Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rating: Thread Rating: 5 votes, 5.00 average. Display Modes
Old 24-08-2011, 15:09   #616
cruiser

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Brisbane AUS
Boat: Cowther 43 - Hunter 40.5
Posts: 1,006
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Thanks. How long do you think it should take? 3 months sounded insane to me.
dennisail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 15:12   #617
D&D
Marine Service Provider
 
D&D's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Blue Mountains, Australia
Boat: now skippering Syd Harbour charters
Posts: 1,557
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Quote:
Originally Posted by dennisail View Post
it takes up to 3 months to get the boat flying an AU flag.
Our experience suggests otherwise. We imported a vessel lying in Sardinia, owned by a South African and flying a South African flag, through a UK broker, to Sydney. We flew the Australian flag.

Our Australian Registration process was certainly not simple, involving heaps of forms and processes, but the people at AMSA were generally (!) helpful. It certainly did not take 3 months to achieve what we needed to set sail, but -- This could be the important bit for others considering the same or similar process -- we proceeded in two steps, the first being Provisional Australian Registration. We then completed the process into Final registration after arrival in Sydney. The Provisional Registration gave us the Australian flag for the voyage and it was readily accepted all along the way.

Perhaps the most awkward part of the process before we embarked was the Bill of Sale. The Bill of Sale was required for Provisional Registration, but we wanted to have the vessel surveyed and trialled before we completed the Bill of Sale. We were able to 'streamline' the process by completing every other step (other than the Bill of Sale) in advance with AMSA so that, when we then completed the deal, the Provisional Registration (in our case lacking only the particular vessel markings required for Australian Registration, plus a certificate from the SA Registry confirming the vessel was de-registered in South Africa) was issued virtually immediately when the Bill of Sale (sent directly by the broker) arrived with AMSA...and we set sail!
D&D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 15:29   #618
cruiser

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Brisbane AUS
Boat: Cowther 43 - Hunter 40.5
Posts: 1,006
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Good to hear. So how long do you think it would take all up? Was there a need to send snail mail back and forward repeatedly?
dennisail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 15:51   #619
D&D
Marine Service Provider
 
D&D's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Blue Mountains, Australia
Boat: now skippering Syd Harbour charters
Posts: 1,557
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Quote:
Originally Posted by dennisail View Post
how long do you think it would take all up? Was there a need to send snail mail back and forward repeatedly?
Check the AMSA website. Under the "Shipping Registration" tab there is both a lot of information, plus all the various forms required. The forms and supporting documents generally need to be lodged as originals (including the all-important Bill of Sale) so yes, there is a fair need for snail mail, but not 3 months' worth. It's also worthwhile to simply call AMSA and talk to them about your exact circumstances and plans, confirming eaxctly what they will require from you before you start the snail mail process.

Our tip would be to aim for Provisional Registration -- You then have 12 months to complete Final Registration, although there may be other time limits once your vessel is landed in Australia -- from the start. With Provisional Registration, you become an Australian flag vessel and you're ready to embark.

It's also worth mentioning here that they/AMSA are a bit more relaxed about yachts than they might be for registering a ship. So, for examples, yachts do not require tonnage assessments and they can be a bit more flexible with the marking requirements on yachts as well.

If you stay focused and persistent, it should be less than a month, possibly even only a fortnight, to put yourself in a position where you're virtually (again, however, you may not have a Bill of Sale until you're actually at your intended purchase vessel) ready to achieve Provisional Registration.
D&D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 15:59   #620
cruiser

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Brisbane AUS
Boat: Cowther 43 - Hunter 40.5
Posts: 1,006
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Thanks a lot mate
dennisail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 17:52   #621
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Brisbane
Boat: deboated
Posts: 672
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Second hand information of the worry type should always be thoroughly checked as it is often incorrect. When mailing overseas always check which method will be quickest and do not assume it will automaticly go that way especially when leaving address is places like South America etc. Pay the extra to have it go jet rather than carrier pidgeon.
meyermm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 18:39   #622
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Narragansett Bay
Boat: Able 50
Posts: 3,139
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Profound
savoir is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 19:42   #623
Registered User
 
Jimbo485's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: some ocean down under
Boat: Kelsall Suncat 40
Posts: 1,248
We have bought 2 yachts in the US and have never gone thru the Aussie rego process because it is too bureaucratic and too expensive.
__________________

Jimbo485 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 19:46   #624
Registered User
 
Jimbo485's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: some ocean down under
Boat: Kelsall Suncat 40
Posts: 1,248
Always done it thru the UK SSR, which consists of an online form and a 25 pound credit card payment. Too easy, very fast, highly efficient. Sure, we would prefer to sail around with the Aussie flag, so our Pommy ensign is pretty small and the Aussie and Chilean flags on the port shroud are much bigger. Australia still not yet being a republic is good for something. Long live Queen Lizzie!
__________________

Jimbo485 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 19:56   #625
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Narragansett Bay
Boat: Able 50
Posts: 3,139
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

At 25 quid for 5 years it becomes difficult to argue against the logic of that move.
savoir is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 19:56   #626
cruiser

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Brisbane AUS
Boat: Cowther 43 - Hunter 40.5
Posts: 1,006
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Wow thanks Jimbo. So its a straight forward process to get the UK flag flying and costs $25? That's awesome.
dennisail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 20:00   #627
Registered User
 
Jimbo485's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: some ocean down under
Boat: Kelsall Suncat 40
Posts: 1,248
You need a UK address, it is 25 quid, not dollars, must be a citizen of the Commonwealth and (in theory) spend at least 6 months per year as a UK resident.
__________________

Jimbo485 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 20:01   #628
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Narragansett Bay
Boat: Able 50
Posts: 3,139
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

There's a catch . . . . . . . . . . . there's always a catch. You need a UK address.

Got any pommy rellos ?

Dang, beaten by seconds !
savoir is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 21:04   #629
cruiser

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Brisbane AUS
Boat: Cowther 43 - Hunter 40.5
Posts: 1,006
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Easy. Nikki has a dual UK - AU citizenship. He parents live there. Plus she has relatives in the USA. So we have plenty of options now for registration. This will not only save heaps of time it will save us $1200 in AU national registration. We can get QLD reg when we get back.

Awesomeness is Awesome.
dennisail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-08-2011, 21:12   #630
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 240
Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Quote:
Originally Posted by dennisail View Post
We can get QLD reg when we get back.
Or simply don't bother. It's just another tax with no benefit other than protection from the water police handing you fines.

Depends where you are, of course. If you're near a high-traffic port or city it could become more of an issue. We were in a city-area without state rego for quite sometime. Perhaps we were lucky, but we never had any problems. Also be mindful not to speed in your dinghy or anything else that could attract unwanted attention
TrevC is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
Australia

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Importing a Boat From Canada To United States ssullivan Rules of the Road, Regulations & Red Tape 32 21-11-2017 09:14
Buying a US Boat and Importing to Canada KevinE General Sailing Forum 16 13-06-2013 16:30
Importing a Yacht from US to Australia neilrob Monohull Sailboats 51 13-09-2012 10:15
US Boat in Australia Wojo Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 15 21-01-2009 05:12
Importing a Boat to Thailand mikereed100 Rules of the Road, Regulations & Red Tape 9 30-12-2007 15:26

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:49.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.