illegal charters

It was a relief and a surprise to hear from my son Iain that he had reached Crosshaven. With his diminutive wife Clare, and their friends Bridget and David they had made it against foul weather, taking 30 hrs from Helford on the final leg. At one stage, between the Lizard and Land End they had done 30 miles in 3 hours. After that they had sailed close hauled across the Irish Sea in a F6 with rising seas. Like all dinghy sailors, they worked out to windward (cruising people go uptide), leaving themselves with an uncomfortable run into the Old Head of Kinsale. The weather closed in, and they never saw the Old Head, and entered the harbour on radar. When we took over the boat, in immaculate condition, we found numerous scribbled notes, mainly from Bridget. They were hilarious, and they inspired me to produce a full log of our cruise.

Wonderful stuff! Just what we would all like to do with our yachts. Give our families the opportunity for good sailing and get the boat into position for us! But what if it had been a close friend that had delivered the boat to Ireland? It would then have been an ‘illegal’ charter! Oh yes! If you take your boat to Cherbourg and find yourself weather bound, think very carefully before asking a friend to bring it back for you. It could be illegal and may therefore invalidate your insurance. It could even render you liable for fines or confiscation of your boat.

Only last year, I was boarded by French customs in Roscoff (the third time this has happened in 20 years). All they wanted to check up on was whether I was the owner and skipper. They were looking for illegal charters!

How has this come about? It is, in fact a beautiful example of how a sensible idea has been taken up by bureaucrats to make us all criminals.