It’s that time of year when the Med season begins to wind down, the shows are almost over, and yachts are looking forward to their winter plans. For some, this will mean maintenance mode, perhaps some yard time or perhaps some winterised programme work at a home port in the Med.

For others, though, it’s all systems go for a winter season on the other side of the Atlantic so, taking the US as a main theme for the issue, the latest edition of The Crew Report looks into where we are with crew visas and the US Customs and Border Protection force. The problem is becoming confusing for crew who are joining yachts in US waters or even who are simply working on yachts heading for US waters, with conflicting advice over which visa they should hold, reports of inconsistencies between different US embassies, and varying levels of success in getting visa applications approved.

It is something that is, at last, being looked into at a high level to try to develop consistent advice from the US Department of State. “At the American Boating Congress in Washington DC in May, the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) held a panel alongside representatives of the Department of State and Customs and Border Protection [CBP], which resulted in an open discussion and a better understanding of some of the misunderstandings that were resulting in visa denials,” says Patience Cohn, industry liaison for MIASF. But what does this mean in practice? Grab your copy of The Crew Report to find out.

Issue 87 also looks at what yachts and yacht engineers should be aware of with regard to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements before entering US waters – and the results might not be as onerous as you imagine. We also take a look at the Caribbean and assess how it has recovered from the devastating hurricanes of 2017 – the consensus seems to be that recovery efforts have been successful and that, in some cases, services are not only new but also improved.

We also consider the growing issue of crew welfare with regard to access to open decks and air during busy seasons, and take a look at how the gender gap for deck and engineering crew is gradually beginning to close. And, while we’re on the subject of crew (which is, after all, the raison d’être of The Crew Report), did you know that carpentry is in the top three most desirable additional skill or certificates a crew member can bring with them to a yacht? If you want to know how to stand out from the crowd and land your next crew position, our insight into what skills can help tip the balance is a must-read.

To read these features in full, and for many more insightful and essential pieces covering such diverse topics as US free trade zones, the environmental considerations of provisioning, and the Belgian Master 500gt CoC, click here to order your copy.

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