Storing Sailboat outside the US

[djekels]

Hi,

For 2018 I am researching the possibility to relocate our Huner 30T to somewhere closer to the equator. The cost of owning such a vessel in Chicago has become unbearable for the amount of time that we actually use it that includes Summer docking fees and winter storage and our sailing season for the past 4 years was relatively short.

So I am thinking of relocating it somewhere warm where we can fly into, go stay on it for the weekend and come back, and repeat every few months.

Any advise where and what the pitfalls are that we may encounter going down this path? Thank you kindly for your valuable advice

 

[Rich Stidger]

Less expensive including air fare, connections, parking, and the fixed cost of marina and insurance wherever? Wow....

 

[dlochner]

How close to the equator do you want to be? Do you have a lot of frequent flyer miles?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I'd be interested in seeing how you arrived at that financial assessment as I went through a similar exercise when we moved to Florida while leaving the boat in RI.

As you implied, one intangible is leaving a boat far away from home presents some not insignificant issues regardless of cost and in my case, was the determining factor. I found the task of closing up the boat and getting it ready upon return simply took too much time from the periods when we intended to be sailing. I'd spend a week getting her cleaned, sails unpacked, provisioned, routine maintenance, unexpected repairs, etc... all took away from the scheduled trips.

Add the cost of getting to/from and down-time fixed costs and the 'pipe dream' looked more like a nightmare.

 

[rgranger]

I won't question your financial pros and cons list... I get the frustration of paying slip fees when you don't get to use the boat half the year. ....but have you thought of selling your boat here and buying one where you want to be? I would think transporting it would cost more than it is worth. You might even find one of those time-share ownership situations so you don't have to do the upkeep and maintenance. Many of those time-share deals give you one weekend a month etc. And you don't have to pay the full cost of the boat either.

For example
https://sailtime.com/

 

[dlochner]

Another thought, if you are in a financial position to consider traveling great distances to visit your boat, you might want to think about buying a new boat and putting it in charter with one of the big companies. You own the boat, the charter company maintains it, you get to use it, charter income makes the mortgage payments, and (hard to tell this week) there may or may no longer be tax advantages. Check out the Moorings and other big companies.

 

[Sumner]

Would Florida be in your consideration for somewhere closer to the equator? The previous owner of our Endeavour did exactly what you are talking about. Lived in Indiana and kept the boat under the bridge going over to Ft. Myers Beach. He would go back and forth like you mentioned,

Sumner
==========================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[Boomer54]

Instead of paying the unreasonably high fees in Chicago, check out Racine (Reefpoint Marina). A lot of Chicago and suburban folks call it home and signicantly less expensive. Depending on where you live, it is an hour to an hour and a half away.