Circumnavigation in USA purchased sailboat but by UK citizen.

[SEAHORSES2]

I live in Glasgow (Scotland) and have a British passport.
I anticipate getting a USA non-immigrant tourist visa B1/B2.
Then I hope to fly to New York and purchase a used circa 1980, 41ft sailboat, get bill of ownership and registration in my name before sailing over the pond to Gibraltar, through the Suez Canal, circumnavigating and returning to San Francisco where I will sell the sailboat and return to Scotland.
Is this plan possible or will I incur fathomless USA export formalities?

Thank you in advance for your ideas/recommendations.

[krid2000]

In case you buy in Florida, this post might be of interest to you.
I guess the process could be similar in other states.

HTH
Dirk

[SEAHORSES2]

That is very interesting!

Many thanks Dirk

Fair winds

[donradcliffe]

Most people go around the other direction, because the trade winds blow east to west.

[SEAHORSES2]

I was waiting for someone to pick that error up.
Jolly good.
I have revised my sail plan and would go through the Panama Canal first.
Many thanks.

Fair winds

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by SEAHORSES2

I was waiting for someone to pick that error up.
Jolly good.
I have revised my sail plan and would go through the Panama Canal first.
Many thanks.

Fair winds

Some of us were too polite to mention it.
BTW my boat - ex UK -got as far as the South Atlantic via Suez, Thailand, NZ etc.
Do-able if you want to.
And there are better places to sell than back in the US.
If its a decent boat then Chile is one.

[SEAHORSES2]

EL, Thanks very much for that info.

Chile looks great.

My plan is to not fall foul of any taxes in the US on exit and that's why returning the sail boat to the US could be key.

[Ballsnall]

Originally Posted by SEAHORSES2

My plan is to not fall foul of any taxes in the US on exit and that's why returning the sail boat to the US could be key.

It's not export taxes you need to worry about, it's the import taxes you will be liable for when you import the vessel into the country where you wish to sell it.

[boatman61]

If its an American built boat it's my understanding that it remains an American boat regardless of flag so import taxes back into the US should not apply.
But cannot swear to it.

[SEAHORSES2]

Thanks Boatman that would be logical but I wonder if the US authorities might have a time limit regarding temporarily exported/absent vessels acquired by a foreigner?
Thanks again.

[boatman61]

That was not my understanding from the C&I in Morehead City with regard to my Hunter 37 back in '05 and flagged her UK.. mind, things may have changed since then.

[SEAHORSES2]

Yes hopefully there has been no change since then.
Many thanks and fair winds.