually all nations recognize it as part of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Here is one legal description:

https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-...essay.php#ftn1

Interestingly, while virtually all countries have signed on to UNCLOS, the US has never ratified it. But my understanding is that they operate as if they did. As a country, the US certainly insists on this right (ex: Northwest Passage)

All this said, nations can do whatever the heck they want, and as with everything, it depends highly on the border guard you meet. Any foreign boat can be stopped at any time by national authorities. And you bet they won't care if you're claiming "innocent passage" rights.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by AuChante

I'm still not grasping this type of sailing. I'll do a day sail or weekend camping trip... But the Caribbean is a week away for me. How much time do long cruisers take for their trips?

Months, years, or the rest of their lives.

Jim and Ann Cate sailed away from the US just about 1990.

My understanding of cruising is that you travel long distance and spend considerable time away from home.

Depends on what the cruisers goal is.
Travel to and explore a specific destination.
Round the world.
“Local” cruising on your own national coasts.
Specific to the US are the Great Loops, though they mostly don’t come to CF.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by AuChante

Are there no-go zones? Unfriendly countries… or, dare I say, pirates? The only out-of-country travel I’ve done was with the Army, so I never had to think about it. Then there’s passports and National water boundaries. I’ve read that at the Canada/US border you can make trouble if you boat across the line.

Black Sea would be a bad idea right now.
Pirate hot spots tend to change over time. Don’t know what’s hot currently.