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Old 04-10-2021, 04:28   #1
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Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

Hello all!

I'm still fairly new to boating, and very new to this forum, so please bear with! I'm planning my first overseas trip in the next couple of weeks. I plan to sail from the UK to France, and then onwards to Spain and Portugal, as a UK citizen on UK registered boat. COVID nonsense aside, what should I expect from the boys and girls in blue? Are yachts regularly stopped and searched on channel crossings, or is it simply a case of showing up at a port of entry with the right papers and flags and being waved through? I've heard of both French and British border forces stopping yachts at sea, does anyone know if this still happens?

any advice greatly appreciated!

thank you!!
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Old 04-10-2021, 06:07   #2
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Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

No it’s extremely unusual to be stopped at sea. I was once only during an out of season delivery off Atlantic France. ( it’s all drugs related )

These days “ yotties “ are ubiquitous during the typical season. For France to U.K. you now must fill in an ( Schengen ) advance declaration and name your French destination port. But other then that you will not be likely checked at all

Every so often the “ Douane “ will get a bee in its bottom and go and look for vat paperwork. They seem to like picking on U.K. yachts ( can’t think why)

The SBS once stopped me at 2am crossing back from Morocco to Gib , but it’s was a friendly “ what’s up “ type inspection

Oh and I sailed into Wales with a really rough looking bunch of young people on a HR 56. The police arrived to question us. Understandable really !!!
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Old 04-10-2021, 06:14   #3
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

Being stopped at sea is virtually unknown - the stops that are made are usually "intelligence led" and result in drugs being found!

I'm port you should have the ship's and crew papers available for the port authorities to inspect.

I used to regularly move yachts from the UK to the Algarve and Mediterranean, and vice versa, the ship's papers were the only ones that anyone was interested in.
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Old 04-10-2021, 06:24   #4
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sam.
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:38   #5
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

YES - it happens. In port & also at sea. Having said that, in 20 years or so I was searched in a French port once, & a couple of friends were stopped & searched at sea by the UK Border Force. All OK - no obvious reason why - just random as far as we all knew. So it happens - but not very often to any one boat usually.
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:39   #6
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

The Med is my cruising ground and I am a US registered boat. I was boarded once by the Spanish Guardia Civil approaching Cartagena close to midnight. All they wanted was to see my papers, they were very friendly. They asked permission to board, because, legally, they cannot board a foreign flagged vessel. But we did not mind complying, to keep life simple.

Whenever I have left a Moroccan port, however, they board the vessel and look through the entire boat. I was boarded both upon arriving and upon leaving. They were generally looking for alcohol, drugs and drones (which are not allowed in Morocco). We didn't look very suspicious, so they did a cursory look over. I think they really just wanted to see what the boat looked like inside. I have never been boarded anywhere else.

Given the problem with illegal immigration from Africa, it doesn't surprise me that when arriving along the Spanish coast, after dark, the Guardia Civil pays a visit.
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:43   #7
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

Thanks guys, really helpful!
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:47   #8
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

In ten years, US-flagged, I have been stopped or boarded at sea in Finland, Germany and the US. And, no, I don't transport drugs! I have been thoroughly searched in France (including backpacks and personal papers and an hour going through the boat's logs) by four armed officials, Russia three times, Finland twice and Scotland (where they "detained" my saluting cannon) and boarded in port in Germany twice, and Netherlands. They appeared to be training or looking for illegal immigrants, drugs or violations of VAT - in one case we were inadvertently in a prohibited area. In each case, they were polite but very business-like, and went away without anything but my saluting cannon (eventually recovered at great expense). In France, I received a receipt and, when boarded a second time, it served to dissuade the officials from a second search. Show complete respect and cooperation, this too shall pass.
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:49   #9
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

When I was searched in Cherbourg marina I was berthed on the outside of a hammerhead & I had a very strong suspicion they chose me because it was very easy for them to come alongside...
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:50   #10
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

Never been stopped crossing to France, though have been buzzed a couple of times by the light aircraft the French have. Boat name in big letters down each side and transmitting AIS plus husband and wife sailing an obvious course during the summer like thousands of others do each year, didn't raise any concern for them.

Friends were stopped on arriving back in the UK after crossing the channel late at night in February. Police and customs gave them a good going over but thankfully the new big rib on a delivery voyage had the VAT papers on board. So after a quick check on passports they were free to go. But an open rib in February at night, hmm you can understand Customs interest in them.

The new rules about Schengen make life a little difficult, so do follow them to the letter or the world might end for a breach. Being frog marched off your boat to the nearest airport and being deported would not be a good start to the day.
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:52   #11
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

I have been boarded in Tangier. They were very well dressed and polite and were looking for Levi jeans. We gave them a can of coke each, which they took home to share with their families.
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Old 04-10-2021, 08:58   #12
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

I have been stopped at sea twice.
Officials coming to the boat when checking into a country is not unusual at all.

But none of the above regards anywhere near Europe.
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Old 04-10-2021, 09:01   #13
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

Why do you ask? If your papers are in order and your vessel is clean, you have nothing to fear from being boarded and searched whether at sea or in harbour.

If neither your vessel, nor yourself is compliant, then IMO you SHOULD be stopped and appropriate action should be taken by the authorities.

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Old 04-10-2021, 09:06   #14
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

We have never been boarded in the US nor EU.

In the Caribbean we have been boarded by Dutch, Venezuelan, Colombian, Jamaican, Puerto Rican and Bahamas coast guard / navy / defense force. All behaved very disciplined and correctly.

Not so much for the one I skipped: in the Dominican Republic we were boarded almost every place we entered and they were borderline pirates.
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Old 04-10-2021, 09:10   #15
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Re: Do customs officials routinely board/search yachts?

Quote:
Originally Posted by TrentePieds View Post
Why do you ask? If your papers are in order and your vessel is clean, you have nothing to fear from being boarded and searched whether at sea or in harbour.

If neither your vessel, nor yourself is compliant, then IMO you SHOULD be stopped and appropriate action should be taken by the authorities.

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He's probably wondering if his personal use cannabis/hash is going to be an issue.
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