anyone help with sailing advice?
Apr 18th 2008, 9:53 am
#1
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8
anyone help with sailing advice?
Now dont laugh but we are thinking about putting all our belongings in storage, buying a boat and sailing around the Caribbean/Venezuela/Panama areas for about 6 months as cheap as poss.This is with a view to helping us decide where to put down routes and start some sort of business around those sort of areas.
Now the thing is we are new to sailing other than a two week sailing holiday earlier this year. So we were thinking what with the hurricane season not far away,we would be better staying nearer the Venezuela/Panama area and have sailing lessons so that by the time hurricane season has moved on, we will be ready to explore the caribbean islands. In the meantime we can also explore what Venezuela/Panama have to offer.
This will be a family venture for my partner,19 year old son and myself..oh and Harry the cat. Cant bear to leave him behind so this brings me on to a question im hoping someone can advise on. Can you do that? take your cat with you! Anyone taken their pet sailin before.
Anyway, are we mad or does this sound like a great adventure that is doable??
All advise and comments most welcome.
Thanks
Luci
Now the thing is we are new to sailing other than a two week sailing holiday earlier this year. So we were thinking what with the hurricane season not far away,we would be better staying nearer the Venezuela/Panama area and have sailing lessons so that by the time hurricane season has moved on, we will be ready to explore the caribbean islands. In the meantime we can also explore what Venezuela/Panama have to offer.
This will be a family venture for my partner,19 year old son and myself..oh and Harry the cat. Cant bear to leave him behind so this brings me on to a question im hoping someone can advise on. Can you do that? take your cat with you! Anyone taken their pet sailin before.
Anyway, are we mad or does this sound like a great adventure that is doable??
All advise and comments most welcome.
Thanks
Luci
Apr 18th 2008, 12:49 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 63
Re: anyone help with sailing advice?
Now dont laugh but we are thinking about putting all our belongings in storage, buying a boat and sailing around the Caribbean/Venezuela/Panama areas for about 6 months as cheap as poss.This is with a view to helping us decide where to put down routes and start some sort of business around those sort of areas.
Now the thing is we are new to sailing other than a two week sailing holiday earlier this year. So we were thinking what with the hurricane season not far away,we would be better staying nearer the Venezuela/Panama area and have sailing lessons so that by the time hurricane season has moved on, we will be ready to explore the caribbean islands. In the meantime we can also explore what Venezuela/Panama have to offer.
This will be a family venture for my partner,19 year old son and myself..oh and Harry the cat. Cant bear to leave him behind so this brings me on to a question im hoping someone can advise on. Can you do that? take your cat with you! Anyone taken their pet sailin before.
Anyway, are we mad or does this sound like a great adventure that is doable??
All advise and comments most welcome.
Thanks
Luci
Now the thing is we are new to sailing other than a two week sailing holiday earlier this year. So we were thinking what with the hurricane season not far away,we would be better staying nearer the Venezuela/Panama area and have sailing lessons so that by the time hurricane season has moved on, we will be ready to explore the caribbean islands. In the meantime we can also explore what Venezuela/Panama have to offer.
This will be a family venture for my partner,19 year old son and myself..oh and Harry the cat. Cant bear to leave him behind so this brings me on to a question im hoping someone can advise on. Can you do that? take your cat with you! Anyone taken their pet sailin before.
Anyway, are we mad or does this sound like a great adventure that is doable??
All advise and comments most welcome.
Thanks
Luci
I don't think you're mad at all - sounds like a fab adventure for you all.
From my little knowledge of hurricane season, the north coast of south america and trinidad/tobago plus bonaire/aruba/curacao don't get affected as much as the rest of the caribbean - but imho, that could be the famous last words. Anything can happen during hurricane season (it starts from june 1st til 30th November). For more info about hurricane season checkout the stormcarib.com website.
If you go sailing, checkout the sailing regulations for each island you are interested in visiting, as i'm sure you'd have to deal with customs/immigration regulations (in St Lucia it would be SLASPA). Not too sure about the cat though
HTH
Lottie
Apr 18th 2008, 6:05 pm
#3
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 669
Re: anyone help with sailing advice?
I'm a little short on sailing knowledge but as far as animals go you might have trouble with one on board-- Barbados for certain will give you a problem.
Apr 19th 2008, 5:23 am
#4
Just Joined
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8
Re: anyone help with sailing advice?
Thankyou both for your advice. I will take note of what you have both said
Thanks
Luci
Thanks
Luci
Apr 21st 2008, 12:26 pm
#5
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7
Re: anyone help with sailing advice?
Hi Luci,
I am a RYA Yachtmaster (Ocean) UK trained yacht Captain (recently retired) living in the southern caribbean. I have also now run 2 succesful businesses in the caribbean.
Having sailed around the whole caribbean on yachts ranging from 36ft-136ft tallships, I would suggest you will need much more experience than a two week sailing holiday. I always say "the mediterranean is for boys and the caribbean for men" (sailing wise). I have visited most of the islands about 15-25 times each.
I would suggest you do it the other way around. Relocate to the caribbean, run a business and then buy a boat. Or alternatively do what I did. I bought a LIAT airline caribbean airpass and spent a couple days in each island hopping across to the next one.
British citizens have right of abode in all the french islands - but do you speak french or have some particular skill. Other islands have significant skill shortages and are dishing out work permits much more easily.
You can contact me directly at [email protected] and I will be pleased to offer much more indepth advice.
Have fun.
I am a RYA Yachtmaster (Ocean) UK trained yacht Captain (recently retired) living in the southern caribbean. I have also now run 2 succesful businesses in the caribbean.
Having sailed around the whole caribbean on yachts ranging from 36ft-136ft tallships, I would suggest you will need much more experience than a two week sailing holiday. I always say "the mediterranean is for boys and the caribbean for men" (sailing wise). I have visited most of the islands about 15-25 times each.
I would suggest you do it the other way around. Relocate to the caribbean, run a business and then buy a boat. Or alternatively do what I did. I bought a LIAT airline caribbean airpass and spent a couple days in each island hopping across to the next one.
British citizens have right of abode in all the french islands - but do you speak french or have some particular skill. Other islands have significant skill shortages and are dishing out work permits much more easily.
You can contact me directly at [email protected] and I will be pleased to offer much more indepth advice.
Have fun.
