Sorry to jump on this thread so late. I am in a similar situation, being a non-resident and having purchased a CT registered sailboat.
I have the title / bill of sale from the previous owner in hand, but have not yet registered the boat in my name.
1. Do I have to register in CT to transfer
ownership or can I register in another state and avoid the CT sales tax? Bearing in mind that I do not reside in the
USA and have no home port yet. ( I plan to
cruise down the coast and onto the
Caribbean.)
2. Will the state registration be sufficient to obtain a zarpe to enter and leave the US and other
Caribbean islands?
3. As a foreigner do I need to apply for a cruising
permit to sail a state registered boat in the
USA? I'm on a B1 tourist visa.
4. Will I be flying the stars and stripes or the flag of my nationality?
I apologize for all the questions but I can't seem to get definitive answers for them.
Ideally I should just flag under my nationality. If only it were that easy.
I cannot register under a South African flag as they require that the boat be imported and physically be in SA (pay 40% duties) and surveyed locally. (pay $$ bribe)