Selling a US Flagged Sailboat in England?

[Tupaia]

Here's to the crazy ones.

[libspero]

So, if I understand correctly, it is essentially impossible to import any boat into the UK from outside the EU without it complying with current CE standards? Which presumably none of them will if they are old or built for the US market.

Bit of a pain as the boat I would like to own is a US “classic plastic”. There’s no way it would meet current CE standards being built in the 80s for the US market. I expected to need to pay VAT, but didn’t think it would be outright banned 😐

[Clivevon]

Originally Posted by libspero

So, if I understand correctly, it is essentially impossible to import any boat into the UK from outside the EU without it complying with current CE standards? Which presumably none of them will if they are old or built for the US market.

Bit of a pain as the boat I would like to own is a US “classic plastic”. There’s no way it would meet current CE standards being built in the 80s for the US market. I expected to need to pay VAT, but didn’t think it would be outright banned 😐

I’ not entirely sure that is true. It seems to me that you could sail the boat into UK, & after a while you would need to pay VAT, but you could carry on using it here. You could certainly register it here under SSR if you are entitled to do so as a British national. So you could sail to France, Holland, whatever.
You just couldnt sell the boat in UK or EU without getting it certificated to CE standards. Which as far as i am aware are pretty common sense standards anyway.requirements

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by libspero

So, if I understand correctly, it is essentially impossible to import any boat into the UK from outside the EU without it complying with current CE standards? Which presumably none of them will if they are old or built for the US market.

Bit of a pain as the boat I would like to own is a US “classic plastic”. There’s no way it would meet current CE standards being built in the 80s for the US market. I expected to need to pay VAT, but didn’t think it would be outright banned 😐

Its not outright banned.. an inspector/surveyor looks over your boat and makes a list of things you have to fix.. ie gas locker vent, safety labels etc..

[libspero]

Originally Posted by Clivevon

I’ not entirely sure that is true. It seems to me that you could sail the boat into UK, & after a while you would need to pay VAT, but you could carry on using it here. You could certainly register it here under SSR if you are entitled to do so as a British national. So you could sail to France, Holland, whatever.
You just couldnt sell the boat in UK or EU without getting it certificated to CE standards. Which as far as i am aware are pretty common sense standards anyway.requirements

Thanks Clivevon,

The legal aspects of boat hunting are by far the most daunting and probably need detailed examination when the time arrives.

I don't have an issue with CE (or any other standards) per se.. I'm sure they are very sensible. But I don't really understand the implications on buying/selling old boats that weren't originally built with those standards in mind. I guess it just means, as I think you are eluding to, that the sale would need to take place off-shore and then the boat reimported by the new owner under SSR which seems a huge unnecessary faff but is perhaps just "the way"?

[Clivevon]

SSR is nothing at all to do with selling the boat. Seems just to be a piece of paper that foreign customs will be happy to see. Cant think of anything else it does.
Dont see why good 80s built boats shouldnt pass CE.

Easier to work with system, why try to buck it? These things are like steamrollers - you can lie down in front of them but you flatter yourself (groan) if you think they will notice the bump as they pass over you.

[libspero]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Its not outright banned.. an inspector/surveyor looks over your boat and makes a list of things you have to fix.. ie gas locker vent, safety labels etc..

I guess the question is, how extensive is that list? For example would it require full re-wire to meet EU vs US cable/colour conventions? Would it require a full re power to meet modern emissions regulations?

Perhaps impossible wasn’t fair comment, perhaps infeasible would be more accurate.. at least compared to an existing EU/UK boat that isn’t required to meet the same recertification standards (if I have understood correctly)?

[libspero]

Originally Posted by Clivevon

Dont see why good 80s built boats shouldnt pass CE.

Easier to work with system, why try to buck it? These things are like steamrollers - you can lie down in front of them but you flatter yourself (groan) if you think they will notice the bump as they pass over you.

Perhaps I’m confusing CE with RCD.. but I thought new standards were quite strict? I don’t imagine for example that a boat with an old 80s diesel would meet current emissions standards if it were required to be re-certified today. Or perhaps I’m wrong?

It’s not so much about trying to buck the system, as understanding what the system is and the implication / practicality of purchasing a non-EU boat if recertification to modern standards is automatically required for them but isn’t for similar vintages of EU boat. The whole area is a bit confusing. Perhaps someone’s written a book on it 😐