Changing registration

[Sangamo]

Greetings all,

just bought myself a '68 Columbia 34 in California and looking for some advice on changing ownership and flag. Currently she's flying US flag but like to change to UK flag. Not sure what the whole procedure is?
Thanks in advance
Rik

[anglooff]

Dear Sangamo,

Welcome aboard. As a Scot I can't help but empathise with your desire but both the full and small ship registration needs some British connection. You will find all the details within the link below.


UK Ship Register - Contact Us

Regards

Alan

[Sangamo]

Thanks Anglooff,

From what I understood having a European passport is sufficient. I called an agency in Gibraltar yesterday (Yacht Documentation and Company Formation Services.) and they said they could arrange everything within a wk for a 1000GBP, that includes arranging Bill of sales, tonnage conversion or something like that... to getting my Gib flag. Basically from A-Z. Does that sound reasonable? Bought the boat for us$10000 !

Greetings
Rik

[anglooff]

Actually being a European passport holder isn't quite enough, as I understand it.... By the way the boat looks nice and I hope you have many good adventures together!

To return to the point. AIUI.... You can exercise your right under the EU rules to register under the UK full register Part II ( I believe) but not the SSR PART III. (Which requires some residencial or business/ tax paying connection). This is unfortuneate as it is very easy to obtain, valid for five years and costs about 60 pounds.

Part II which I believe is called the Full registration, requires the Bill of Sale, verification of change/deletion of ownership by the existing registry. (I am assuming the US) and they will require a certificate from a lloyds approved surveyor regarding weight and dimensions. With that, should you have a name not otherwise used, you will pay I believe around 150 pounds.

1000 pounds seem steep to me... I don't have any idea what surveyor will cost in the USA, but once you have it its only postge. The website I attached isn't very user friendly, but if you go to the very bottom of the page and click around there then I believe all your answers and costs will be revealed and you can make a better judgement call.

Finally if you hold an EU passport...what country....They all have their own registries and as such you may find not only much cheaper but quicker. There have been quite a few threads regarding boat registration posted recently which you should access. I changed the registry on my recent purchase simple because I was not allowed to hold the registry (Austrian)without some Austrian connection. I don't believe that is the same in the USA if you are resident there and will be mainly sailing within their waters/area...actually it would probably be better.

Anyway I hope the above hs been helpful

Regards

Alan