Sorry for the double copy, I wish email had an "edit" function after the fact.
On 21 December 2013 08:55, Jim Watts <paradigmat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > This from Richard Spindler - Latitude 38 > > > > 338 FOREIGN YACHTS IMPOUNDED IN MEXICO. A sub-agency of Hacienda (Mexico's > IRS) has decided they will take 45 days to four months to decide whether to > fine, confiscate or 'liberate" the 338 foreign boats from 12 marinas, > including our catamaran Profligate, that they have impounded for the most > ridiculous — misspellings or typos — or non-existent reasons. While the > boats aren't chained to the docks, they are not to leave their berths until > the decisions have been rendered, and if they do leave, the marina must > report them to the government agency. Think how wonderful this is for a > couple who has worked and dreamed and saved for 10 years for such a cruise, > and are now stuck in one marina. As you might expect, the marinas, Mexico > Tourism, and others are horrified. Please spread the word as far as you > can. For more details, read today's 'Lectronic Latitude. And we hate to > tell you, Kevin and Marcie, but your cat is one of them. I wish this was a > joke, but it's not. > > > > and > > FLEE MEXICO ON YOUR BOAT? In response to our report that 338 foreign > yachts worth tens of million of dollars have been impounded in Mexico, and > their owners will have to wait anywhere from 45 to 120 days to learn if > they will be fined or if their boats will be "liberated" or confiscated, > we've been getting asked a lot of questions. Mainly, how to keep one's boat > from getting on the list. First, we want to clarify what we mean by > "impounded". The 338 boats we've been told are being held are in what's > called "precautionary embargo", which so far hasn't meant any boats chained > to the dock. But it does mean that boats can't legally leave the marina, > and if they do, the harbormaster must report them to AGACE, the Mexican > agency causing all the problem. That would mean big trouble. In addition, > the port captains have the list, and if your boat's name is on that list, > you can't clear out. So how do you stay off the list? 1) Don't have your > boat in Mexico. We're not joking, because having all your paperwork in > order doesn't mean your boat won't get on the list. We have the same > paperwork and documents for Profligate being in Mexico that we've had for > 17 years and all are current. But it's made no difference. Our only 'crime' > is that we weren't around when the AGACE people came by asking for papers > the first time. It made no difference that we presented all the necessary > papers when AGACE came around again a week later. They smiled very nicely, > said everything was good — and still kept our name on the list. We are far > from alone in this status. Blue, the big J/Boat, and many, many boats are > in the same situation. 2) The second strategy is to stay out of marinas, > particularly ones that haven't been checked by AGACE yet. Why? Because > based on what's already happened, if you're not on your boat 24 hours a day > with all the proper paperwork, and everything spelled correctly and no > numbers transposed, your boat is likely to be put on the impound list. To > our knowledge, no boats at anchor have been checked, nor do we believe > AGACE has the boats to check boats at anchor. 3) If your boat hasn't been > impounded, should you leave Mexico immediately? It's hard to say. We like > to think that this is a horrible blunder of the part of a sub agency of > Hacienda that will quickly be reigned in once the greater part of > government realizes the terrible damage they are doing the image of Mexico > as a safe and secure place for foreigners. But you never know, as > government agencies in Mexico often have a lot of autonomy. Let's put it > this way, if Profligate was in Turtle Bay and wasn't on the list, we'd be > back in California by Christmas. This may sound alarmist to some, but when > one of your biggest assets has been taken from your control for absolutely > no good reason for perhaps four months or longer, you get religion quick. > 4) What if your boat is in a marina and you're up in the States and weren't > planning to come down for a few months? Oh man, we don't know what we'd do. > It would cost a fortune to move her, and where would you move her to? What > makes this situation all the more vexing is that we've never received any > formal notice that our boat is on the list, and there is absolutely nobody > at a local AGACE office to appeal to. Indeed, AGACE people who checked > boats in Banderas Bay came all the way from Guadalajara. The best Christmas > present anyone with a boat in Mexico can hope for is that this nightmare > ends quickly. After all, think of all the people who planned to spend the > winter and then cross to the South Pacific. They have to live in constant > fear if they stay in Mexico — assuming their boat isn't already on the > list, in which case they could be in limbo until late April — that their > boat will end up on the list. We love Mexico, but we'd be lying if we > didn't admit that love is quickly waning. We hope Mexican officials come to > their senses quickly before any additional damage is done to their country. > Please, please, please spread the word about this situation, as it needs to > see the light of day. > > > > Link to Latitude 38: > > This from Richard Spindler - Latitude 38 > > > > 338 FOREIGN YACHTS IMPOUNDED IN MEXICO. A sub-agency of Hacienda (Mexico's > IRS) has decided they will take 45 days to four months to decide whether to > fine, confiscate or 'liberate" the 338 foreign boats from 12 marinas, > including our catamaran Profligate, that they have impounded for the most > ridiculous — misspellings or typos — or non-existent reasons. While the > boats aren't chained to the docks, they are not to leave their berths until > the decisions have been rendered, and if they do leave, the marina must > report them to the government agency. Think how wonderful this is for a > couple who has worked and dreamed and saved for 10 years for such a cruise, > and are now stuck in one marina. As you might expect, the marinas, Mexico > Tourism, and others are horrified. Please spread the word as far as you > can. For more details, read today's 'Lectronic Latitude. And we hate to > tell you, Kevin and Marcie, but your cat is one of them. I wish this was a > joke, but it's not. > > > > and > > FLEE MEXICO ON YOUR BOAT? In response to our report that 338 foreign > yachts worth tens of million of dollars have been impounded in Mexico, and > their owners will have to wait anywhere from 45 to 120 days to learn if > they will be fined or if their boats will be "liberated" or confiscated, > we've been getting asked a lot of questions. Mainly, how to keep one's boat > from getting on the list. First, we want to clarify what we mean by > "impounded". The 338 boats we've been told are being held are in what's > called "precautionary embargo", which so far hasn't meant any boats chained > to the dock. But it does mean that boats can't legally leave the marina, > and if they do, the harbormaster must report them to AGACE, the Mexican > agency causing all the problem. That would mean big trouble. In addition, > the port captains have the list, and if your boat's name is on that list, > you can't clear out. So how do you stay off the list? 1) Don't have your > boat in Mexico. We're not joking, because having all your paperwork in > order doesn't mean your boat won't get on the list. We have the same > paperwork and documents for Profligate being in Mexico that we've had for > 17 years and all are current. But it's made no difference. Our only 'crime' > is that we weren't around when the AGACE people came by asking for papers > the first time. It made no difference that we presented all the necessary > papers when AGACE came around again a week later. They smiled very nicely, > said everything was good — and still kept our name on the list. We are far > from alone in this status. Blue, the big J/Boat, and many, many boats are > in the same situation. 2) The second strategy is to stay out of marinas, > particularly ones that haven't been checked by AGACE yet. Why? Because > based on what's already happened, if you're not on your boat 24 hours a day > with all the proper paperwork, and everything spelled correctly and no > numbers transposed, your boat is likely to be put on the impound list. To > our knowledge, no boats at anchor have been checked, nor do we believe > AGACE has the boats to check boats at anchor. 3) If your boat hasn't been > impounded, should you leave Mexico immediately? It's hard to say. We like > to think that this is a horrible blunder of the part of a sub agency of > Hacienda that will quickly be reigned in once the greater part of > government realizes the terrible damage they are doing the image of Mexico > as a safe and secure place for foreigners. But you never know, as > government agencies in Mexico often have a lot of autonomy. Let's put it > this way, if Profligate was in Turtle Bay and wasn't on the list, we'd be > back in California by Christmas. This may sound alarmist to some, but when > one of your biggest assets has been taken from your control for absolutely > no good reason for perhaps four months or longer, you get religion quick. > 4) What if your boat is in a marina and you're up in the States and weren't > planning to come down for a few months? Oh man, we don't know what we'd do. > It would cost a fortune to move her, and where would you move her to? What > makes this situation all the more vexing is that we've never received any > formal notice that our boat is on the list, and there is absolutely nobody > at a local AGACE office to appeal to. Indeed, AGACE people who checked > boats in Banderas Bay came all the way from Guadalajara. The best Christmas > present anyone with a boat in Mexico can hope for is that this nightmare > ends quickly. After all, think of all the people who planned to spend the > winter and then cross to the South Pacific. They have to live in constant > fear if they stay in Mexico — assuming their boat isn't already on the > list, in which case they could be in limbo until late April — that their > boat will end up on the list. We love Mexico, but we'd be lying if we > didn't admit that love is quickly waning. We hope Mexican officials come to > their senses quickly before any additional damage is done to their country. > Please, please, please spread the word about this situation, as it needs to > see the light of day. > > > > Link to Latitude 38: > http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2013-12-20#.UrXHt7RtMcJ > > Anyone down there right now with local knowledge? Wally? > > -- > Jim Watts > Paradigm Shift > C&C 35 Mk III > Victoria, BC > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > > -- Jim Watts Paradigm Shift C&C 35 Mk III Victoria, BC
_______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
