Seattle to Maine, what paperwork?

[massnspace]

Hello

I am considering a trip from Seattle, Wa to Maine. Mexico, Central America, Canal, Belize, Keys, ICW east coast up….

What paperwork does a boat need? Better to get documented?

Also, would insurance cover this trip? And I am looking at older boats (70s/80s), is insurance going to work or I need a newer boat?

Thanks,

David

[pressuredrop]

Just did that trip in reverse for a new owner. Definetly document the boat for international travel.

The boat I delivered was insured with statefarm and they were very easy to work with.

[massnspace]

Thanks…..I assume the boat was newer? Any ideas of insuring a 70s boat for such a trip?

[pressuredrop]

It was a 20 year old, one off custom, homebuilt 64' motor sailor schooner (one of the very well done home builts, lacking cosmetically but very robust and simple systems, previously used for research in high latitudes) so not the easiest boat to insure.... I believe the owner was paying ~ 1200 a year with state farm bundled with home insurance, but the owner took care of that side of things so weather or not the boat was actually insured when we went international I don't know, but we made it 🤫

[Excalibur5]

Been there, done that! Alaska to Panama, leaving in a couple days for Jamaica and the Bahamas.


You NEED the boat to be USCG documented. State registration will be a major problem in most countries, and they likely will not even let you enter. It is easiest and most straightforward if the boat is documented in the skipper's name - seen lots of issues with the boat held in trust and not having the proper notarized documents (and translations into Spanish of those documents) causing major headaches and delays. Get the documentation for a longer duration (available up to 5 years last time we did it) if possible. You do not want to have to renew it while you're out of the country!



Insurance - surprisingly not mandatory, although quite a few marinas will ask for liability insurance. The exception there is Mexico, which requires a liability policy written by a Mexican company which is easy and cheap - get it the same day online at novamar.com. For full coverage insurance the best I can say is good luck - it is a nightmare right now to find someone that will cover you at all for that cruising range, let alone for a reasonable fee. For our boat value of around 80K we choose to just go without, and haven't had any issues.


One other possible paperwork hassle is the Mexican TIP (temporary import permit) for the boat. If it has ever been in Mexico and the previous owner did not cancel the TIP it can be a real hassle to get it cancelled to get a new one issued. If the boat has never been there, you shouldn't have any issues.


Other paperwork - current passports for all crew, should expire after you plan on coming back to the USA. A lot of countries will deny you entry if you have less than 6 months left before expiration on your passport. If USA or Canadian citizens, you won't have any visas to get in advance. Other countries of residence could require you to apply for a visa, just depends.



DO NOT bring firearms with you - it can land you in foreign prisons, and frankly we have felt safer in central America then in many parts of the USA - for 4 years now.


COVID requirements have been dropped for most countries now, but depending on where you want to stop, a shot record may be advisable.



And last, pets can be a bit of a pain, but we've had zero issues with our dog from Mexico to Panama - officials haven't even asked. However, bringing a dog back into the states if you've been in certain countries can be a major headache - check the current webpages on "USA dog embargo" if it is an issue for you.


Also, if planning this journey, highly recommend joining up with the Panama Posse - will save you lots of money along the way and the information is invaluable. We've been members 3 years running now, and its been awesome. https://panamaposse.com/



Hope that helps!

[donradcliffe]

State registration is fine along your route. No need for federal documentation.

[massnspace]

Thanks to those who have offered advice so far….

If one decides to not insure…..then how does one get “liability” insurance….isn’t that insuring?