Buy a Sailboat in Australia or NZ for Liveaboard in NZ

[freetime]

I want to stay atleast 6 mounths in NZ and maybe move to NZ. But i want to feel free so i can sail away if i want.

What kind of rules is it for a swedish citizen for this kind of thing.

And prices....

[Boracay]

There is a New Zealand Immigration website that may answer some of your questions.

Without knowing your position it is hard to answer your question, but on a global scale, New Zealand boats look to be expensive. Better to buy in the US and sail there if you can do that.

As with all major moves it may be advisable to live in NZ for a while before burning any bridges.

NZ v's Sweden. Hmmm. Do you like Rugby Union, Cricket, Lamb and Kiwifruit?

[Steve Pope]

NZ yacht prices like everywhere are negotiable, Now is a good time to buy as there is nothing happening due to the depressed market. There is every type of yacht available depending on your bank balance. Any problems would have to do with visa's / immigration issues rather than your owning a local boat. If you have a skill that is needed in NZ you will find all doors open a lot more easily than if you are a truck driver or garbage collector, unless of course you have a "lot" of money then there is an immigration class that allows you to buy your way in. (legally)

[roger.waite]

In addition to immigration requirements, if you want to leave NZ in a NZ registered vessel you will need Category 1 certification. This covers the suitability of vessel & crew to cross the greatest ocean in the world, and can be a tad onerous.

Opinions may well differ on the need for the law, but it is the law here.

NZ's Category 1 restrictions do not apply to foreign flagged vessels, but I think I have read that non US citizens have to reflag a US registered boat. (I am sure others will put me right if I am wrong on US registration ...)

One option at current exchange rates may be buying an Australian vessel and sailing it across ...

[freetime]

Thanks kiwis....

I can´t buy any boat before autumn 2009... So i have time to find out...

I don´t have the money to buy me in to NZ....But i working on it....hihi

[Weyalan]

So long as you have the relevant visas for the duration of your stay in NZ, I don't suppose that the government / immigration / customs will give a damn where you choose to live. Once you arrive and are processed, you can go out anfd buy a boat, live on it, sell it, or not, pretty much as you please.
(Caveat - the above is just supposition)

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by roger.waite

In addition to immigration requirements, if you want to leave NZ in a NZ registered vessel you will need Category 1 certification. This covers the suitability of vessel & crew to cross the greatest ocean in the world, and can be a tad onerous.

This will only apply if the Swedish citizen being the majority owner of the boat holds dual citizenship as a New Zealander and decides to place the boat on the NZ register of ships rather than the Swedish register of ships (or on any other register to which he is entitled). If he does not hold NZ citizenship then he cannot put the boat on the NZ register and again the Category 1 requirement won't apply.

If the boat purchased in NZ is on the NZ register of ships and the new majority owner is not a NZ citizen then the boat must be removed from the register. This is a requirement similar to those of all other countrys' registers.

[roger.waite]

Thanks for that clarification. For Freetime (who says he may want to take a NZ boat abroad) the answer then becomes "check out how you re-register the boat" rather than "check out Category 1 requirements".

So if I buy a boat overseas and have to re-register it in NZ, when does the requirement for Cat 1 apply? My understanding is it is a legal requirement for NZ registered ships leaving NZ, not a requirement for all NZ ships moving across oceans. (Accepting that skippers must have a well found boat, etc)

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by roger.waite

So if I buy a boat overseas and have to re-register it in NZ, when does the requirement for Cat 1 apply? My understanding is it is a legal requirement for NZ registered ships leaving NZ, not a requirement for all NZ ships moving across oceans. (Accepting that skippers must have a well found boat, etc)

It applies only upon departure from NZ. So, for example, one can buy a boat in the USA and put it on the NZ register then sail it to NZ and there is no inspection requirement for that voyage.

(The latest version of the NZ version of the Category 1 requirement is available as a pdf file on the Yachting NZ website - the current url is Safety Regulations and look for the "clicking here" instruction almost at the bottom of the page. Note that for cruising boats the inspector can apply discretion - from the feedback I get I think the level of discretion shown is inversely proportional to the inspector's knowledge ).