Expired Cruising Permit - Now What?

[OverboardDavid]

I discovered to my horror that my cruising permit for my 48' catamaran expired a couple of months ago. The boat is still in a U.S. yard undergoing modifications (holding tanks are being installed) where she has been all winter. (I did notify Homeland Security when I moved the boat to its current location.) Although built in the U.S. and therefore not subject to an import duty, she is registered in the BVI. When I last obtained a cruising permit, the issuing officer told me that the rules were somewhat different for a U.S. built boat owned by a U.S. citizen. Can anyone advise me about what the best course of action is to renew the permit or register the boat in the U.S. My preference is to avoid leaving the U.S. although I would be happy to go off-shore a sufficient distance and then re-enter the States and go through the correct clearance procedures. Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.