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Conference vicki::boats

Title:Powerboats
Notice:Introductions 2 /Classifieds 3 / '97 Ski Season 1267
Moderator:KWLITY::SUTER
Created:Thu May 12 1988
Last Modified:Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1275
Total number of notes:18109

657.0. "Legal reqs for international cruiseing" by THEBUS::THACKERAY () Mon Apr 23 1990 18:03

    I am thinking of a cruise to Halifax N.S.
    
    What are the legal requirements for boat documentation? Does a boat
    have to be documented to land in Canada, although it is registered in
    the US? Or would I have to go throught the trouble of full
    Documentation??
    
    How about flags, etc?
    
    Ray
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657.1Canadian Customs a breeze!NWD002::SASLOW_STSTEVEMon Apr 23 1990 18:5510
    All you need is proof of ownership. Documentation or state registration
    is all you need. Proof of citizenship should also be brought, passport
    or birth certificate will do.
    Call ahead and find out want you cannot bring with you. They always
    change the list each year. Usually, no pitted fruits such as apples,
    etc. I clear Canadian customs all the time north of Seattle with
    my boat. Usually only takes a few minutes. They will give you a
    cruising permit you tape in your window.
    Remember all the usual stuff like limits on liquor, cigarettes,
    etc.
657.2Flags - Read ChapmansNWD002::SASLOW_STSTEVEMon Apr 23 1990 19:007
    Forgot about flags!
    
    Basically it is all etiquette. Read Chapmans on it. One usually
    flies an American Flag with the Canadian flag lower as a courtesy
    only. 
    There are no legal requirements that I know of.
    
657.3THEBUS::THACKERAYWed Apr 25 1990 10:343
    Where did you report to customs? Did you radio ahead?
    
    Ray
657.4Customs at a Port of Entry onlyNWD002::SASLOW_STSTEVEThu Apr 26 1990 13:3810
    You report to customs at a Port of Entry only. Call the Canadian
    embassy and they will tell you what ports are designated as POEs.
    You don,t need to call ahead unless you are arriving at an odd hour.
    They have regularly scheduled hours they are open. Customs does
    not monitor VHF, when I say call, I mean phone. When you enter Canadian
    waters, you may not touch land or come in contact with another vessel
    until you have cleared customs. Proceed directly to the POE. Only
    the Captain is allowed off the vessel when reporting to customs.
    Your crew can help you tie up, but must remain on the vessel until
    you are cleared.
657.5how big is your gas tank?MSCSSE::BERENSAlan BerensMon Apr 30 1990 16:0014
Since you have a power vessel, you have a BIG problem -- fuel. In Canada 
commercial vessels do not have to pay the usual taxes on fuel. The fuel 
sold to commercial vessels is dyed and cannot be sold legally to yacht 
owners. I am told that undyed yacht fuel is available only in Yarmouth,
Halifax, and one other port (possibly somewhere in Cape Breton Island).
Since Halifax is some 400 miles from Boston, you'd better have an
enormous fuel tank. I suppose you could buy fuel at a gas station in
jerry cans and carry them to the boat, but in the Nova Scotia ports we 
visited, the gas stations (if any) were a long, long walk from the dock.

Also, the weather is often cold, foggy, and windy (we spent a day in a 
gale on the return trip). I would advise staying very near the coast.
This is not a trip to undertaken without a lot of careful planning and 
to be undertaken only in a very seaworthy vessel.