Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 13-08-2016, 06:21   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 832
Legal status of ship master

My boat will be owned under a registered company, not in my personal name. However, when sailing to foreign ports there will need to be a letter of authorization recognizing that the captain (me) has full authority (as owners representative) to operate the boat, especially in foreign ports.

The concern is ensuring that foreign countries do not question that perhaps the boat is being chartered or being used in some commercial purpose, which of course would cause legal and tax difficulties.

Has anyone had this situation?
mako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2016, 06:33   #2
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2012
Boat: Tayana 58 DS
Posts: 763
Re: Legal status of ship master

Our boat is owned by/documented/registered to an LLC for which I am managing director. I have never had a problem clearing in perhaps a dozen places. In the few places that asked, I pointed out that the address on the documentation matches my home address.

If they were to insist on a letter, I could write one. No one but our insurer has asked for our articles of incorporation.
accomplice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2016, 07:08   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,480
Re: Legal status of ship master

Same set up for me. Never been a problem regarding suspected commercial use.

I keep copies of an authorization letter in the ships papers. Have only been asked for it twice.
belizesailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2016, 09:28   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 832
Re: Legal status of ship master

Ok seems to make sense. My little bit of concern comes from the fact that I have Italian citizenship as well. So when sailing into the EU I need to detach myself from any sort of ownership of the boat. Suppose I can have the owner rep papers signed by a law firm back home. Lots of stamps and seals and signatures will help make it look legit.
mako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2016, 09:58   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bellingham
Boat: Outbound 44
Posts: 9,319
Re: Legal status of ship master

Get a fancy boat stamp. Write a letter designating you as the master. Stamp away and initial over the stamp. Most places that care about the these details are overly impressed by stamps.
__________________
Paul
Paul L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2016, 10:02   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 832
Re: Legal status of ship master

That's right Paul. Real 3rd world mentality, but stamps, seals and signatures on all sorts of BS documents have gotten me through a lot of gov't hassles in Syria, the Middle East and India.

Europe isn't much different
mako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2016, 11:57   #7
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,480
Re: Legal status of ship master

Quote:
Originally Posted by makobuilders View Post
That's right Paul. Real 3rd world mentality, but stamps, seals and signatures on all sorts of BS documents have gotten me through a lot of gov't hassles in Syria, the Middle East and India.

Europe isn't much different
Yes, works well in Central America too.

I have a cheap, but official looking, corporate stamp which anyone could have made up, that works wonders. Its actually required on some documents in Belize. Have a fancy embosser too if I really need to impress them.

And bam!, bam!, bam!, the officiials in CA love to slam their stamps down.
belizesailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2016, 12:55   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bellingham
Boat: Outbound 44
Posts: 9,319
Re: Legal status of ship master

Quote:
Originally Posted by belizesailor View Post
Yes, works well in Central America too.

I have a cheap, but official looking, corporate stamp which anyone could have made up, that works wonders. Its actually required on some documents in Belize. Have a fancy embosser too if I really need to impress them.

And bam!, bam!, bam!, the officiials in CA love to slam their stamps down.
Yea funny, it is not just CA that these work in. I used ours for a letter to the passport agency in Los Angeles - worked well.
__________________
Paul
Paul L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2016, 08:30   #9
Registered User
 
S/V Alchemy's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Nova Scotia until Spring 2021
Boat: Custom 41' Steel Pilothouse Cutter
Posts: 4,976
Re: Legal status of ship master

Quote:
Originally Posted by makobuilders View Post
Ok seems to make sense. My little bit of concern comes from the fact that I have Italian citizenship as well. So when sailing into the EU I need to detach myself from any sort of ownership of the boat. Suppose I can have the owner rep papers signed by a law firm back home. Lots of stamps and seals and signatures will help make it look legit.
Careful about time limits and VAT. I have dual UK/Canadian and our boat is federally registered as Canadian, but entering the UK on my UK passport for convenience and maybe picking up a bit of work complicates things for my non-UK wife and son.
__________________
Can't sail? Read about our travels at https://alchemyonpassage.blogspot.com/. Can't sleep? Read www.alchemy2009.blogspot.com for fast relief. Can't read? Avoid www.volumesofsalt.blogspot.com, because it's just personal reviews of sea books.
S/V Alchemy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2016, 10:11   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 832
Re: Legal status of ship master

Do you recall if there is still a 30 day exemption for EU residents bringing in vessels?
mako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2016, 11:11   #11
Senior Cruiser

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cruising Indian Ocean / Red Sea - home is Zimbabwe
Boat: V45
Posts: 1,352
Re: Legal status of ship master

....and also get one of the old kids style 'Bulldog' printing kits and bottles of blue, red and black ink. It really adds to the authenticity. This way you can 'write' your own rubber stamp.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul L View Post
Get a fancy boat stamp. Write a letter designating you as the master. Stamp away and initial over the stamp. Most places that care about the these details are overly impressed by stamps.
Bulawayo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2016, 15:06   #12
Retired musician & 50T master
 
Symphony's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ct
Boat: Pisces 21
Posts: 695
Re: Legal status of ship master

the fun of travel: rubber stamps and embossers!
__________________
"In my experience travelers generally exaggerate the difficulties of the way." - Thoreau
Symphony is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2016, 15:55   #13
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,538
Re: Legal status of ship master

Your insurance policy should show you (a human) as an additional named insured along with your company (LLC, Corp., etc.) that is the legal owner. In a lawsuit you (as a human) will always be personally named as a defendant as well as the entity that actually owns a boat, car, airplane, house, business, rental property or whatever.
jmschmidt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2016, 16:57   #14
Registered User
 
Blue Stocking's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: St. Georges, Bda
Boat: Rhodes Reliant 41ft
Posts: 4,131
Re: Legal status of ship master

--- and hope that the lowly-thought-of official that has to clear you in, is not a follower of CF. Being a native of one of the Islands so often visited, I am always amazed at the arrogance often displayed here.
__________________
so many projects--so little time !!
Blue Stocking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2016, 17:31   #15
Senior Cruiser
 
boatman61's Avatar

Community Sponsor
Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,581
Images: 2
pirate Re: Legal status of ship master

ROFLMFAO...
After reading this.. I'm amazed I managed to deliver boats around the world with zero hassle...
__________________

It was a dark and stormy night and the captain of the ship said.. "Hey Jim, spin us a yarn." and the yarn began like this.. "It was a dark and stormy night.."
boatman61 is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
legal, mast

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
Crew Available: master ship < 500 gt looking vacancy cptn.km Crew Archives 0 25-12-2012 18:00
Legal Obligations - Captain / Master Private Vessel pete33458 Rules of the Road, Regulations & Red Tape 26 25-01-2012 09:22
Legal Status of CM93 Charts ? saildestiny Navigation 15 30-01-2011 05:27

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:42.


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.