Canadian Ferro Cement, import to US?

[CSY Man]

Howdy folks.

A friend of mine is considering buying a 55' Canadian Ferro Cement Ketch, the design is called Sea Baron, or Sea Baroness.

The boat is built in Canada in 1974 and is rather strange looking.
(Big, bulky, somewhat ugly)

Is it fairly easy to change from Canadian registration to US?
Or is it a long and expensive process?
(No US documentation required or wanted)

The boat has been in the US for many years, sailing on annual cruising permits.

Any information on these boats? Any sisterships out there?

Can a foreginer own a Canadian registred boat?
Any licencing requirements for sailing a big boat like that under Canadian flag?

(Estimate net tonnage to be around 50)

[GordMay]

We “imported” our Canadian built & Registered boat into the US (Florida), in order to legally sell her. It cost a fraction of a percent of declared (market) value, plus a small broker’s fee. In our case, about $180 total (boat sold for about $25K) .
Having imported the boat, you’d have to get State Registration.
If the vessel remains Canadian Flagged (it’s ok for an American to own a Cdn boat), you will be limited in how long the boat may remain in US waters (90 days, usually).
HTH
Gord

[CSY Man]

Thanks Gord, that helps.

Anybody else with info on these particular Ferro boats?

[Alan Wheeler]

Hi, I can't help with that particular boat, but being a ferro owner myself, may I offer a point or two.
The first they need to find out is,....
by whom and how was the Hull built. If it was proffesionaly built and plastered correctly in one hit, then the Hull should be OK.

The other point to watch out for,...
was the original design intended for F/C construction. You made a comment "rather strange looking". Many designs weren't specified for F/C construction and basicaly became floating bricks.

Amature builders often thought the strength came from thickness and so increased the plaster thickness. This infact can make the thing weaker and this time instead of sail like a brick, it tends to want to float like a brick.
If they can get good answers to those two questions, they should be fine.
Finally, if they get a pre-purchase survey, ensure the person carrying out the survey is fimiliar with F/C hulls. Many good inspectors have no idea what to look for or how to carry out tests on F/C hulls.
Regards,
wheels

[CSY Man]

Thanks for the info Alan.

Well, not sure if the drawings for the boat specified F/C or not
In fact I don't know much about the boat except that it is 20 years old and built in Canada. Wooden masts that are constantly rotting away so the present owner goes up the sticks with a grinder, grinds the rot away, then fills the voids with bondo.

Peculiar man he is, almost like a mad professor.....

[exposure]

I just bought my boat from a Canadian couple. They paid import duty, which I think was 1.5% plus about $500 in other fees, before they put it up for sale. I had it documented, when I bought it, for the flat rate of $500 plus an extra $250 for the Canadian "title search". The boat was built in England and brought to the states. I has never actually been to Canada.

Woody

[Alan Wheeler]

Hmmmm, wooden masts that keep rotting? That kinda rings some alarm bells straight away. At only 20yrs(not that old) wooden masts sounds like it may have been done on the cheap. Alloy was certainly available then.
If they are rotting, maybe they haven't used a good timber. Plus "bondo", if that is what I know as bondo here, it does not have good adhesive properties and I personally would be using Epoxy. Plus I think a good treatment of evadure or similar product with a preservative in it, to stop the rot spreading and harden up the timber to prevent future rot spread.
Oh well, as long as he is having fun and the maintanance doesn't get too expensive for him, I suppose who cares what the boat looks and sails like. To some, a rusty ole bathtub can be their pride and joy.
Wheels