Sailing from USA to Australia

[savoir]

It isn't according to me, it is according to the Australian Customs. I don't get this info from some old guy in the corner of the yacht club bar.

General import duty on a yacht is 5% and yachts manufactured in USA or NZ are exempt. GST (like VAT) is 10% and there are no exemptions. All you can do is wander the Pacific for a few years after leaving USA and depreciate the boat. Getting 3 months a year in Australia for the boat will be easy and more is possible on and off for up to 4 years. Think about parking the boat alternately in Noumea and Vila and flying up twice a year for a little tropical sailing. It's only a 3 hour flight from Sydney. More info not according to me

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/re...Smallcraft.pdf

By the way, in San Diego I paid my agent + the owner's agent + diesel to settle offshore and I have receipts and photgraphs (without me in them) to prove it. After that why would I pay for a return trip to Ensenada when I could stay in SD and carry out repairs vital to the safety of the boat ? Yup, receipts there too. Is it my fault that the parts took 4 months to come from Sweden or Terra del Fuego or someplace ?

[donradcliffe]

The Polynesian waters are the best cruising grounds in the world, IMHO. You will not regret the trip. Whether you come from the east coast via the Canal or the west coast, plan on arriving in the Marquesas about the first of May, and Australia by the first of November.

[Johnathon123]

Originally Posted by savoir

It isn't according to me, it is according to the Australian Customs. I don't get this info from some old guy in the corner of the yacht club bar.

General import duty on a yacht is 5% and yachts manufactured in USA or NZ are exempt. GST (like VAT) is 10% and there are no exemptions. All you can do is wander the Pacific for a few years after leaving USA and depreciate the boat. Getting 3 months a year in Australia for the boat will be easy and more is possible on and off for up to 4 years. Think about parking the boat alternately in Noumea and Vila and flying up twice a year for a little tropical sailing. It's only a 3 hour flight from Sydney. More info not according to me

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/re...Smallcraft.pdf

By the way, in San Diego I paid my agent + the owner's agent + diesel to settle offshore and I have receipts and photgraphs (without me in them) to prove it. After that why would I pay for a return trip to Ensenada when I could stay in SD and carry out repairs vital to the safety of the boat ? Yup, receipts there too. Is it my fault that the parts took 4 months to come from Sweden or Terra del Fuego or someplace ?

Thanks for the info. The link doesn't appear to work. Did you have another?

[Capt Phil]

That is even better news than I understood from your previous reply, Savior... many thanks for correcting my misunderstanding. I knew I would be on the hook for GST based on the valuation but until you mentioned it I thought it had to be performed by Australian Customs. The point I was making about the offshore delivery was for 99% of the sales in San Diego, the new owners have no intention of immediately setting sail for god knows where but want to avoid paying sales tax legally. Hence the burgeoning trade in delivering these boats to Ensenada for the requisite 90 days to avoid CA sales tax. Having purchased several boats offshore and delivering many more after the offshore sale was completed, I got to know first hand what the rules were. A lot of new owners were not interested in living aboard and many were not competent enough to take their boats south on their own. Entry into Mexico was also a hassle before the Marina management took it on themselves to handle the paperwork. i understand that that has now changed and the owner/delivery skipper must visit migration, Mexican Customs and Port Captain in person in Ensenada as they used to do year ago. This may vary from port to port in Mexico. Anyway, thanks for the info on getting a boat into Australia... very helpful... Capt Phil

[savoir]

Try this one

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/re...Smallcraft.pdf

Would you believe the correct address has a spelling error ? Darned civil servants ! Dopey me spelled it correctly. Grrrrrr !

[Johnathon123]

Originally Posted by savoir

Try this one

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/re...Smallcraft.pdf

Would you believe the correct address has a spelling error ? Darned civil servants ! Dumb trusting me spelled it correctly. Grrrrrr !

Thanks

And yes I certainly can believe it

[Kordie]

I am hoping to buy a West Coast yacht very shortly.

Can anyone advise me the best way to get my AUD$100K to the seller? I will be negotiating a final price subject to survey so a bank cheque drawn before leaving wont be flexible enough.

My bank will allow TT of AUD$20K at a time but not sure how favourable their rates are.

Any advice?

Simon

[savoir]

Go to your branch and fill out forms and sign lots of stuff. The whole thing takes about 30 mins. You ask for a foreign exchange payment. Be sure to have the recipient's account numbers with you. It is called either a SWIFT number or an IBAN number. Every broker has an account for this purpose.

You might need to reset your upper daily withdrawal limit in advance depending on the account rules.

There will of course be fees and charges. It is a bank after all.

[Capt Phil]

Kordie... I believe a couple of major Australian Banks have relationships with US banks such as Bank of America. If you checked with the main downtown Sydney offices, they could tell you which ones they have a working connection with. They can wire transfer to the US bank who would hold funds in escrow until you released them here. My Bros-in-law bought a helicopter that way a few years back ut don't recall which banks he used. Capt Phil

[Nauticatarcher]

Originally Posted by Kordie

I am hoping to buy a West Coast yacht very shortly.

Can anyone advise me the best way to get my AUD$100K to the seller? I will be negotiating a final price subject to survey so a bank cheque drawn before leaving wont be flexible enough.

My bank will allow TT of AUD$20K at a time but not sure how favourable their rates are.

Any advice?

Simon

Have a look at Ozforex, much better exchange rate than banks, used them to bring some money from NZ saved me a few thousand

[Aussie_Sequoia]

Westpac has an agreement with Bank of America which reduces the fees for many types of transactions in relation to currency exchange and transferring monies internationally... I don't know about *large* transfers though

[savoir]

Originally Posted by Nauticatarcher

Have a look at Ozforex, much better exchange rate than banks, used them to bring some money from NZ saved me a few thousand

Good post. Those guys are 2.2% cheaper than my bank.

[VirtualVagabond]

I believe this mob is really good too.
XE - XE Trade™ Payments and Transfers

They guarantee to have the best exchange rates.

Vic

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

I believe this mob is really good too.
XE - XE Trade™ Payments and Transfers

They guarantee to have the best exchange rates.

Vic

So, Vic, whadda they do?... give you double your money back?

Cheers,

Jim

[Kordie]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

So, Vic, whadda they do?... give you double your money back?

Cheers,

Jim

Perhaps they match the better rate ?