Sailing from Washington State to Florida
 

My boyfriend wants to sail from Washington to Florida. He seems to think he can do this without a passport. Doesn't he have to go through Mexico? What will happen if he doesn't have a passport? All he has is his driver's license and maybe a copy of his birth certificate.

Therorotically yes, practically no. Any sea vessel has the right to pass freely from any sea way, but cannot land anywhere in a foreign country. If he has proper food and fuel stocks he can do it.

There is always a possibility of landing to small town in a foreign country without a passaport but it is better not to do it.

The simple answer is no-way. You have to have a passport to clear in and out of the Central American countries. Not having a passport might not be his biggest problem.

His problems go way beyond having a passport. Seems to me that he has a number of routes all of which have major issues.
1. To Panama and then through the Canal (passport absolutely needed) and then going pretty much to windward to Florida although you get a boost from the currents. Also he would likely want to stop along the way (passport)
2. Around North America (Northwest Passage) - you are in Canadian waters so need a passport. Even with global warming, the ice here is highly unpredictable.
3. Around South America (Cape Horn) - no passport as long as you don't land in the 20 or so countries you will be passing; Cape Horn is a major challenge.
4. Going westward around the world - no passport, if he went around Africa and did not do the Suez Canal and the easiest passage but it is probably 15,000 miles at least and would take a very long time.

I am sure he is a very nice guy but he REALLY does not understand this stuff at all.

Well, I suppose with a driver's license and no passport his best option is to truck the boat and follow it east.

Killarney covered the problems with sailing.

It sounds like your boyfriend is new at this so I'll go out on a limb and assume that he has not researched what is needed to get through the Panama Canal. It's more than just waiting your turn queued up in the water.

Boats must be pre-registered, it may take a week or two to get through (also the reason for a passport), he'll need to hire line handlers if he's singlehanding and depending on the size of his boat it will probably cost around $800 to $1000 to get through. It's a whole process.

Have him read this site (and follow the links): http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Pa...rc=Formalities

Good luck to him.

With only a drivers license I would suggest I-90 to Chicago then I-65 to Jacksonville. Tough sailing though.

That's what I thought! Oh, did I forget to mention he has cannons on his boat??? For the pirates! Is that also going to be a problem? :laugher

"Doesn't he have to go through Mexico?" ???

Am I the only one who feels like we are being played by this poster?