Barry Pickthall - Going Foreign: Cruising Abroad for the First Time

Clear skies and smooth seas...but it is not always like this. Hence the need to prepare for all eventualities.

Four decades on, I have crossed the Channel many times both under power and sail, cruised the Caribbean, and rounded both the Capes of Good Hope and Horn but never as skipper. It was only in recent times, having retired from the daily grind of reporting on sport, that my children, now grown up, pressured me to take them on their first foreign sea cruise.

Having been a guest crew all these years, I was blissfully unaware of all the responsibilities a skipper has for his crew and vessel. Preparing our 27ft yacht Sea Jay for an extended cruise to France proved quite an eye-opener, even for this seasoned sailor.

If the bureaucrats have their way, soon it will not be possible to just up-anchor and head wherever the wind takes you. Proposed EU immigration regulations stipulate that all vessels must file a flight plan and keep authorities informed at every stage, just as if you were flying a plane. Then there are the registration and insurance stipulations; life raft, flares and radio, not to mention the small matter of qualifications: the Yachtmaster ticket and the International Certificate of Competence. The latter are not required to simply sail your own boat across the Channel for the present, but they could well be in the future.

The boat also requires a thorough check. There are spares to be carried and most importantly, the crew need to be trained in safety at sea and man overboard manoeuvres.

What if the skipper falls overboard? Is the crew capable of controlling the boat and returning to recover him or her safely? Mine would not have been. What if there is a fire onboard? Does the crew know where the extinguishers and fire blankets are, and what to do? If flames take hold, this is no time to start instructing on fire drill.

Then there are the comic catastrophes: running aground, forgetting a vital component like the spinnaker pole, overcoming electrical failure, the difficulties of cooking in a confined area, and the many uses for a bucket!

My own memories of going foreign for the first time are ones of adventure and sense of achievement. The short bout of sickness I experienced has been long forgotten. The most memorable aspects were a glorious spinnaker reach down the French coast to St Malo followed by dinner in the celebrated Duchess Anne restaurant. On our return, we cruised back through the Channel Islands, dropping anchor at Alderney for another run ashore, another memorable meal and the inevitable duty free booty.

That week re-shaped my whole life. The comradeship that bonded our crew for those overnight voyages continue to this day. I couldnt wait for the next opportunity. I traded in my chosen career for the pen and camera of a sailing journalist and have been sailing the seven seas ever since. The restaurant experience also began a life-long love of French cuisine and a penchant for restaurants with Michelin stars!

Going foreign should be fun. This book is a practical, anecdotal companion for all those sailing overseas for the first time. It simplifies the bureaucracy and prepares you for the unexpected to ensure a safe and enjoyable cruise. And anyone planning a Channel crossing should be sure to have the Reeds Nautical Almanac and the Adlard Coles Nautical Logbook onboard.

Companion books to keep on the shelf.

These must all be original documents (photocopies are not acceptable), and comprise:

Registration document: This is compulsory if you intend to take a noncommercial pleasure craft outside UK territorial waters. This applies both to boats that are sailed or driven to a foreign port, or trailered on the road by train or ferry.

Customs officers are now in the front line to apprehend illegal immigrants.

Proof of ownership: A bill of sale is required for vessels registered on the UK Small Ships Register (SSR) because this register only indicates the vessels nationality, and not ownership of the vessel. If the owner is not onboard, the skipper is required to carry a letter authorising use of the vessel to prove that the loan is not an illegal charter arrangement.

Proof of VAT status: Residents of the EU can only use vessels within Community waters if VAT has been paid or deemed to have been paid. Proof of the VAT status of a vessel is not part of the ships papers, so it is required in order to prove that the boat is entitled to free movement throughout the EU. If documentary evidence is not readily available in the form of a receipted invoice or similar, customs officials have the power to impound your boat, so be warned.

Keep all your paperwork in order it could be expensive if you cant show it when asked by Customs officials at either end of the voyage.

Recreational Craft Compliant: If your vessel was built or imported into the EU, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland after 16th June 1998, you are required to carry proof that your boat is Recreational Craft Directing (RCD) Compliant. This requirement is satisfied by the Builders CE mark, shown on the manufacturers plate, which certifies that a product has met EU consumer safety, health and environmental requirements.