De-register USCG boat & register in NZ (whilst living in BVI)

[NZ1737]

Hi all,
I’m a Kiwi on my way to BVI for work and looking at buying an inexpensive small yacht (25-30ft) and have a couple of questions after trawling through the various forums.
On the assumption that I buy a US Virgin Islands registered yacht and being a non US citizen, I understand that the steps would include?
· Previous owner de-registers with USCG
· I register under Part B of New Zealand Shipping Register
· Pay the yearly BVI import waiver fee to keep the boat in BVI

Questions:
· Because the boat will never enter NZ waters – there is no NZ GST payable when registered to NZ?
· Is a Category 1 certificate required for NZ registered yachts overseas (plan to sail around the various Caribbean islands)?
· Can the boat stay in USVI waters while the NZ registration is in progress?
Is there any easier and cost effective alternative?

Many thanks.

[Capt Phil]

Hi NZ1737... not certain whether or not this is applicable in your situation but I had a South African client who purchased a fairly large vessel lying in Mexico. As the licensed skipper, I was able to have the vessel removed from USCG documentation and register the boat under Cayman Island registry. Prior to registering in the CI's, I had to have a Bureau Veritas survey performed by a surveyor licensed by BV to accompany the registry documents. With the exception of the survey, I found it more expedient to have the transactions handled by marine title company in Miami, FL who had the connections to smooth the bumps a private individual regularly experiences in offshore transactions. There are several reputable ones in Miami who can assist or advise you on the steps you need to take and in what order. Not certain of the problems you may have on the Kiwi end. Good luck, Phil

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by NZ1737

· Is a Category 1 certificate required for NZ registered yachts overseas (plan to sail around the various Caribbean islands)?

None of the other countries will care about the Cat. 1 certificate, and you can't get one, as they are issued when leaving New Zealand and expire as soon as you make your first port out of NZ.

Under Section 21 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, no New Zealand
registered pleasure craft may leave any port in New Zealand for any
place outside New Zealand unless the Director of Maritime Safety is
satisfied that the craft and its safety equipment are adequate for the
voyage and the vessel is adequately crewed...

In determining the adequacy of the vessel, the Inspector(s) shall have
regards to any previous offshore voyages undertaken by that vessel,
and will use the Category 1 requirements set out in Part II of these
Regulations except in exceptional circumstances...

An Inspection Certificate is valid for one clearance only and expires at first port of call, and then reverts to a Category II for 2 years. (bold from original)

[Gerrycooper56]

We bought a USCG registered boat in the US and changed the registration to Australian while in the US - the process would be similar. Even though the boat was registered then in Queensland, there was no duty, taxes etc due until the vessel entered Australia for the first time. I would think its the same for NZ. We didn't bother with any of the Oz certifcates etc except for an HF station licence which gave us a call sign. (and MMSI)

[Zanshin]

I'll just address the last point - the BVI will let you enter (and do a temporary importation) while the boat paperwork is being cleared. I used a "letter of running" from the seller (Sunsail) for my first boat. The neighbouring countries will also accept this provisional temporary paperwork in lieu of a registration.

[forsailbyowner]

That is the lower limit for documenting a vessel. In that size you may find its titled and not documented