Canadian Vessels Voyaging Abroad

[diama]

hello, Does anyone with a Canadian vessel have experience voyaging in international waters (ie. outside canada) in a vessel with a "Canadian Pleasure Craft Licence" instead of using the ship registration system. thanks

[S/V Alchemy]

We chose federal registration primarily for international waters because it impresses foreign officials who have similar national registries. Although we haven't taken this vessel offshore yet, I have travelled on others who have done the same thing, because outside of the U.S., few officials will understand the PCOC or the scanty registration that a province provides.

It's a one-time cost, as far as I know, so I would consider it, because it gets you into a database that will cross reference to your EPIRB registration and the various Coast Guards around the world.

[SabreKai]

Once you are registered, the cost is zero. The certificate renews itself every 3 years, so maintain a Canadian mailing address and have someone forward it to you where ever you are.

Somehow I don't think the Province of Ontario or any of the others has much drag with a foreign Harbor Master when he asks for your papers. He might look at you and ask "where the hell is that?" A Government of Canada document is so much nicer. At least most people have heard of Canada.

Sabre

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

We chose federal registration primarily for international waters because it impresses foreign officials who have similar national registries.

I think you will find it's less about "impressing" foreign officials - more about being a requirement.

Ship registration works internationally because it is done on a reciprocal basis between recognised National Ship Registries (most, if not all, countries have them). I think the days of Johnny Foreigner being impressed simply by bits of official looking paperwork are gone - you need the right paperwork.

Kinda like a Passport for a boat - doesn't guarantee entry abroad, but without a valid Passport then mostly gonna be refused entry. You could probably get a Passport issued by yer local KFC, but it wouldn't get you accross too many international borders .

Although we haven't taken this vessel offshore yet, I have travelled on others who have done the same thing, because outside of the U.S., few officials will understand the PCOC or the scanty registration that a province provides.

The boat needs to be on a recognised Ship Register. National Registry (in whatever country) guarantees that.

Anything lesser (local / state / regional / DIY / none ) will depend on any arrangements outside the norm (i.e. with Colonies / Vassel States - who get to accept whatever is conveniant for their masters...........but that not to be confused with internationally acceptable when venturing further abroad).

[jimbim]

Originally Posted by diama

hello, Does anyone with a Canadian vessel have experience voyaging in international waters (ie. outside canada) in a vessel with a "Canadian Pleasure Craft Licence" instead of using the ship registration system. thanks

I have not been home for over 10 years, and will confess that I have not seen nor heard of a pleasure craft licence. I have no idea what information is included.

But officials in various countries, from third world to first, have only asked for registry documents, and for the official number. Impressing them is not an issue. Allowing them to dot their i's and cross their t's is what concerns me.

If the pleasure craft licence contains the same information, then perhaps no one will care.

[GordMay]

Canadian Pleasure Craft Licences

➥ Pleasure Craft Licences

➥ Attention Boaters - Transport Canada

[diama]

thanks for the reponses. the "Canadian Pleasure Craft Licence" is a federal government issued licence (as GordMay has noted) on which we have sailed from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico with no problem. However as we plan to venture further afield we thought it prudent to investgate. David Old Jersey and jimbim write of concerns we had considered.
One of our problems is that we're rather nomadic and maintaining a mail address for the government to send the renewal form(this point every 3 years) to is problematic.

[S/V Alchemy]

You have to "hire" a relative to handle your mail and to maintain some sort of official Canadian presence. This is part of the strategy some use to maintain their Canadian health care, literally finding it cheaper to fly back to Canada every six or 12 months for a checkup/minor stuff and to return with spares than to self-finance "cruiser's health insurance".

But you probably know this already.