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georgecumming
  3/5/2020 06:27 EST

I'm looking to buy preferably a sailing boat in Phils for between $10,000 to $15,000 to sail around the islands for 2-3 years.

Most web are international and looking for internationally high prices so where can I buy or find boats in Manila/Batangas/Cebu areas or elsewhere?

May also look to hire out for day trips. I assume there's licences needed for that?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

rebtop
  3/5/2020 06:41 EST

George. When you figure this all out, please share. I want your life style.

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georgecumming
  3/5/2020 06:49 EST

The lifestyle is to live on the boat, eat fish, drink beer, snorkel and sunbath. Should be simple and cheap?

Tsmslf
  3/5/2020 15:40 EST

Cheap? Unfortunately that's unlikely. Maintenance, insurance, docking fees, security plus logistics such as lack of storage are some principal concerns here plus again living on the Pacific is not without risk, real risk.
Without 2nd amendment protection, I'd be afraid of burglary every time I docked at a marina or, even more, in some cove on a trip around the islands.
It's too idyllic not to have become popular if there weren't those and other issues.

LarryKar
  3/5/2020 18:11 EST

georgecumming
You said, "The lifestyle is to live on the boat, eat fish, drink beer, snorkel and sunbath. Should be simple and cheap?"
In the immortal words of my ex bro in law, " Buying the boat was the cheap part." Smile!

tombalita1
  3/5/2020 19:14 EST

Larry,

Very wise your brother-in-law. Something similar I was told from a fellow shipmate Pinoy, "yeah, everthing is so cheap in P.I. that you'll go broke!".

A funny but true story: A friend found that every year he went home on vacation, he paid for everything for relatives both close and distant. Everybody needed to go to school and if someone had a serious illness, he was the go-to guy.

He decided to move to Negros Oriental that he had visited several times and liked for his retirement. However, he didn't tell the relatives in Pangasinan they were there. He now visits them from time to time, but he and the wife tell them they are coming from the States. They go back to California during rainy season to see kids and send Balikbayan boxes to their Dumaguete address and one to their relatives in Pangasinan. A great arrangement.

DOESN'T MONEY GROW ON TREES IN AMERICA ?

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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.
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rebtop
  3/5/2020 19:22 EST

Great story. I might try it. ??

georgecumming
  3/6/2020 08:20 EST

Thanks for that insight. My only experience was Puerto Galera where boats were in a cove on moorings and everything was ok. I have heard so bad stories too, especially in the south. It won't all be plain sailing but I'm trying to set out with a positive mindset.

LovePhilly
  3/6/2020 10:45 EST

The second best day in your life is when you buy a boat.

The best day is when you sell it!

FrederickJS
  3/6/2020 13:37 EST

"The second best day in your life is when you buy a boat.

The best day is when you sell it!"

That was true in my case.

coach53
  3/6/2020 19:09 EST

I guess you aim at a nicer camping boat "rich country" style.
I saw one at https://www.carousell.ph/ back when the name was olx.
And I have seen some Filipino "minferries" which are big enough to rebuild to a camping boat.
Or buy a Filipino fishing boat. With such I suppouse you have chance to get away from some fees :)

I haven't moved there yet but my plan is to buy an UGLY car and build an UGLY house (at outside) and mostly dress as a poor farmer to reduce Filipino's expectations on me :)

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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.

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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.
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draks
  3/7/2020 19:32 EST

I lived on my boat in UK for years loved every second of it.
Here, you have to be very careful where you go and where you keep a boat, around mindanaou would for me Bea no no, old couple were taken of their boat and kidnapped. Another yacht was hijacked, and the captains wife was killed. Not safe.
There are typhoons to be aware of, extremely high winds and rain. When the weather starts to get bad the boat should be taken out. Marina's are not too common safe Anchorages might be available , but to leave your boat unattended for a few hours might attract the wrong attention. This is not the safest place to sail to be honest. You are viewed as rich here anyway, to own a boat would confirm that and you could be a target. As foreigners we are all very rich, and we have a bottomless pit full of money,vthat we just love to give away.
There are some lovely sailing areas tho have to admit.

southbayfrank
  4/7/2020 11:16 EST

Have a boat and sail around the numerous islands or hopping around islands is an interesting topic. I am interested in such a thing, too, and have paid attention to it whenever I can.
A local styled pump boat or bangka boat, or crab boat are the other names, is probably a lower cost and safer approach to do it. Luckily, such a boat is extremely economical or low in cost. A brand new one with coast guard approved capacity for 10 passengers can be bought for 150k to 200k pesos (3k-4k USD), with a small diesel engine, toilet room, and even a simple kitchen. Made of local specialized wood. Can be done with fibre glass body as well. About 12-15 meter long. A search with "boat making in Philippines" in YouTube can give you Multiple stories, vendors, traders information, with even pricing. The prices are about correct, ad last year I hired such a boat for circling around malapasgua island close to Cebu island. The boat has 6 people capacity, The owner told me it costed him 50k pesos (1k usd) to buy it new with the engine included. These kind of boat is very common, safe as regulated by their coast guard. Sailing and parking around is easy and low profile. Hence safe. Plus, after two to three years of usage, can be sold off easily. I probably will be interested in hopping around here for a few years, too.

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