Info Needed on US Cruising Permit

[IreCraEra]

A little while ago I purchased a boat down in the states and its registered in Maryland. I'm from Canada and the plan is to drive down to where the boat is and then sail it to the Caribbean. I was wondering if someone can tell me what the procedure would be for leaving the USA... do I need to check out?...will I need a cruising permit even though I'm only going to be there for around a week (most of that time spent at the dock)? ect...

[Vasco]

No need to check out when leaving US. Did you re-register the boat as a Canadian vessel? State registration might pose a problem for a Canadian when you get to another country..

[IreCraEra]

No. I had it state registered. Although if I had my time back I think I would have coughed up the extra money for the Canadian taxes.

Do I not have to check out because its an American vessel?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by IreCraEra

No. I had it state registered. Although if I had my time back I think I would have coughed up the extra money for the Canadian taxes.

Do I not have to check out because its an American vessel?

No, pleasure craft do not need to clear out when leaving the US.

You can get the boat registered as a Canadian vessel without paying Canadian taxes (HST,GST, Prov.sales tax etc., etc.) if you do not bring the boat into Canada.

A US boat (State registered or Fed documented) does not need a cruising permit.

Being a Canadian sailing a US State registered boat may cause problems in foreign countries. What flag do you intend flying?

[IreCraEra]

From what I've been reading on here if I have an American boat I'm not allowed to fly the Canadian flag.

[Vasco]

So how do you fly a Canadian flag on a non-Canadian boat? Like I said before, you might have problems once you leave the US.

[IreCraEra]

If I understand people correctly on some of the threads here then I'm not required to fly my country's flag. Do you know if this is correct?

[highseas]

Don't most canadians that buy boats in the states register them in Canada?If travelling internationally,documentation of the vessel is required.

[IreCraEra]

Quite a few people travel the world with only state registration. From what I've read only certain Countries give you trouble. If I had registered the boat it Canada the tax is almost tripled. I didn't realize that I wouldn't have to pay the tax unless I returned here with the boat. If I had of known that I definitely would have registered it here. But its too late now as ill be leaving in a week or so.

If I have too much trouble when I go south then the next time I'm back in Canada I'll get it registered here.

If anyone has any info on whether flying a big Canadian flag on the back of a United States register boat would cause problems I'd love to hear it.

[Vasco]

Most Canadians sailing in the US (other than those with permanent residency status) have boats registered in Canada. The process is fairly straight forward.
Registration of Vessels - Transport Canada

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by IreCraEra

Quite a few people travel the world with only state registration.

This might be so but they are citizens of that country, not citizens of another country.

[HRDC]

Will try to make this simple(!!). You can register your boat in Canada as an "in bond" boat, that is if you have no intention to sail in Canadian waters. In that case, no taxes are levied even if the boat is registered in Canada. And you'll be able to fly the red maple leaf. See Transports Canada's website where all the info lies - pretty comprehensive. You would the need a cruising license (sometimes calles permit) to sail in US waters. You could apply for it before you leave - preferably - since you'd fly the Canadian flag. But if you keep the boat registered in a US state, as a Can citizen, you should verify what this would entail upon your reentry in US waters...
The procedure for registering in Canada is pretty straigt forward and all the appropriate forms are on TC's website. Cost of processing is around 200 and paperwork can be done quite easily as long as ou have all proper documents proving ownership and that the boat is free of any lien. You also have to submit a name. You'll get a "blue book" for the boat, the same as a ship. This is the US equivalent of a "documented" vessel. If you bought your boat through a borker, he should be able to help out with the needed paperwork. Good luck!

[boatman61]

I bought a US boat in Oriental NC and registered it in the UK....
I had to go down to US Customs in Moorehead City and have it de-registered and all documents stamped...
Ask the folks who can bust ya... not folks who have never done it... it only takes a phone call costing cents...
One thing tho'... if the boat was US built it can go in and out as many times with no worries... you however may not....
The above assumes I understood the question correctly...

[sailingaway221]

You always fly the flag of registration on the back flag pole... the country you are visiting on the stbd flag pole.. and the country flag of the people on the port flag pole... that would be where you would fly the Canadian flag. No problem anywhere at all having a boat registered in a different country than the owners nationality.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by sailingaway221

You always fly the flag of registration on the back flag pole... the country you are visiting on the stbd flag pole.. and the country flag of the people on the port flag pole... that would be where you would fly the Canadian flag. No problem anywhere at all having a boat registered in a different country than the owners nationality.

The habit of using the port cross-trees to fly miscellaneous flags is not an official use.

The only Ensign worn is that of the flag state of the vessel. It matters not a wit what nationality the owner is, that's why he or she has a passport.

Dave