Best Worldwide Location to Bluewater Outfit a Cat?

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Wannabe-007

Hmmm... Noonsite reports that recent crimes against cruisers in St Martin is occurring at an "alarming and increasing rate, at many locations."

In choosing a place for a refit, this is a big deal.

These little economies that are largely dependent on tourism often don't get it. Once word spreads people go elsewhere.

I'd hate to put $10k worth of gear on the boat only to have some numbnut steal it because the authorities are ineffective.

I don't know about St. Martin but often the local cops are on the take.

[Wannabe-007]

Boatman - Speak plain English man!
Are you saying that the reports of crime are a storm a teacup?
...or perhaps just that this kind of crime occurs with regularity?
Are you suggesting it is a valid concern when considering St Martin, or that it's no more of an issue here than in Florida?

[Dulcesuenos]

I would narrow it down to finding a cat that suits your needs and budget first. Then worry about the rest secondly. It sounds like your open to location and Fl and the Carrib is full of boats and yards. Fl is probably more cat friendly and boat parts friendly than most places.

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Wannabe-007

Hmmm... Noonsite reports that recent crimes against cruisers in St Martin is occurring at an "alarming and increasing rate, at many locations."

Noon site has this note on almost all eastern Carib islands. Plenty of petty theft in St Martin. It is still a good place to work on the boat. Impressive rigging company.

[Canibul]

If I were in that situation, and after having bought a used boat two years ago and sailed it down here, I'd be looking at buying a boat in Florida, in November, sailing it to St. Martin to hang out while getting some work done on it, and then scooting down to Grenada for hurricane season. Then start your serious water sailing">blue water sailing the next November. You'll have year on the boat, have it the way you want it, and it's not a bad shakedown cruise. Lots of places to stop along the way with a newly bought boat. Grenada's okay for heading in several directions after storm season. Downwind run to the Panama Canal.

Florida is a good place to buy a boat, because there's a good selection and it's a competitive market. Lots of elderly retirees, widows and divorcees dumping things. Good place to buy RVs, too. Airplanes. And the FL fees and regulations are livable if you're leaving with the boat soon after buying it. You got plenty of time to outfit it and get over to the Bahamas. It was 90 days, two years ago. And they did follow up on it. I had to prove I'd left Florida. Bahamian Cruising Permit did the trick.

[Jimbo485]

We have done it twice now, both times in Florida as foreigners.

The last time, we looked at boats in Texas, Bahamas, Guatemala, France and Spain but once again ended up buying and doing our post-purchase boat work in Florida. Labour is expensive but we went DIY.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Wannabe-007

What is the down side to doing fit out in Saint Martin?
- Is there any import duties or additional fees for bringing items in?
- Is there any time limits to be aware of? (I plan to buy in Nov & go through the canal in Feb)
- Are there any other issues - eg. humpback spiders, climate,
- Is there more options in St Martin for cheaper 'housing' ie. anchoring?
- What about general cost of living - groceries / cafes / etc
- Any pros or cons because we're not American? Speak pretty good Enlgand tho.
.

Duty free.
No real time limits
No humpback spiders
Anchoring in the Lagoon is free on the French side, $20/$40 per week dependant on size below/above 40 feet.
Huge American style supermarkets, small gourmet supermarkets both designed for the yachting and superyachting industry, both walking distance from dinghy docks.
Re Cafes: they could teach you.
English is the main language on the Dutch side (where all the chandelries are)
But everyone on the French side speaks english too.

Its has most of the worlds biggest superyachts during its season between November and April. You can buy anything, or get anything sent in.

Re security: people who do not lock boats may well get robbed because robbers are not idiots. People who go in pirate taxis at night between nightclubs may get robbed.

[downunder]

Have heard that labour rates and skills in Turkey are more than reasonable.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Canibul

If I were in that situation, and after having bought a used boat two years ago and sailed it down here, I'd be looking at buying a boat in Florida, in November, sailing it to St. Martin to hang out while getting some work done on it, and then scooting down to Grenada for hurricane season. Then start your serious blue water sailing the next November. You'll have year on the boat, have it the way you want it, and it's not a bad shakedown cruise. Lots of places to stop along the way with a newly bought boat. Grenada's okay for heading in several directions after storm season. Downwind run to the Panama Canal.

Florida is a good place to buy a boat, because there's a good selection and it's a competitive market. Lots of elderly retirees, widows and divorcees dumping things. Good place to buy RVs, too. Airplanes. And the FL fees and regulations are livable if you're leaving with the boat soon after buying it. You got plenty of time to outfit it and get over to the Bahamas. It was 90 days, two years ago. And they did follow up on it. I had to prove I'd left Florida. Bahamian Cruising Permit did the trick.

This makes a lot of sense.

But it assumes you buy a boat capable of sailing from Florida to points South with no, or little, refitting. Not that such boats are not available in Florida, just that you need to buy one.

You may be putting the cart before the horse. Your first job is to find a boat that meets your needs, where ever it is. And part of those needs are the ability of the boat to get to a place where any refitting can be done.