Building your own yacht in Thailand or ...

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by jorgepease, Oct 30, 2016.

  1. jorgepease
    Joined: Feb 2012
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    Location: Florida

    jorgepease Senior Member

    Next year I am going to retire and build a 15-18 meter foam core multi-hull. I have a boatyard here in the Florida Keys USA that will accommodate me and we have easy access to all materials but I am exploring the possibility of building overseas to take advantage of lower labor costs.

    Can I legally build my own boat in a foreign boatyard. I would hire a few labors full time for the duration of the project and work and provide full time direction myself. I am assuming I would do this under the boatyard's business license for a fee of course.

    I do plan to build and sell custom boats to my own contacts. I do not plan to maintain overhead such as a building or advertise.

    I don't need advice on the complexities of actually building a boat, my family has been in the business (now closed) for over 40 years.

    I would like to hear the implications of being a US Citizen building out of the country, would I register the boat in the USA? I plan on sailing the boat worldwide and will probably rarely be back to my country but I would like to be able to sell to somebody in the USA. Any reason I wouldn't be able to do that? I do have an MIC for the USA

    I would also like to hear from Boatyards in Thailand and Vietnam etc.. that have facilities for this type of thing. I would be vacuum infusing and would need a tent or shed.

    Thanks for any insights.
     
  2. mydauphin
    Joined: Apr 2007
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    Location: Florida

    mydauphin Senior Member

    Is it really that much cheaper. I will build Fiberglass hull here and sail it to central america for interior work. I have built several boatsmall here as home built with no difficulty and just register them with state. You have to show some kind of title. I am curious what others say, I know law changed recently.
     
  3. Ad Hoc
    Joined: Oct 2008
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    Location: Japan

    Ad Hoc Naval Architect

    I would suggest asking forum member Alik
    he lives in Thailand and uses local yards too.
     
  4. brian eiland
    Joined: Jun 2002
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    Location: St Augustine Fl, Thailand

    brian eiland Senior Member

    About 9 years ago I did a 'inspection tour' thru a number of boatyards in Thailand seeking out those I felt viable enough to suggest to some potential clients.

    Here is one portion of that report that I posted on this subject thread.
    http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/all-things-boats-and-boating/bankrupt-boat-yard-thailand-39767.html#post525116

    I'm unsure as to whether I posted the whole report on this forum, but I can send it to you if you wish. Of course the report is dated.

    I now live here in St Augustine, FL part time, and in Thailand part time, so I would be interested in helping you sort out your ideas for building there.

    I would also be very interested in hearing more about the size and type multihull you intend to build. You could send that info in a private email to runningtideyachts@gmail.com
     
  5. jorgepease
    Joined: Feb 2012
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    Location: Florida

    jorgepease Senior Member

    Labor is cheaper for sure. I found a couple of boatyards that allow DIY and the rates for rental space where not that much cheaper if at all. As far as materials, I got hold of a supplier - Clarasonic - and it seems they can get just about anything. Have to check pricing.

    Is it worth it, maybe, considering my living expenses will also be cheaper.

    Good idea on asking Alik, thanks


    Brian, I will check out that report. Great lifestyle you have, I am sick of the rat race here in Miami, can't wait to start traveling.

    I'm interested in the Grainger designs. He sent me a sketch of a modified Raku he is working on for another client but after some discussion on another thread, I am leaning toward an open cockpit like the SIG45 … but with a full hard bimini. After a lot of thought, I realized I don't need an enclosed Salon, better to have a simpler build and lighter boat. Grainger has a 50' flyingfish with open cockpit concept very similar to what I want. I would like to stretch the hulls to 55' or even 60'. I photoshop'd an example here - http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/multihulls/cnc-plans-not-included-56453-7.html ... should open to page 7 of thread.

    Would love to have you get involved, can use all the local knowledge I can get plus if this goes down, be great to have a sailing friend in Thailand.

    I will post more information when the boatyards get back to me. If anyone can think of other reasons why this is a good or bad idea, please speak up.

    Thanks
     
  6. The Q
    Joined: Feb 2014
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    Location: Norfolk, UK

    The Q Senior Member

    I cannot say what your problems for certain would be in the USA, but I did build my own boat abroad and brought it back the the UK. The only statement UK customs said was I had to keep it at least 5 years. If I sold it before then I would be liable for import duties and taxes.
    Our sales tax is 20% luckily for us the yacht import duty is 0% so 20% would have been the total.
    Oh if you cannot prove how much you spent on building the boat they estimate it's value on UK retail prices!!!
     
  7. jorgepease
    Joined: Feb 2012
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    Location: Florida

    jorgepease Senior Member

    How big a boat? Did you do it to save money? So you registered the boat in the country where you built it?

    I found a forum that might be of some help, its all about boat building in the Phillipines - http://www.pinoyboats.org/forum/
     
  8. The Q
    Joined: Feb 2014
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    Location: Norfolk, UK

    The Q Senior Member

    The boat I built was only 18ft, The idea to build the boat was to save boredom, I was living and working in Saudi Arabia and anything else enjoyable was illegal. But we had a sailing club, I was one of three people building boats, one of whom was buiding a heavy displacement 30ft sea going yacht.

    Saudi regulations mean you must get the boat registered, so that you can deregister it, and have the deregistration papers to get the boat out of the country!! ( cars also have to be deregistered to get them out of the country).

    On UK waters a boat of only 18ft is not required to be registered for private use.
    However I use it on the Norfolk Broads and you have to be registered on there, so they can enforce having insurance, the boat safety test, but mostly so they can tax you (roughly £300 for my 27ft motor boat) the tax is supposed to be used for maintenance of the navigation.
     
  9. mydauphin
    Joined: Apr 2007
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    Location: Florida

    mydauphin Senior Member

    I am in Miami and have built several boats here. You didn't mention size of boat. But rent here next to river will run you about $1000 a month. And Fiberglass helper runs about $10 an hour, labor is pretty cheap if you can talk to the right people. And you can get just about anything. So I would say biggest expense of build here if you diy is rent.
     
  10. jorgepease
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    jorgepease Senior Member

    I spent 5 years in Saudi, Dhahran mostly. We had half moon bay yacht club That was early 70's. I get the feeling that the savings aren't going to be that substantial compared to the risks.
     
  11. jorgepease
    Joined: Feb 2012
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    Location: Florida

    jorgepease Senior Member

    The convenience of having everything and knowing the area counts for a lot.

    Size of the boat would be around 50'. I am in Miami as well but the place I am considering is catamaran boat yard in Key Largo. I can rent an 80 x 40 roofed structure for about 1500 per month. They have a travel hoist which will come in handy.

    Labor as you say, I can get some retired guys or illegals for $10 an hour. That's the big cost but since I'm not planning on employing full time or that many people, doesn't add up to too much.
     
  12. brian eiland
    Joined: Jun 2002
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    Location: St Augustine Fl, Thailand

    brian eiland Senior Member

    Jorgepease, I might ask that you redefine exactly what you are seeking in building this 50 footer?

    I believe I detect that it is a liveaboard vessel, and that is why you are seeking a 50 footer plus? A 50 foot catamaran can be quite big.

    Are you not attracted to any of the production cats out there. There are some fairly big used cats, very well equipped for less money than you are proposing to spend.

    With reference to your new build you might have to question making it a sailing version (and I say that heavy hearted as I am a sailor). The rig and sails can add up significantly in cost these days.

    Or you might consider something like this. They built a couple of them in Thailand, and I think one of them is for sale.

    Having trouble linking directly to that link provided above, so you might go to this vposting and click on the link provided there:
    Which Power Catamaran ? - Page 6 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f109/which-power-catamaran-76926-6.html#post894250
     

    Attached Files:

  13. The Q
    Joined: Feb 2014
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    Location: Norfolk, UK

    The Q Senior Member

    Yep sailed across to there from the other side of the bay and went to several of their open events,

    I'd agree I never had anything in Saudi I couldn't afford to lose, an old knackered car, the boat actually didn't cost me that much ( resin is amazingly cheap out there). I always had the feeling they are one step away from a revolution Like Iran.
    I went
    I got the money,
    I paid off the mortgage (in the UK)
    I left.
     
  14. jorgepease
    Joined: Feb 2012
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    jorgepease Senior Member

    Ok, to be more clear ...

    Yes it will be long but pretty spartan. I'm going for high performance, like the SIG45 except with full hard bimini. I know I will need the shade.

    I enjoy looking at used boats, there are deals to be had but I am the type that likes to know their boat inside and out. Plus I have a large amount of confidence in my skill set, more so than I do in those that build production boats. After so many years as a tradesman, I don't really see why I wouldn't capitalize on it.

    Also, no power cruisers. Gas will cost as much or more than sails and rigging especially since I want to circumnavigate.

    While I like the idea of building overseas, so far I don't see much advantage.
     

  15. philSweet
    Joined: May 2008
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    Location: Beaufort, SC and H'ville, NC

    philSweet Senior Member

    You could look at the Dominican Republic free trade zones. I think labor is fixed at about $120/mo. No tax on imported materials.

    Your SIG 45 style and an around-the-world quest don't gibe with me. I've flown a hull on a 50' Alliaura that weighed 60,000 pounds. I caught an 18' or 20' breaker kinda wrong at night. The boat was a pig because she was so overloaded, but I don't think lighter would have been better in that case. Those forward mesh tramps are a nonstarter for a cruiser. It just snows salt all day long in the cockpit.
     
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