After dramatically going up on a reef, damaging our rudder and being rescued by fellow cruisers we arrived in Seychelles on Pipistrelle in July 2015 and were initially anchored in the quarantine area off Victoria, where a pilot boat brings out officials to clear you in.  Whilst the holding is good, it is a fair distance into the Seychelles Yacht Club, and with the SE trades blowing, bumpy and wet.  It is possible to anchor in the area around the yacht club safely, or close to Eden Island, once all the entry formalities have been dealt with.

We have found most people here to be incredibly helpful and kind.  The Yacht Club is a great social place to meet, has a very good kitchen providing good food, and the Victoria market is a great value for local fresh food and veg.  Cooking gas, we are told, is a mixture of butane and propane, and burnt well on our butane only cooker. It is also an incredibly good value.  For European food such as French cheese and wine, ISPC stocks amazing food that we haven’t seen for months.

Bringing in Spare Parts

We had ordered various spare parts to be delivered to the Yacht Club.  At the time of our visit, there was local ignorance – even at the Customs and Revenue level – regarding the position of yachts in transit, and VAT, which is levied at 15% currently.

Yachts in Transit are exempt from VAT.  We have emails from Selwyn Knowles, Assistant Commissioner, Customs, and Mellen Volcere, Director Inland Revenue Operations, confirming the situation, and how goods for yachts in Transit should be handled.

Cruisers have two choices, either to employ the services of a shipping agent or do it yourself.

Clearing & Forwarding Agent

We can recommend Skyland Clearing and Forwarding.

Contact Dora Marie, MD.

Phone: +248 251 6082

Email: dora.skyland@seychelles.net

She has quoted :

Bill of Entry/IM5: 250scr

Handling: 200scr

Transport from the airport: 400scr

Total: 850scr

+ VAT: 127.50

Total: 977.50scr

Doing it Yourself (DIY)

Await documentation from the courier to be sent to the Yacht Club.

Go to the Post Office in town in Victoria and request a Bill of Entry/IM5.  This can take 2 days, but I asked them to input the data while I waited, (15 minutes), and then got the number of the document to take to the airport.  Here you need to meet Simone, give her the number, and she will do all the paperwork, and now understands the rules relating to Yachts in Transit.

Cost

Post Office per package: 150scr

Paperwork at the airport: 25scr

Hire Car: 500scr or taxi approx. 300scr, or local bus 10 SCR

Max Total: 675scr

Hauling Out

VAT at 15% is charged on a haulout, and also on any work carried out by a boatyard or contractor.  It is not possible for a yacht in transit to reclaim the VAT.

Having heard indifferent reports about the services in Richards Bay, South Africa, we decided to be hauled out at Gondwana Marine Services, where the service provided by Rajen and his team is second to none.  They have a brand new travel hoist, rated at 150 tons, which deposits yachts onto a remotely controlled trolley which takes the yacht to its storage place on clean concrete.  All services are available, and the hoist is brilliant for catamarans, being wide enough for almost the largest afloat.

We also visited Naval Services in Victoria, which is a total mess, with surge affecting the trolley haul out area.  In addition, we had an “out of this world” quote from Charles at Marzocchi & Sons in Providence, and a far more realistic quote from Cascade Slipway Services, who haul with a trolley.   We believe that being lifted in a travel hoist onto clean and level concrete is infinitely preferable.

Rajen imports antifoul from NZ, so undercutting the extortionate prices charged in Seychelles.  We believe that Gondwana Marine Services will become the No 1 haulout facility in Seychelles, and a credible alternative to a refit in Richards Bay, where we were unable to obtain labor quotes for the work we required.  A further report will follow once our refit work has been completed.

Gondwana Marine Services

PO Box 977, Gondwana Building,

Wanetta Avenue,

Providence Industrial Estate,

Mahe

Seychelles.

Tel No: +248 438 4747

Update Posted 7th September 2015

We had all the antifoul removed from the hull, new epoxy and repainted, together with other work.  The quality of the work was excellent, the rates good, and the yard can handle most work a yacht will need.  We have no complaints and can recommend this yard for any yacht either wanting storage, or other work carried out.  Working with Rajen Naidu, the General Manager, was a delight, as he knows the business backward.  He can be contacted at

Rajen.naidu@gondwana.sc

Bob & Elaine, SV Pipistrelle

Related content

Port Victoria (Mahe)