Spain - Welcome to the Land of Fiesta & Siesta
The centers for Yacht Charter Spain are the Canaries and the Balearic Islands. The Balearics are better developed, closer to the European capitals and provide perfect sailing conditions between Minorca, Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The Canary Islands are the unique winter escape for European sailors and become every November the starting point for Transatlantic-Race, the legendary ARC.
General Info
Covering most of the Iberian Peninsula, the last piece of European land before the Atlantic, Spain is considered one of the most exotic countries in Europe. Sharing the peninsula with Portugal, the Spanish have learned long ago the true important things in life and now they have a relaxed lifestyle which is appealing to many Yacht Charter tourists.
The fact that Spain is so close to Africa and that the Arabs have played an important role in the history of the country can still be seen today. Equally important are the days of the colonial empire because in its heyday, Spain held territories from North, Central and South America to Asia and the Philippines. All these remnants can still be seen today in Spanish cities, cultural and social thriving harbors like Barcelona or Valencia, a c sailor magnet during the summer season.
Although the Mediterranean coast is very popular, there are also a couple of islands which every year during the warm months turn into a Mecca for the party community. From Ibiza, which has become the quintessential party destination for youth all over the world, to the Mallorca, Menorca and the Canary islands, all the Spanish Mediterranean islands provide the perfect holiday setting for numerous Yacht Charter enthusiasts.
Law & Order
If you’ve decided to make a trip down here to sail a boat, here are a few of the rules that the Spanish enforce. First off, any person sailing a boat longer than 4m or with a motor with an output bigger than 10kW needs a sailing license. For Yacht Charter people, that means providing evidence of the permit or former sailing experience to the Maritime Authority. Once you do that, they will issue a local equivalent which will then allow you to sail legally.
Some Yacht Charter companies will actually take care of the proper documentation in advance if you request it and if you provide the paperwork ahead of time. Also, you’ll need to prove you have insurance if you’re sailing your own vessel.
High speed boats fall under another category and thus have their own set of rules which require you, the Yacht Charter skipper to provide navigation plans and moor in specific locations.
Being such a tourist hot spot, Spain is pretty relaxed when it comes to letting people in the country. Citizens from the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland are not required to carry passports and visas, regardless of the purpose and length of their visit.
Other people can also come to Spain and stay up to 90 days with just a valid passport, mostly European countries in the Schengen agreement so Yacht Charter sailors should just have a valid passport when they enter the country and the rest works out easily. American, British, Canadian and Australian tourists can enter the country with just their passport (which has to be valid for the whole duration of their stay) but need to apply for a “Carta de Invitation” at a local police station.