NZ cruisers CAT 1

[spook07]

Hey all
First time poster. Currently looking to buy a boat in nz. My question is if buying a nz registered boat in NZ as a New Zealand citizen is it still possible to have its NZ registry removed and register it one of the many offshore countries to avoid having to go through CAT 1?
Im not talking about avoiding having a fully capable vessel, crew or safety systems at all, just the ridiculous bureaucracy.
Cheers all

[Searles]

Not a good scenario, I expect the NZ authorities could and would answer these questions ,but it’s your life .☹️

[spook07]

thanks for the reply but didn't really offer up much information there?

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by spook07

Hey all

First time poster. Currently looking to buy a boat in nz. My question is if buying a nz registered boat in NZ as a New Zealand citizen is it still possible to have its NZ registry removed and register it one of the many offshore countries to avoid having to go through CAT 1?

Im not talking about avoiding having a fully capable vessel, crew or safety systems at all, just the ridiculous bureaucracy.

Cheers all

Nothing that a quick review of https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/conte...on/default.asp and several other related official sites shows that a NZ owned pleasure boat must be registered with NZ. The review also shows that Cat 1 applies only to NZ registered boats that are departing NZ.

So, unlike Australia as an example (Australian citizens anywhere in the world must register boats that they own in the Australian registry), after your purchase you should be able to get the boat deregistered by the previous owner, then register it through the country of your choice where you’re eligible to register.

Talk to the broker in the first instance; they’re probably very familiar with changes of registration. For certainty, contact Maritime NZ and/or Yachting NZ directly. Better to get your legal advice from the horses’ mouths than some random internet users.

[VikiMoore]

Don't be afraid of Cat 1. There is a lot of fearmongering around yachties about the process but it is actually very simple and all the things on their list of requirements in my opinion are things you wouldn't want to go without!

I run the Island Cruising yacht rally, so help people through the process every day, and I've seen a lot of the things that break and can go wrong on boats making the passage to the Islands.

Cat 1 is gold standard, and by going through the process and having an inspection, you can be assured that you've done everything you can to prepare you, your crew and your vessel for the adventures ahead. I've seen a few examples this year of boats that didn't have Cat 1 and the near misses they had with various breakages through cutting corners.

Yes people do register offshore to avoid the process, but this can shoot you in the foot. Remember when the borders closed and only NZ vessels were allowed to enter? The vessel registration is like a passport for a yacht. Your boat becomes a little floating part of that country and the NZ laws apply on board your boat. Things can quickly become very complicated if you get in to trouble somewhere along the way. Keep it simple I reckon.

Island Cruising helps people work through the Cat 1 process to go offshore, we make the process super easy, and break all the steps down in to bite sized pieces. happy to help if you have any questions. Cheers Viki - info@islandcruising.nz https://www.islandcruising.nz/about

[Grattaway]

I assume you are wanting to depart NZ otherwise Cat 1 not strictly required

I also understood that current registration automatically terminates on sale

If its Cat 1 you are asking about in relation to sailing out of NZ then the kicker is that the inspection rules apply to boats owned by NZ citizens as well as NZ registered boats. so you can see away to avoid the process.
Also you could just avoid the bureaucratic process but will still need to get customs clearance which could be denied if you havent completed Cat 1 so a risk.

You could sail away without either (if you are a kiwi on your kiwi boat) but the risk is that arrival country might say no entry as no paperwork -and you can guarantee that NZ will throw the sink at you if you have to come back to NZ and didnt officially leave correctly - they would have a field day
and yes broker should be able to point you in the direction of an expert that has been through the process before - authorities wont be that helpful

Good luck with the purchase

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Grattaway

…

I also understood that current registration automatically terminates on sale

If its Cat 1 you are asking about in relation to sailing out of NZ then the kicker is that the inspection rules apply to boats owned by NZ citizens as well as NZ registered boats. …

Two not correct statements here.

(1) Vessel registration doesn’t automatically terminate. It remains with the vessel until deleted or expires. It can be transferred to the new owner if they are eligible. If the new owner wants or needs to change the registration it must be deleted by the previous owner before it can be registered by the new owner with another country.

(2) Cat 1 only applies to NZ registered yachts according to the official website referenced above. Do you have a reference that states that Cat 1 applies to yachts of any other registration? There is nothing in the Cat 1 regulations that says that Cat 1 applies to owner’s citizenship.

[Grattaway]

Maritime NZ web site says -
If the new owner wants to have a Part B registration, they must apply for a new registration.

If a ship registered in Part B is sold, or the ownership changes in any other way, the registration comes to an end.

and their flowchart for those that need to register show that if you are a NZ citizen you need to register - I know that is not strictly the rules but what they want to see happen
https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/conte...-flowchart.pdf