Rotational Work - Can we make it work

[Eucablue]

Is anyone else out there doing rotational work and living aboard in another country that is not their own? What are some of the challenges of making this work?

For some background, we first considered long term sailing 25 years ago but like most people, got caught up in life's great adventure and kept putting it off for various reasons. We are an Australian couple 50 & 48, who have owned a Beneteau 373 for 3 years in Texas, but had to sell her when we moved to London.

I'm at the stage in my life where I want to go long term cruising and intend to purchase a 43-50 foot yacht later this year in Europe with a view to sail her slowly (5-7 years) back to Australia. I was planning on retiring but my company would like to move me to a rotational role in Eurasia working 28 days on 28 days off.

So our current thinking is purchase a nice yacht and moor her somewhere in the Mediterranean at the end of this year. Enjoying her on my time off and cruising around Croatia, Italy, Montenegro, Greece and Turkey until the rotational work finally finishes for me and then start full time sailing.

I understand visas are a challenge, but would like your ideas on what could work for us. One thing we are considering is booking a marina in Croatia for 12 months to enable a long term visas for J. I can make Schengen work by adjusting my rotations.

I understand the seasons in the Mediterranean mean that in winter we will likely spend rotations off the yacht and think one skiing and one back in Australia to visit family and take care of tax, medical etc would work for us.

Leaving the yacht so often leans me towards a home port each season as I feel safer with the boat and J while I'm away, but are we being too conservative and missing out?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[De.windhoos]

Originally Posted by Eucablue

Is anyone else out there doing rotational work and living aboard in another country that is not their own? What are some of the challenges of making this work?

For some background, we first considered long term sailing 25 years ago but like most people, got caught up in life's great adventure and kept putting it off for various reasons. We are an Australian couple 50 & 48, who have owned a Beneteau 373 for 3 years in Texas, but had to sell her when we moved to London.

I'm at the stage in my life where I want to go long term cruising and intend to purchase a 43-50 foot yacht later this year in Europe with a view to sail her slowly (5-7 years) back to Australia. I was planning on retiring but my company would like to move me to a rotational role in Eurasia working 28 days on 28 days off.

So our current thinking is purchase a nice yacht and moor her somewhere in the Mediterranean at the end of this year. Enjoying her on my time off and cruising around Croatia, Italy, Montenegro, Greece and Turkey until the rotational work finally finishes for me and then start full time sailing.

I understand visas are a challenge, but would like your ideas on what could work for us. One thing we are considering is booking a marina in Croatia for 12 months to enable a long term visas for J. I can make Schengen work by adjusting my rotations.

I understand the seasons in the Mediterranean mean that in winter we will likely spend rotations off the yacht and think one skiing and one back in Australia to visit family and take care of tax, medical etc would work for us.

Leaving the yacht so often leans me towards a home port each season as I feel safer with the boat and J while I'm away, but are we being too conservative and missing out?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

I would probably put my boat on the hard in Greece in the winter (nov-apr) and during the rest of the time, if your partner stays onboard find a nice city harbor (not a marina) or wel protected mooring in Greece or Turkey. In Croatia I would probably take a year contract in a marina. Might be cheaper this way for Croatia.
This way you can wander for 28 days and move to different area the next 28 days off work.

[belizesailor]

Many do make this work...so yes it is demonstrably feasible.