What Paperwork Do I Need to Cruise?

[KetoNomad]

Well it's looking like I will most likely be buying a boat in the UK and sailing it South from there to the Caribbean and beyond via the milk route. Never having crossed international borders in my own boat I want to be sure I have all I need for paperwork.

So I know I need a passport and it sounds like an ICC will be necessary along with a radio operator license. I'll have a bill of sale for the vessel, of course but what else and how do i get it?

FWIW I am a Canadian citizen.

[StuM]

"Flag nation" boat registration.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by StuM

"Flag nation" boat registration.

Yes, passport and vessel registration are the two key documents, asked for everywhere.

You need your zarpee from your last port - US and Canada are only places (we visited) where this is not an almost absolute necessity.

Crew lists also asked for almost everywhere - carry many copies.

We were asked for insurance documents quite a few places.

I was only asked for any sort of competency paperwork twice - once in Canada actually where they wanted your safe boating card, and in Uruguay where they wanted a full Captain License (I gave them my drivers license). We were never asked for an ICC, that seems perhaps a med thing.

I dont believe I was ever asked for radio paperwork.

We had world health vaccine cards but no-one ever asked for those.

We were asked once for our life raft certification (to see that it was in date).

[expatri8]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Yes, passport and vessel registration are the two key documents, asked for everywhere.

You need your zarpee from your last port - US and Canada are only places (we visited) where this is not an almost absolute necessity.

Okay.

Google packed up and bailed.

Even the CF search function was left speechless by this word.

You win.

What is a zarpee ?

[SunKing]

A zarpe is a departure clearance. It is normally obtained from the same customs officials that one clears with when entering a foreign port and is required to gain entrance into a vessel's next foreign port of call.

[StuM]

"Zarpe" is the spanish word for "sail away".

It's what US sailors who sail to Mexico and other spanish speaking countries call an "Departure Clearance Certificate" which Customs/Immigration will provide when you leave a country and which you need to show when you arrive in a new country.

[expatri8]

For anyone else arriving here still confused by what is a zarpe,
here is the appropriate CF link:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rpe-17375.html

[grahamb]

as well as the paperwork recommended in previous posts I would suggest ........... a photocopier.......some officials require multiple copies
........Ships paper with a letterhead........for crew list
........Ships stamp ..........makes Officials happy

came in handy in Indonesia and the Philippines.

[chuckr]

When we head into police/customs and Immigration we carry our boat documentation, insurance, crew list, passports, capt license (ASA documentation) - the only time we needed a zarpe was in mexico and we made one up and got it stamped in the usa before we left -

[StuM]

Noonsite has a fairly good summary as well as details of the requirements for many specific countries:

Documents required & other considerations when cruising abroad —

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by chuckr

When we head into police/customs and Immigration we carry our boat documentation, insurance, crew list, passports, capt license (ASA documentation) - the only time we needed a zarpe was in mexico and we made one up and got it stamped in the usa before we left -

I also have a list of ship's stores.

I carry a small printer and a small scanner. Together they are a photocopier.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

I also have a list of ship's stores.

I carry a small printer and a small scanner. Together they are a photocopier.

Ability to reproduce documents is often very important.

In lieu of a scanner, you can use Office Lens on an Android phone which has a decent camera. Works great.

The printer is indispensable.

Boat stamp is also very useful occasionally.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Ability to reproduce documents is often very important.

In lieu of a scanner, you can use Office Lens on an Android phone which has a decent camera. Works great.

The printer is indispensable.

Boat stamp is also very useful occasionally.

Agreed to all.

iOS phones have a number of scanning apps. I just take a photo, crop, correct, and print. *grin*

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by expatri8

Okay.

Google packed up and bailed.

Even the CF search function was left speechless by this word.

You win.

What is a zarpee ?

The Captain of the yacht is the 'zarpee'

The Port Captain or other authority is the 'zarper'

In Spanish speaking countries ( ie Spain and all of the Americas ( with a few exceptions ) from Cape Horn to central Alberta) the document is the 'zarpe'. In English it is your port clearance.....

[conachair]

For creating crew lists / ship & equipment details the opencpn logbook can be very useful.
Also, I would be lost without evernote now, absolutely everything goes in there - docs/scans of licenses/filter sizes etc/pics of anchorage sketches/ anything and everything then you can actually find it again easily. Downside is 35 ukp per year for the full version if you want to store offline on a tablet.