Mike Wise of Manhattan Beach, MN asks:

Did it create a potential problem to be running an American flagged vessel in certain areas of the world - like where you were for Leg 2? Did you fly the Stars and Stripes at all times? What are the considerations you commonly see for U. S. owners to flag their boat in another country? What's involved in such registration and which countries are commonly selected?

Jim Leishman responds:

We're proud to report that we flew the U.S. flag without interruption. It's never been down since leaving Dana Point on November 3rd.

We had talked about lowering it if we went into Yemen or possibly in Djibouti, but we never felt threatened - primarily due to the extensive presence of coalition warships in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

We do have customers who seek foreign registration but I don't think it's ever for security reasons. One reason for instance is that if a non U.S. citizen living in the U.S. wants a boat, he cannot legally operate a U.S. documented vessel within U.S. waters. He might elect to get a Grand Cayman registration and then operate the vessel in U.S. waters under a cruising permit.

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