Marina BC or Oregon

[northwestsailor]

Canoe Cove in Sidney, BC has great rates for putting the boat on the hard between Sept 1 and Feb 28 after that the rates almost double. Great place to get work done also. You can do the work yourself or with the help of about any trade you can think of. Plus it is right next to the ferry for Vancouver and the Gulf Islands. In downtown Sidney, the Washington State Ferry docks several times a day during the busy season with access to the San Juan Islands. There is great bus service to Victoria with ferry service to Port Angeles, WA.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by stormalong

In Washington state if you have owned your boat more than seven years there is no sales/use tax when you register. That was a very pleasant surprise when we moved here in 2011. You must have documentation to prove it.

.....

Can you point to a reference that supports this 7 year exemption in Washington? I can't find any. You do get a credit for the sales tax paid in another state, could that have covered your situation ?

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Can you point to a reference that supports this 7 year exemption in Washington? I can't find any. You do get a credit for the sales tax paid in another state, could that have covered your situation ?

I cannot. I went to register the boat and learned this. I bought my boat used at a time (1990) when my home state did not have sales tax on used boats that did not go through a broker. All that has changed. I think all states give you credit for tax paid in other states.

There is an annual registration fee - about $300 for my 44 ft boat. It is based on value and they did want to know what I paid for the boat way back then.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by stormalong

I cannot. I went to register the boat and learned this. I bought my boat used at a time (1990) when my home state did not have sales tax on used boats that did not go through a broker. All that has changed. I think all states give you credit for tax paid in other states.

There is an annual registration fee - about $300 for my 44 ft boat. It is based on value and they did want to know what I paid for the boat way back then.

Sounds like you had luck and some good timing. I doubt others are going to find the same now.

[stormalong]

I just got off the phone with Wash State Dept of Licensing. They confirmed that if you have owned your boat more that seven years you do not have to pay sales tax when registering.

Here is a link to their rules.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/usetax.html

[desodave]

If you're off season, Discovery Harbour Marina in Campbell River may be able to accommodate you. But get prepared for a windy winter - marina's well protected but the wind whistles through on winter gales.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Paul L

You can get a 12 month use tax exemption in Washington if you are a non-resident:

I just did a search regarding the mention of "if you have had the boat 7 years, then no tax.". I did not find that anywhere.
I also saw the quote you mention, but I understood it to apply only to boats purchased in Washington. Not just any boat.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by stormalong

I just got off the phone with Wash State Dept of Licensing. They confirmed that if you have owned your boat more that seven years you do not have to pay sales tax when registering.

Here is a link to their rules.

WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Use tax for vehicles and boats

I'm still not seeing this on their site. Are you referring to this?

Vehicles received as gifts
.....
If the person who gave you the gift owned the vehicle for 7 years or more and is from a state or province with sales tax, it will be assumed that tax was paid and no proof is needed.

[stormalong]

Yes, that apparently applies if you are entering the state with your own boat that you have owned for more than seven years. I know it does not say that but this has been my experience and what I was told over the phone.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Yes, that apparently applies if you are entering the state with your own boat that you have owned for more than seven years. I know it does not say that but this has been my experience and what I was told over the phone.

If I knew that was true then I might consider bringing the boat back to Puget Sound when we are done cruising. The wording sure doesn't cover our case, but who knows.

[SailnBlue]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

We are about to leave Japan heading for the PNW and need a long term marina away from Washington’s use tax. BC or Oregon might work for us. We are 55ft and draw almost 8 ft.

Any recommendations?

There are not a lot of marinas on the Oregon coast, but Newport Oregon is worth a look. There are a number of Marinas on the Columbia river, some of which can easily accommodate your draft. You might check with some of the Marinas on the Multnomah channel, more to the east of Portland. There are certainly slips available around Hayden Island, but some people find the proximity to the airport bothersome and some complain of jet exhaust soot.
If you are looking at longer term, I suspect Oregon will be a fair amount cheaper to live overall. Im a local here, please feel free to message me. I would be glad to ask around for you.

[Sailor647]

Give Salpare Bay Marina a call. Or Tomahawk Bay Marina. Both marinas allow liveaboards. They are located about 100 nautical miles upriver on the Columbia on Hayden Island. It's a gorgeous trip. But, like the previous post, they are located close to PDX, so there is jet noise.

Salpare Bay Marina Portland's Premier Marina on the Columbia River
Tomahawk Bay - Columbia CrossingsColumbia Crossings

Hayden Island has grocery stores, liquor store, a West Marine, Home Depot, clothing stores, Target, lots of restaurants. All of it is within cruiser's walking distance. Getting off the island via car can be time consuming due to traffic.

I would NOT choose the Riverplace Marina in downtown Portland on the Willammette. You'll have to wait for a LOT of bridge lifts if you want to go anywhere.

Marina prices in Oregon are the cheapest of any other state or country on the North American continent's west coast, including Mexico. At least that's been our experience in the last four years.

There is no sales tax in Oregon. So, if you need to purchase anything, provision, or get anything fixed, it's not taxed! It's like an immediate 10% discount.

You will have to cross the wide Columbia River bar to get to Hayden Island. (Make sure you have plenty of fuel.) We found it best to cross at slack tide. If you try to go inland during an incoming tide, the river and the tide currents collide and make for a really, really lumpy ride with slow forward progress. Outgoing tide will mix with the outgoing river water and you'll hardly make ANY forward progress. (Of course, heading into the Pacific is different.)

After crossing the bar, stop for the night in Astoria at the the West Basin Marina.

https://www.portofastoria.com/West_Basin_Marina.aspx

Be sure to grab a table at the Portway Tavern, about a block or two from the marina. When we were there, we had five-star rated halibut in that little pub! Perfectly cooked and surprisingly cheap. Amazing!

The Astoria boatyard is an inexpensive option (for Oregon) for putting your boat on the hard and getting work done. You can also do the work yourself. A lot of fishing vessels come up from California and down from Washington to get work done there.

If you don't have them already, get the nautical charts for the Columbia River while you're in Astoria. You will need them. The channel gets narrow in places and there is quite a bit of river traffic - including tankers and cargo ships. There will be two bridge lifts - the Railroad bridge and the I-5 bridge. Channel 13.

Portland is absolutely gorgeous in the summer. But be ready for lots of rain and some snow in the spring, fall, and winter months.

[CarinaPDX]

@stormalong was lucky to encounter an illiterate state employee - that is an almost perfect misreading of the law. The 7 year rule applies to GIFTS only, where the vehicle was bought in a state WITH sales tax. This Use Tax issue has been around for many decades. Anyone who looks at it agrees that it is unjust. But the Washington boating organizations don't feel it is their fight (I've talked to several reps over the years); and the politicians want to know whose pockets they will pick to replace the revenue - a threat to Wa boat owners. No one in Washington has any sympathy with the "rich" yachties from Oregon and Alaska, who don't vote in Washington, and the Puget Sound marinas are crowded enough so keep out the competition for slips. Portland marinas are full of boats that would be in Washington otherwise.

Hayden Island is nice, but getting harder to find liveaboard slips. The local supermarket is closing in four weeks. Access is only by the clogged I-5 bridges. And there is a lot of jet noise.

Scappose is very pleasant and rural, and taking new liveaboards - I am considering moving there. St. Helens might be good - I just don't know.

Astoria, Newport, and Coos Bay all have marinas if you can take the rain and winter storms on the coast.

Greg

[SailnBlue]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

@stormalong was lucky to encounter an illiterate state employee - that is an almost perfect misreading of the law. The 7 year rule applies to GIFTS only, where the vehicle was bought in a state WITH sales tax. This Use Tax issue has been around for many decades. Anyone who looks at it agrees that it is unjust. But the Washington boating organizations don't feel it is their fight (I've talked to several reps over the years); and the politicians want to know whose pockets they will pick to replace the revenue - a threat to Wa boat owners. No one in Washington has any sympathy with the "rich" yachties from Oregon and Alaska, who don't vote in Washington, and the Puget Sound marinas are crowded enough so keep out the competition for slips. Portland marinas are full of boats that would be in Washington otherwise.

Hayden Island is nice, but getting harder to find liveaboard slips. The local supermarket is closing in four weeks. Access is only by the clogged I-5 bridges. And there is a lot of jet noise.

Scappose is very pleasant and rural, and taking new liveaboards - I am considering moving there. St. Helens might be good - I just don't know.

Astoria, Newport, and Coos Bay all have marinas if you can take the rain and winter storms on the coast.

Greg

You are quite right about jet noise anyplace east of the l-5 bridge on the Columbia. I would certainly look at marinas west of Portland from Linton to Scappose. Overall, I would not be surprised if your toal cost of living is half that of BC.

[bgallinger]

If you love to pay taxes, go to B.C. or Canada.