French Customs & Paperwork Sailing 2025 - Border Force Interrogation & FINES
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- In todays episode, i cover everything to do with sailing to France. If you have never sailed across the wild North Sea & the English Channel, this video will help you. Ill be covering radio work, all of the French & English customs paperwork & formalities. Ill also discuss all the fines as well as some old laws covered under the 1995 merchant shipping act. Ill also explain what PPFs ports of entry are & who controls them the Douane of PAF's Police Aux Frontieres, Ill also explore Gravelines in France and show how its changed since the last time i sailed here. Ill also cover the 2 separate mechanical issues i had. Hopefully the video will portray the realities of boat ownership and what can go wrong. I also explain the paperwork if you wish to go on the inland waterways and the CEVNI test as well as the International Certificate of Competence. Ill also explain about the Schengen laws and how long you can go cruising in Europe. I also cover the rough wintery solo sail back from France to Ramsgate where the winds speeds kicked up creating a very fast but uncomfortable passage home. Ill also cover my encounter with the UK border force and how i was interrogated and boat searched for over an hour. Any questions drop me a line!
www.douane.gou...
Also need to carry your last Diesel Receipt to cover the Red Diesel Issue
@@Captain-Paul That’s a good point 😎👌🏼
All the paperwork take out pleasure from international sailing ⛵️
@@sirjohnpenny5625 if your sailing to the coastal areas the only ones you need to submit are the French entry and exit for and the uk leaving and re entry. All those other documents should be on your boat. Don’t let it put you off. No better feeling having dinner and processing your achievement ✌️😎🇫🇷
Ever since my first trip abroad many years ago, I felt that the process of using your passport, filling in the old ESTA for the usa, having my dog's passport checked, and all the stuff you need to do to get into and out of a foreign country is part of the travel fun. Apart from the cost. Simply booking into and out of some countries is now over £500 and nothing can justify that rip off.
Ah, if only someone could come up with a pan-european organisation that essentially removes internal borders between member states, eh?
Superb straightforward video. I’m planning to sail from Brighton to Fecamp in March and this was very helpful.
@@alandb2481 Fecamp looked like the best place when I was plotting the Non PPF ports on the map! Make sure you let us know how you get on. Might even join you 😎👌🏼
Great info mate, love your approach to this vids! All the best 🧡🫡
Thank you mate ! Where about are you guys now ? Saw Ramsey was back at the Niz ! 😎👌🏼
@ the spurr is in Gibraltar right now, but we’ll be crossing to Morocco early Feb 🇲🇦
Really useful video Rob. Lils and I are going to have a crack at this route first two weeks of May from Suffolk Yacht Harbour. Your detailed approach will be invaluable! Thanks 🙂⛵️
Glad it helped! you will have a fab time. Make sure you pop to Belgium in Nieuwpoort as its only 20Nm from Gravelines and well worth a visit. Also another county under your belt. All the best Rob
Another super informative video, really appreciate the work that goes into making these 🤓 Thanks for the shoutout - you ticked "bumping into an absolute celeb on the tube" off my bucket list 🤩😂
😂 it was my pleasure 😎✌️
Never done this, but hope to do it one day. Really useful video Rob and I will be sure to watch again nearer the time.
@@andybooth28 Hi Andy! Glad you liked it and found it useful. I might try and get a group going somewhere on the Easter Bank holiday weekend if you fancy going further afield and want the comfort & safety of being in a group 😎👌🏼 let me know
Another very informative video Rob, thank you!
@@essexrowleys thank you 🙏 😎👌🏼
Thanks a lot, hugely informative
@@henrycartwright3673 Thanks Henry! Just subbed to your channel. I used to do a bit of windsurfing back in the day 😎✌️
Really great and super informative video. Thank you. 🙏
Hey man. I’ll be sailing the west coast in 4 days. Subscribed to u man.
I wish u the best
@@Nomadic-canadian Thanks bud! Just subbed to your channel also, and thanks for watching 😎👌🏼
@ hope we meet up one day. Drinks on me 😎
that huge cross looks so out of place there 😂 another great vid captain ✊🏻🏴
@@ScotChef Thank you buddy✌️glad you enjoyed it 😎 The cross kept the EAST COAST SAILOR safe 😂
Excellent video, Robert❤🎉
Thank you so much 😀glad you enjoyed it 💕
Another excellent video - thank you 🙏 Did you wish you had reefed the main or was it easy to round up and drop it off Ramsgate? We took advantage of a lovely day in October to sail over to French waters and back (without landing) and were visited by BorderForce in Dover. The answer to “why?”was because it’s a sunny day and “how often?”was whenever possible! No boat search and otherwise just asked if we’d seen anything of note which we hadn’t 😊 All very friendly and relaxed.
@@richardhall7822 Hi Richard, the boat seems to handle really well even in high winds with a full main. I’ll be adding a
Preventer soon for those down wind sailing days! Glad your hear you still getting some use out of the boat. I’m heading out today for a quick day sail. The good days are still there to be had even in winter, but you need to be in it to win it 😎👌🏼 they must be monitoring that water heavily to pick up on your movements. Probably all done by AI now. I found the encounter quite pleasant. I’m trying to get hold of border force to see if I can tag along for a day to see what there about 🔥⛵️🇫🇷😎
Great video!
@@AlexGoesSailing thanks Alex, hope your keeping well. Have to catch up for a beer soon 👌🏼⛵️
@ will do!
Excellent mine of information. Thx. Andy UK
Thanks for watching Andy! Glad you found it helpful 😎👌🏼
Great videox
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it 😘
Love the signal flag T-shirt too
@OutsideYourZone I’ll get you one sent out 😎👌🏼
@ let’s gooooo, pm me and I’ll send you an address to get it to, we’ll wear it loads in the vids
Legend
@@stalkscornwall3754 thank you ✌️🇫🇷👌🏼
Great video and very informative 👏 👌 👍
One annoying thing 🙄 was the constant loud noises or 🎶 🎵 🙉🤷♂️ as it's sailing channel some winds and boat cutting through waves and all the surrounding natural noises would have been the icing on the cake rather than us watching and constantly playing with volume buttons.
@@LondonCarnaval Hi, put a lot less music on this video compared to normal, I carefully adjust the sounds playing back through headphones so not sure what part the loud noises were. Nothing but sailing on the next episode and I won’t put any music on 😎👌🏼 thanks for watching
@EastCoastSailing_ 🙏👍👌👏❤💯✌❤☘
Felt like 3 videos in one! Great info. Do you ever use a genoa pole downwind by the way?
@@westcountry_sailing Hi, I don’t usually get to do much down wind sailing! I have to make a repair on the sprinkler pole, I all the parts but just Haven’t got round to fixing it. I’ll be doing a spinnaker vid and a preventer boom brake vid in the next month 👌🏼 thanks for watching
a lot of pleasure watching these magnificent videos, I have been sailing for forty years on the English coast and I must say that it was easier at that time to get to you because on our side we also have problems especially if we sail with a crew because everyone has to be registered and now you have to ask and pay to have an entry permit, the marinas have become very expensive and you unfortunately have very high inflation so in 2025 I will stay in France despite everything that I still have to discover in the Thames estuary good luck for the future and maybe one of these days on the French coast
@@dominiquelegrand5845 Thank you glad you enjoyed it. Yes England has become very expensive but hopefully inflations now under control. We’re always trying to explore places further away but I always find gems close to home 😎👌🏼 I love France and will be back in a few months all the best Rob
Ramsgate is training place for
Customs training port
no links? good episode thanks. the UK registered boat can still stay 24mons right?
@@RichieKeane Apologise, just added them on but here’s the link: www.douane.gouv.fr/particuliers/vous-naviguez/vous-naviguez-en-provenance-ou-destination-dun-pays-non-membre-de thanks for watching 😎👌🏼
Where are all these documents obtained? I dont employ a secretary on my sailing holidays.
😂😂 it’s better to have those documents onboard before your boarded by border force 💰
Do you know if there are any legal requirements to answer the port police questions? Have you ever looked into it? I know that as far as the normal UK police go, solicitors advice to their clients is alwys to answer no comment.
Hi Alan, if you haven’t got anything to worry about then why not answer their questions? I gathered they could be training someone due to the length of questions and the return visit. I always treat people how I like to be treated. It was a pleasant encounter, just a bit off with the timing. I would rather they check up on people coming into ports. Reassuring they’re doing a good job. If it was the police I wouldn’t be answering their questions 😎👌🏼
You _can_ say nothing to immigration but they can detain you until they are satisfied you're legitimate. If you withhold cooperation from _customs_ you can be detained until they are satisfied, and if you do not hand over passwords to your devices you can be prosecuted for obstruction. My understanding is lawyer's advice could be something like "stay tight lipped in motorhome, spill your guts from a motorboat."
Passage plan doesn’t take into consideration the currents? Also: always better to have the wind pull the ship (headsail only) rather than pushing the ship (mainsail). The trip would probably have been far less stressfull under genoa alone.
The boat handles a lot better with this configuration down wind! Also had a few head sail jams and not worth the risk in those conditions! Thanks for watching
Doesn’t France require breathalysers, hi-viz jacket, warning triangle etc etc?
@@davidwebb4904 hi David, that’s if you driving over in France! Not sure if a warning triangle would work on the water 😂👌🏼😎
Hi. No TSS in your planning?
@@marcderveeuw Hi Mark, 60% of the route is affected by the traffic safety separation scheme. The video isn’t about how to read charts or chart work. Thanks
@@EastCoastSailing_
I understand..but there are huge fines if you don’t cross them properly. A straight line in your passage can be a bit misleading. My initial reaction was that this might be the reason why the officers were waiting at the marina in Ramsgate. But the video was very nicely filmed-keep them coming! Cheers.
@@marcderveeuw Hi Mark, thanks. The only guidance under COLREGS rule 10 section c is:(c) A vessel shall, so far as practicable, avoid crossing traffic lanes but if obliged to do so shall cross on a heading as nearly as practicable at right angles to the general direction of traffic flow. MY Heading is 90 degrees across the northerly lanes and 80 degrees on the South lanes. Making unpredictable movements parallel to shipping lanes to get perfect 90 degree angles is more of a risk than holding a steady course 10 degrees off a couple off lanes. Thanks for watching
Small detail - I thought passport validity was minimum 3 months?
@@gerdbusker8174 Hi, I said 6 months as if you stay in the Schengen area for three months you need 3 months validity from the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.
@@EastCoastSailing_ I see, yes a detail very easily overlooked!
All the fuss for entering for what? Things were so easy. Still can’t get my head around it. Before we stopped over in UK or France, whatever we felt like. Now we’re not even bothering to enter UK anymore. 😢
Sad times ! Things will become simpler 🙏😎
Downwind with no preventer? Get a bit of string on, super easy, super safe. A reefed Genoa helps with balance too. Obviously you are a highly suspicious character, either that or you just became a "training opportunity" 😅
@@sarahwilson5820 Funny you should mention a preventer! I have a boom brake video coming out in 2 weeks which could save everyone a lot of money 😎 I am a doggy character but was a slow day in the office for them 😂🙏✌️👍
@EastCoastSailing_ spend money? Pa, we pressed a spare halyard into service that was otherwise lurking in a locker. Will be interesting to watch anyway 👍
Glad the border force didn’t
take you away 🤣
@@Frana1990 I was waiting for them to ask to see the outgoing paperwork…. 😅
Sounds like to much trouble to go over ,
@@mark211257 it’s honestly not that bad! Just requires a bit of organisation and paperwork. This trip was made on the lead up to winter. I would have stayed much longer in France if I had more time off From work, most people wouldn’t bother going sailing this time of year but it’s nice to still get some longer sails in. This trip didn’t portray the magic of sailing but I assure you when i head to Fecamp in May, you will see these amazing places and how worth while it is ! Thanks for watching
Good grief man they are BORDERS! Boarders are people who live in your house.
@@mymobile5014 Thanks for the spot 😂
People try to explain to me the difference between hoard and horde and I tell them I really did mean "whored."
@@darthkek1953 😂😂👌🏼
You have a legal right to record public servants in the course of their duties...
That’s good to know for next time 😎👌🏼
All the benefits of Brexit hey, sorry I’m still bitter.
Pre Brexit I didn’t even take my passport.
@@skinwalker_ Yes wish we could go back! Make things a lot easier 😎👌🏼 thanks for watching
Great video … but your French pronunciation needs work 😂
@@lheroisme I knew I was going to get pulled up on my French 🇫🇷 😂😂😎👌🏼 thanks for watching 🙏
I came here to say the same 😅
Reminds me of school in year 1
@ 😂❤️🇫🇷
'Cream Crackered' hahahaha....What a red tape nowadays. No more Uk trips for me........too bad.
@@RobertdeVries-trimaran-sailing Cockney rhyming slang for knackered 😂 yeah it’s ridiculous what you have to do for a weekend trip. I suppose a lot of these documents and training are built up progressively but a lot to do if your new to sailing. Thanks for watching. 🙏🇫🇷
@@EastCoastSailing_ ua-cam.com/video/uSPa3GM491g/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/6grKwTVid0M/v-deo.htmlsi=6MA4Yb6ie_FFYgK3
@@EastCoastSailing_ The most annoying part I found the way you were 'treated' after arriving RGT....the questioning while you did everything right and AIS and all....
@@RobertdeVries-trimaran-sailing trimaran looks really stable ! Do you still have this boat ?
@@EastCoastSailing_ yes, and fast: the other vid show a IJmuiden -LT 105nm trip in 11 hours.....average, from sail up to sail down
Get up 🫡
My favourite boat captain 🧑✈️ OYZ OYZ
it doesn't make you want to sail .
@@tiestu7612 The paperwork side or just winter sailing in general ? I show everything on the this channel, the good bad and when it goes wrong. If you think sailing is blue skies and rainbows 🌈 and everything goes to plan… well it doesn’t 😎👌🏼 thanks for watching
We used to leave ocean village…. Arrive Cherbourg…. Spend 3 days enjoying French food…. And then sail back. Not a single customs person seen the whole trip. Brexit was a terrible idea..
@@peterbates4696 sounds blissful 😎🇫🇷
Or just come back into the EU.
Simple is that.
🇫🇷❤️😎 If only it were that simple 👌🏼
No paperwork required on the reverse trip ! Just hop into a rubber boat and throw your passport in the sea !
What did I say about politically motivated comments in the video…. 😂 Thanks for watching 😎👌🏼
What an load of nonsense use the ferry and you need nothing but a passport ⛴️ 😎👍
@@joebloggs1583 yes but then you wouldn’t be able to tell you wife about all your sailing stories 😂😎👌🏼 don’t let it put you off it’s great feeling leaving your local marina and landing somewhere new where they speak another language 🇫🇷 thanks for watching.
Very helpful... thank you for this 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
@@ben1895 Hi Ben, no worries glad it helped and thanks for watching 👍😎