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Bermuda Logistics
Bermuda Race Headquarters at Royal Bermuda Yacht Club
The RBYC is the center of activity for racers and their families while in Bermuda. With ample dockage for nearly all visiting yachts (by arrangement), a well-stocked bar and restaurant and duty officer, the RBYC is a capable generous race host.
Resources for Visitors:
Resources for Sailors:
Border Control (Customs & Immigration):
Participants in the 2024 Newport Bermuda Race can make their lives and those of Bermuda Department of Border Control officials easier by reading and following the following customs and immigration instructions.
Pre-clear into Bermuda in Newport:
New this year, is a mandatory online process. Captains must set up an account and boat registration on SailClear, and prepare and submit the Arrival Notification for the passage to Bermuda. The arrival notice should be submitted at any time prior to the start of the race as soon as you are confident that your crew list will not change. The crew list on your Arrival Notice must match the crew list on the entry system confirmed at on-site registration.
Captain/PIC should perform these steps on SailClear.com:
- Create a user account on SailClear
- Add your boat to the Vessel List
- Add all sailors to the ‘Crews List’
- Create and Submit an Arrival Notification
We have been informed by Bermuda Customs that Captains may ignore the instructions on the SailClear Arrival Notification reply to visit Customs for further processing. Bermuda Race boats whose crew have all pre-cleared in Newport and have filed an Arrival Notification with matching crew list will be admitted to Bermuda upon arrival.
Bermuda Customs and Immigration asks the BROC to supply details of the fleet and all sailors. To comply with new requirements, the details for every boat must include the government documentation number for the vessel. For US vessels this is the Coast Guard Documentation number, or ‘Official Number’ found on the documentation certificate. Vessels without a CG documentation or registered in other countries should provide their local government issued registration number. A new task is now posted for all entries to enter this number into the entry system.
Bermuda Calendar of Events
Upon Arrival in Bermuda
After finishing the race, and PRIOR TO ENTERING the ship channel proceeding to Hamilton, yachts are requested to contact Maritime Operations on VHF Channel 16 or 27 to receive an update on shipping traffic.
The Swing Bridge at Ferry Reach is currently closed for the duration of 2022. All boats proceeding to Hamilton Harbour will need to sail around Fort St. Catherine and up the North Shore. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT VESSELS CROSSING THE FINISH LINE AFTER DARK REMAIN IN ST. GEORGE’S HARBOUR UNTIL DAY LIGHT, SO AS NOT TO UNECESSARILY PUT AT RISK THE SAFETY OF THE VESSEL, THOSE ON BOARD AND EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL. Yachts entering St Georges Harbour at night shall anchor in the quarantine area to the south of the town identified on the charts as Powder Hole. They will remain under quarantine and crews must remain aboard until proceeding to the Customs Department at RBYC in Hamilton at daybreak.
Yachts transiting the channels at night do so at their own risk. Any tow assistance required, and associated costs, due to mechanical problems or grounding will be the sole responsibility of the vessel owner.
Vessels with serious mechanical, rigging or medical problems on-board that are unable to proceed to Hamilton in the normal manner should contact Maritime Operations for further guidance on Customs Department clearance.
Boats that Pre-Cleared in Newport: Skippers MUST report to RBYC Duty Desk
Boats that did NOT Pre-Clear in Newport:
All skippers that did not take advantage of pre-clearing all of their crew in Newport MUST clear their remaining crew at RBYC. Crew that did not pre-clear in Newport must accompany their skipper to the Border Control Officers in Bermuda with their passport and all paperwork outlined above and all other crew should remain on board until full clearance has been completed.
Yachts must fly their Quarantine Flag (Yellow Code Flag ‘Q’) until all crew have been cleared by Immigration Officers at the RBYC.
If any crew member has a contagious disease, the quarantine flag must remain hoisted, and all crew members must remain aboard until a Medical Officer clears the yacht.
There are no Port charges as the customary passenger tax has been waived for the event. Documentation requirements are as for pre-clearance set out above. 6/13/2024 2024 Newport Bermuda Race – Important Race Information Page 7 of 14
Customs Clearance for Boats Berthed at Other Marinas (e.g. RHADC or Princess Hotel)
All Newport pre-cleared yachts must report to the RBYC Duty Desk to file their completed Declaration of Health for their yacht.
As per SIs skippers are reminded that the following must be completed online or (if applicable) handed in to the Duty Officers’ Desk at the RBYC, after clearing Border Control Procedures (i.e. Immigration by Pre-clearance in Newport or Clearance in Bermuda and Customs via SailClear):
- Certificate of Compliance (Online checklist in Entry System) will be confirmed by Duty Desk.
- YellowBrick Position Transponder
- Bermuda Tourism Survey (Available at Duty Desk)
- Maritime Health Form (Hand in)
Protests and Scoring requests are submitted online – visit the Online Notice Board
IF POST-RACE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT COMPLETED PER THE SIs, A YACHT WILL NOT BE SCORED
RBYC Duty Desk is located in the Calabash Lounge to assist you with any inquiries at the following times **:
Sunday, June 23rd 2:00pm – 4:00pm or as required
Monday, June 24h – Wednesday, June 26th 8:00am – 8:00pm
Thursday, June 27th & Friday, June 28th 8:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday, June 29th 9:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday, June 30th 9:00am – 12:00pm
**Opening hours may be adjusted depending upon the speed of the race
Clearance from Bermuda before sailing home
Captains departing Bermuda before 1200 ADT on Sunday 30 June must clear out with the Bermuda Customs Officers at RBYC between 0800 ADT on Friday 28 June and 1600 ADT on Saturday 29 June.
Captains departing Bermuda after 1200 ADT June 30th must clear out with Customs Department at the Yacht Reporting Center in St. Georges.
The Customs Department Desk at RBYC will close at 1700 ADT on Saturday 29 June.
As of Thursday, June 27, vessels departing before Sunday at noon that have a full complement of crew currently on island, can start checking out.
All captains must present their:
- Bermuda Customs Clearance
- Additional Crew and Passenger List – Private Yachts
- Immigration Passenger Form and Passport for crew joining in Bermuda for the return trip
H.M. Customs will require confirmation of accommodations if crew are arriving early or staying beyond the departure of the yacht.
Delivery Crews: Flying In, Sail Out
Visitors entering Bermuda are normally expected to have a return ticket. However, those who wish to fly into Bermuda and depart by yacht should follow this procedure. The Captain of the yacht should give a letter to each crewmember who will be arriving in Bermuda by air on one-way ticket and leaving on the vessel. The letter should include the full name, date of birth, address and nationality of the crewmember, as well as the name of the vessel he or she will be joining. The Landing Permit fee of $23 must be paid on arrival to an Immigration Officer in either U.S. or Bermuda dollars. Cheques should be made payable to the Accountant General.
Important Information
Yachts proceeding between St. George’s and Hamilton.
After finishing the race, and PRIOR TO ENTERING the ship channel proceeding to Hamilton, yachts are requested to contact Marine Operations on VHF Channel 16 or 27 to receive an update on shipping traffic.
The Swing Bridge at Ferry Reach is currently closed for extensive repair work. All boats proceeding to Hamilton Harbour will need to sail around Fort St. Catherine and up the North Shore.
IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT VESSELS CROSSING THE FINISH LINE AFTER DARK REMAIN IN ST. GEORGE’S HARBOUR UNTIL DAY LIGHT, SO AS NOT TO UNECESSARILY PUT AT RISK THE SAFETY OF THE VESSEL, THOSE ON BOARD AND EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL.
YACHTS TRANSITING THE CHANNELS AT NIGHT DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK. ANY TOW ASSISTANCE REQUIRED, AND ASSOCIATED COSTS, DUE TO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS OR GROUNDING WILL BE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VESSEL OWNER.
Vessels with serious mechanical, rigging or medical problems onboard that are unable to proceed to Hamilton in the normal manner should contact Maritime Operations for further guidance on Customs Department clearance.
ANCHORAGE
Yachts, when anchoring, are warned to be careful of the submarine cable between Albuoy’s Point, the western end of White’s Island and Hogdson’s Ferry Landing. All yachts at anchor should berth, for their own safety, WELL CLEAR of the Main Ship Channel (making due allowances for Southerly winds) as outlined in the charts and, if their anchor berth is temporarily vacated, are recommended to leave a mark buoy.
BERTHING AT RBYC
The RBYC has reserved moorings in their marina for class winners and pre-arranged reservations. Yachts should contact the RBYC Marina Manager on VHF Channel 74 once they have passed through Two Rock Passage and are proceeding down Hamilton Harbour. The RHADC will monitor VHF Channel 73. The Finish Line Committee will monitor VHF Channel 72.
All vessels must have sufficient fenders, dock lines and anchor ready on arrival at RBYC. Please be patient when it comes to docking as the Marina Manager cannot be everywhere at once and will be working to get everyone docked as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our Marina Team actively follows YB Tracking and AIS.
It would be appreciated if yachts could fly dress colours and flags after berthing for the duration of their stay.
Hours for Berthing:
6am – 12 midnight. There will be no berthing available outside of these times.
PLEASE DO NOT ENTER THE MARINA ON YOUR OWN.
Yachts are requested to anchor in the Harbour between the hours of 12am and 6am.
Shore Power:
The RBYC cannot guarantee that there will be a shore power outlet available for all yachts due to the large number of yachts in this event; therefore, shore power electricity will be available at the RBYC Marina on a first come / first served basis. Yachts are REQUIRED to bring their own shore power leads AND adaptors. Shore power options are 120v 30 amp or 120/240v 50 amp. Electricity use will be charged at $25/day per connection connected to shore power.
OTHER BERTHING
Yachts intending to berth off the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club (Tel: 441-295-3000), or off the RHADC (Tel: 441-236-2250) are requested to inform their Dock Masters well in advance. Owners and skippers of yachts using the facilities of Hamilton Harbour during Bermuda Race week are warned to expect heavy shipping traffic and to be guided accordingly.
Duty Desk: [email protected] or [email protected]
Club Telephone: (441) 295-2214
Facsimile: (441) 295-6361
MOBILE PHONES
Bermuda supports world-class cellular communications. Both mobile operators on Island have relationships with all the major carriers around the world, which will allow you to use your phone while in Bermuda. All support 4G/LTE Networks. Roaming rates can be high.
One Communications: +1 441 700-7000 / www.onecomm.bm.
Digicel: +1.441.500.5000 https://www.digicelgroup.com/bm/en.html
COURIER/MAIL SERVICES
Mailboxes Unlimited on Bermudian Road
Guests will find a full range of facilities for faxing, photocopying and courier services at Mailboxes. Open Monday to Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday 9:00pm – 5:30pm. For more information call (441) 292-6563.
INTERNET FACILITIES
Wi-Fi access will be available at RBYC during the event dependent upon volume of usage. See signs around Club.
Due to the heavy usage, it would be appreciated if you could disable Wi-Fi when not in use.
LAUNDRY
Laundry will be collected from the RBYC Flagpole at 08:00am starting on Tuesday, June 24th. The last pickup will be Friday, June 28th at 8:00am am and the last delivery will be Saturday, June 29th at 9:00pm.
Please note that delivery of laundry back to RBYC will be made on a cash basis only at $1.95 per pound.
Laundry should be placed in bags clearly marked with the name of the yacht. Laundry tags can be found in your competitors’ packs upon arrival.
Yachtsmen are responsible for being at the Club to RECEIVE AND PAY for their laundry.
Card operated washer/dryer machines are also available at:
Quickie Lickie Laundromat on 74 Serpentine Road (441-295-6097), a 5 minutes’ walk from RBYC. Monday through Saturday 6:00am to 10:00pm, and 6:00am to 6:00pm on Sunday.
RBYC LAUNDRY FACILITIES
The Club has 3 washer/dryer unit available in the basement on a first come/first serve basis. Loads (washing or drying) are $3.00 each, laundry soap pod available for $1. Tokens and Soap Pods are available from the Front Entrance Reception Office.
GARBAGE COLLECTION
Garbage will be collected twice daily. Please put regular bagged garbage in the large dumpsters provided at the side of the Club. Recyclable items (glass and cans only) should be placed in blue recycling bags.
GASOLINE & PROPANE
Upon check-in Newport all boats MAY REQUEST (1) numbered NON-TRANSFERABLE voucher for a one-time purchase of duty-free fuel from the assigned RUBIS fuel depot in Bermuda. These vouchers will be issued by HM Customs Bermuda and will be available for collection from the Duty Desk at the RBYC. NB: Vouchers cannot be accepted at a regular marina fuelling station. Please see details in your skipper pack.
Regular fuel is available at the PW’s Rubis Marine Filling Station (Tel: 441-295-3185) just west of the RBYC Marina. Note that the maximum draft at low tide is 10´. This service station is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday through Saturday and 8:00am to 5:00pm on Sunday. Bagged ice is also available. Fuel can be purchased by credit card 24/7.
For deeper water, fuel can be purchased by appointment at Rubis Dockyard where the maximum draft is 32´. (Howard Williams at 441-234-0233/441-299-7019 or [email protected]).
Fuel is also available by prior appointment with Sol at Tiger Bay in St. George’s. (Chris Gibbons at 294-5236).
Propane refills are available from any Gas/Petrol station, the closest being Esso Tiger Mart at the top of Bermudian Road, a 5-minute walk from the RBYC or RUBIS East Broadway, which is a 5 minute drive by bike at the East End of Hamilton City (stay on Front Street to city limits). Alternative, propane can be delivered by Atlantic Gas- (Arnel) +1-441-534-0404.
ICE
There will be a daily delivery of both block and bag ice from Monday, June 20th between the times of 10:00am and 11:00am and again between 3:00pm and 4:00pm. Contact K.C. Daniels Ltd. Tel: 441-236-3189/441-535-1627.
RBYC has large 25 lbs bags available on site for $12. Please see the bartenders to purchase.
EAVING BY SEA:
All skippers MUST enter details of departing vessel and crew into SAILCLEAR. We suggest that this is completed several days before intended departure.
To avoid the requirement to call into YRC St George’s, the skipper should then send an email to Senior Customs Officer, Andrea McKey, [email protected] , advising the name of the vessel and intended departure date, and that SAILCLEAR has been updated. Ms. McKey will clear the vessel for departure from Bermuda and will issue a certificate which will be delivered to RBYC for collection by the skipper the following day.
Otherwise, the skipper will need to call in at the YRC at Ordnance Island in St George with all delivery crew passports, to receive clearance.
Skippers of yachts returning to the US with any aliens on board should ensure that the aliens present themselves to the US Immigration Officer at the US Consulate, “Crown Hill”, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, telephone 441-295-1342, fax 441-295-1592 and if their passports are in order, they will be issued an immigration permit and clearance to enter the US. This will avoid embarrassment and unnecessary delay at the yacht’s port of entry.
DEPARTURE FROM BERMUDA
Prior to departure from Bermuda, all yachts are required to notify Maritime Operations on VHF Channel 16, to give them a departure time, Persons On Board, and next port of call in the event of an incident after they leave. Skippers are recommended to call on the way up from Hamilton as you approach the Narrows Channel.
MARITIME OPERATIONS CONTACT DETAILS
Tel: (441) 297-1010 Fax: (441) 297-1530
Inmarsat C: 581 431010110 RCCB X or 584 431010120 RCCB X
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website: www.marops.bm
SSB: 4,125 kHz and 2,182 kHz
VHF: Channels 16 and 27
With effect on March 6, 2024, the Bermuda Immigration and Protection (Prohibition of Entry) Order lists the countries whose nationals are prohibited from entering Bermuda, unless such persons possess a multiple re-entry visa (MRV) or other permission [such as a valid permanent resident certificate] to reside in any country not named in the Order:
In order to be landed in Bermuda as a Visa Controlled National (VCN), the following requirements must be met:
- All travellers who require an MRV for the UK, US or Canada must present this visa-type either at:
- In Newport at Bermuda Immigration pre-clearance or;
- In Bermuda for all persons who did not attend the pre-clearance event (this does not make the Newport event optional);
- The MRV for the UK, US or Canada must be valid for 45 days beyond the expiration of a visitor’s intended stay;
- All travelers must possess a passport that is valid for 45 days past the expiration of their intended stay in Bermuda;
- Arranged accommodation in Bermuda must be confirmed before arrival unless remaining on the vessel.
PLEASE NOTE: Persons whose MRV and passport validity is less than 45 days will not be landed.
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