Florida resident - want to buy a boat in California

[Cheechako]

Why would you consider it a tax avoidance scheme?.. he's taking his boat out of state and country.

[dohenyboy]

"Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes."
Judge Learned Hand, in Helvering v. Gregory, 69 F.2d 809, 810-11 (2d Cir. 1934)

Likewise, "Over and over again courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging one's affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everybody does so, rich or poor; and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands: taxes are enforced exactions, not voluntary contributions. To demand more in the name of morals is mere cant."
Commissioner v. Newman, 159 F2d 848 (1947).

[billmayse]

Yes buy a coast guard documented vessel, you have a certain amount of time, the board of equalization has all the rules. If you purchase offshore and sail to Mexico for 90 days, you can travel back to California. Use you homeport of Florida for documentation, you can also stay in California for provisioning and repairs for a certain length of time, you need to leave without stopping except for emergency, buy a boat in Hawaii, no sales tax on used boat, happen to have a tayana 52 for sail, could sail it to California.

[autumnbreeze27]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Why would you consider it a tax avoidance scheme?.. he's taking his boat out of state and country.

If you add that guy to your ignore list nothing of value will be lost.

If you have no intention of keeping the boat in CA the best advice in this thread is to do the offshore delivery in MX, as already described. If you do anything in CA they will come after you, even after you leave, unless you have all your ducks in a row. If you're in a slip on 1/1 expect to pay a tax on the mud under the boat as well.