Importing a boat from US into Canada after a delay period

[glambx]

Actually that raises an interesting question; I'm planning to circumnavigate with this boat in the next year or two. Is there actually any advantage to registering, vs. licensing? I would assume a federally registered boat might be more welcome in foreign ports.

If I were to license, I suppose I'd have to annul that before registering, so there would be another period where the boat's in limbo. Over the winter would be a good time to do it, but if the energy markets recover then I'm gone by October. I wouldn't want to have an unregistered / unlicensed boat during the summer.

[bcboomer]

I'm talked to others who have sailed the entire Pacific with only a provincial licence and had no issues.
I'm also aware that there are lots of boats in coastal BC without registration and no visible licence. I don't think a gap is anything to worry about.
It would be good to hear if any licenced boats have been hassled anywhere.
I don't want to waste money on a registration if I don't need to and I have been told that the only reason you would need it is so that a bank can lien it.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

I'm talked to others who have sailed the entire Pacific with only a provincial licence and had no issues.
I'm also aware that there are lots of boats in coastal BC without registration and no visible licence. I don't think a gap is anything to worry about.
It would be good to hear if any licenced boats have been hassled anywhere.
I don't want to waste money on a registration if I don't need to and I have been told that the only reason you would need it is so that a bank can lien it.

This is very interesting. Perhaps I should start another thread, but I've assumed that registration is necessary for international travel. I'm licensed right now, but was going to register before leaving Canada. But I'd be happy not to if it's not necessary.

[BobH260]

When the vessel is documented in Canada it is your title, you have proof you own it. A Canadian license states right on it that it does not prove ownership. Maybe a bill of sale might be accepted in a foreign port or maybe not. Often it depends on the customs inspector.

We looked at a boat for sale in Toronto. The owner only had a bill of sale. The dealer he bought from had gone out of business. It was questionable if Transport Canada would accept this bill of sale in order to document the boat. We walked away from the sale. When it comes time to sell a boat most people want proof you own it before they write the cheque.

We bought a US boat. Got very good service and help from Transport Canada. I did the tonnage survey myself, Transport Canada coached me on that. I had a documentation company handle the cancelation of the US documentation and the Canadian paper work. We used a broker and did a highseas closing. It took less than a month to transfer it over while we sat in a slip as "an undocumented Canadian vessel". Once we were documented we got a US cruising permit and sailed away. The documentation cost was less than $1000.


Bob

[Sinbad51]

You can register it as a Canadian boat and it becomes "Canadian goods not landed" and you don't pay HST until you land in Canada.

[Brunet27]

You can contact this person he will answer all your questions:


Raymond Hébert
Conseiller maritime
Hébert & Associés Conseillers Maritimes Inc.
500 boul. Gouin Est, bureau 203
Montréal, QC Canada H3L 3R9

Tel.: (514) 985-6606
Fax: (514) 985-6609
Sans frais Canada et États-Unis: (866) 531-2645

e-mail: info@hebertmaritime.com
Internet: H?bert & Associ?s Conseillers Maritimes Inc.

[dohenyboy]

State registered boats can be owned by non-US citizens. Federally documented boats cannot without some legal maneuvers.
Big difference,
Most foreigners who want to save time and money register the boat in Delaware. Cheap and easy and then you could move it to Canada registration at your leisure.




Sent from an undisclosed location on the high seas or from the lounge chair by the pool, you decide.

[BobH260]

Originally Posted by dohenyboy

State registered boats can be owned by non-US citizens. Federally documented boats cannot without some legal maneuvers.
Big difference,
Most foreigners who want to save time and money register the boat in Delaware. Cheap and easy and then you could move it to Canada registration at your leisure.




Sent from an undisclosed location on the high seas or from the lounge chair by the pool, you decide.

It would be interesting if the vessel would be considered foreign and then require a US cruising permit.

Anyone purchasing a used boat and expecting to get Canadian registration should probably check with the Canadian Registrar concerning what is required to prove ownership. We submitted the original "statement of origin" from the manufacturer, bill of sale to first owner, Bill of sale to second owner, Bill of sale to us. This all agreed with the US Coastguard documentation for the vessel. It seems they are looking for proven ownership thread from manufacturer to present owner. It could be an issue with an older boat that was never previously documented.

The local US customs office holds our Canadian documentation document when we have the boat hauled each summer. They also require we have a cruising permit even though the the boat is hauled !

Bob