Which flag should you choose for a round-the-world sailing trip?

Preparing for a round-the-world trip doesn't just happen at the chart table. Your boat's flag will be with you for months, sometimes years, far from any administrative office: it is better to choose a flag that won't come back to haunt you along the way.

To compare the conditions, lead times, and costs of each flag, consult our comparison of pleasure boat flags. Here are the points that matter specifically for a long voyage.

Start with your tax residency

This is the starting point: the tax residency you will have during your trip around the world determines which flags you are entitled to, and the obligations that will follow you. The British flag requires residing in the United Kingdom or establishing a company there, the Dutch flag requires residing in the European Union, while the Polish flag is open to any owner of a boat under 24 m.

If you remain a French tax resident, your French obligations go with you, even under a foreign flag: declaring your registration abroad to the tax authorities, paying the annual "droit de passeport" (passport duty), and adhering to French regulations in French waters.

Are you European but do not reside in France? There is a solution: electing a domicile.

A flag valid for the entire voyage

In the middle of a trip, a renewal or a mandatory inspection can quickly become a headache: sometimes you have to return, or find a way to complete the process remotely.

• Without renewal: the French, Polish, and Dutch flags are valid without time limits. The French registration certificate does, however, bear a date, which corresponds to a verification of the boat's ownership and characteristics every 10 years.
• Renewal every 5 years: the British and Belgian flags.
• Periodic safety inspection: the Spanish register requires it every 5 years, with the boat present in Spanish waters, which is difficult to reconcile with a round-the-world trip; in Poland, it takes place every 5 years for boats over 15 m.

Anticipate lead times before departure

If departure is approaching, the time it takes to obtain the flag can make all the difference. Allow 15 to 30 days for the French flag, about 2 weeks for the British, 2 to 6 weeks for the Dutch, and 5 weeks for the Belgian. The Polish flag is the fastest: a provisional certificate can be obtained in 2 to 3 days, with the final registration usually arriving within 30 days.

Checks at sea and stopovers

Far from home, your flag is your identity card to the authorities of the countries you visit. The Polish flag, for example, can sometimes lead to repeated checks at sea. Always keep documents on board that prove your situation is in order: proof of VAT payment or, for non-European Union residents, temporary admission and proof of your permanent residency outside the Union.

The British flag benefits from an extensive historical network, particularly in Commonwealth countries, where it often facilitates vessel reception and port formalities. Finally, it is customary to fly the courtesy flag of the country whose waters you are crossing: plan for those along your entire route.

Safety on the high seas above all

Equipment requirements vary greatly from one flag to another. Under Belgian and Dutch flags, for example, a life raft is not mandatory, even for offshore sailing. For a round-the-world trip, choosing a flag to avoid it is not a wise move: your safety should not depend on the regulatory minimum. Details of the equipment and permits required by each flag can be found in our flag comparison.

French waters on your route

With nearly 11 million km², French waters form the second largest maritime area on the planet: a round-the-world trip will almost inevitably take you there, from the Antilles to Polynesia. Since the "Blue Economy" law of June 20, 2016, sailors who are tax residents in France must apply French regulations there, whether sailing or in port, regardless of their boat's flag.

Taxes that follow you during the trip

Going far away does not suspend your boat's tax obligations. Under the French flag, the annual tax on pleasure craft (TAEMUP, formerly DAFN) remains due each year. Under a foreign flag, a French tax resident pays the "droit de passeport," its equivalent, whether they are sailing in French waters or not. This applies to boats with a hull of at least 7 m or whose engine exceeds 22 administrative horsepower, as well as personal watercraft with a power of at least 90 kW.