Anyone gotten a boat into Canada from the US recently?

[Rain Man]

Just brought a boat from Point Roberts ( USA )to Steveston ( Canada ).  Very easy. 

You need to purchase the boat and be the legal owner of the vessel prior to arriving into Canada.  A yacht broker or the like is allowed to deliver the boat to you.  

Wondering about the mechanism here.  If it is a Canadian yacht broker they would have to quarantine for 2 weeks and might not be too happy about that.  If it is a US broker - how can they get into Canada?  Did you bring the boat in yourself?

 

[Peacefrog]

Wondering about the mechanism here.  If it is a Canadian yacht broker they would have to quarantine for 2 weeks and might not be too happy about that.  If it is a US broker - how can they get into Canada?  Did you bring the boat in yourself?

If you can prove you are commercial and are either importing or exporting you can travel back and forth and not worry about having to quarantine. I have been back and fourth about 5 times in the last 6 weeks. We just either export a product or import a product. Going into the states you pay a $13.40 commercial truck entry fee on top of the regular bridge toll. Coming back into Canada if we are importing sail cloth then we go through commercial lanes and do our paperwork. If we have exported and not importing we go through the passenger lanes and just prove with export papers that that is what we are doing.

 

[Jubblies]

I just spoke with someone down here on Lake Erie that purchased a boat from a local marina and were transporting it to Montreal. No issues for them getting into the US, although they were required to fly in rather than drive. Once they check back in to Canada they have to quarantine on the vessel for 14 days. Their sailing time from Pelee Island to Montreal is included as part of the 14 days, as long as they don't come ashore and no one else boards the vessel.

 

[Gong Show]

If what I stated was true,  then no you couldn't drive it back.  I do believe you have to file your paperwork at least for Canadian customs something like 72 hours before crossing back.  Not sure how the US end handles it. 

But I'm sure a lot of goods and people are shuffled illegally across the border daily both knowingly and unknowingly with the majority never being caught or even aware they could be caught.

Somewhat off topic but last year on my way to the Seattle Boat Show I was detained for 5 hours by US customs.  When I finally got to the front of the line the customs guy asked for my car keys, which I handed over.  2 minutes later he came back and politely asked what the tools in the trunk were for.  I told him for working on my boat in Vancouver.  He cleared me then said "next time you come across, it would probably be a good idea to leave your tools at home".  Lesson learned.

Crossed the border on the way to Akumal for cave diving. The van was in rough shape, so I brought some tools for the inevitable.

Stopped by US Customs, asked what the tools are for, I bit my tongue hard because i really wanted to say, "to dismantle democracy as you know it."

Used to throw a bible on the dash too, couldn't hurt right?

 

[Rain Man]

Crossed the border on the way to Akumal for cave diving. The van was in rough shape, so I brought some tools for the inevitable.

Stopped by US Customs, asked what the tools are for, I bit my tongue hard because i really wanted to say, "to dismantle democracy as you know it."

Used to throw a bible on the dash too, couldn't hurt right?

Interesting.  I was of the impression that you can't drive south across the border at the moment.  So, if I picked up a boat in Washington State, I wouldn't have to fly?  

 

[12 metre]

Interesting.  I was of the impression that you can't drive south across the border at the moment.  So, if I picked up a boat in Washington State, I wouldn't have to fly?  

I get the impression Gong show was telling an old story - from the before times - which related to my border crossing experience from the year before.

 

[Hawaiidart]

You might talk to Waggoner's here in Anacortes.  One of their reps gave a talk on the virtual Anacortes Boat Show relating his transit in and out of Canada for commercial/business purposes.  Also, he indicated that it's possible to transit through Canadian waters to SE Alaska; however, I don't know if that means non-stop or not (few of us have the ability to carry that much fuel and supplies).

 

[12 metre]

You might talk to Waggoner's here in Anacortes.  One of their reps gave a talk on the virtual Anacortes Boat Show relating his transit in and out of Canada for commercial/business purposes.  Also, he indicated that it's possible to transit through Canadian waters to SE Alaska; however, I don't know if that means non-stop or not (few of us have the ability to carry that much fuel and supplies).

I was talking to someone here at the marina yesterday about US boats being able to transit through Canadian waters if going to Alaska.  However it does require non-stop IIRC.  Mainly designed for fishing boats and other such commercial traffic. 

A mega yacht could do it, but not too many smaller pleasure vessels would be able, which was kind of the point of the exemption I would think.

 

[Gong Show]

I wonder, because Americans are allowed to drive through Canada to Alaska.

There was a big bruhaha when a bunch of them decided to stop in Banff for a bit of touristing.

Maybe that resulted in a change of protocol?

 

[12 metre]

Interesting.  I was of the impression that you can't drive south across the border at the moment.  So, if I picked up a boat in Washington State, I wouldn't have to fly?  

I think Peacefrog might be on the right track.

Just spit ballin' here.  You could hire a delivery skipper if the boat was splashed in Bellingham or Anacortes.  Then hire a delivery skipper to take her home or at least into Canada.  Since that would be work related the skipper could avoid the 14 day quarantine.  Basically what Peacefrog said.  A not too costly ($500?) alternative to the 14 day quarantine.

Another option would be to store the boat in a boatyard in WA State until. the border fully re-opens. Not too costly an option in the short term - provided the border restrictions aren't in place for too much longer.  Keep in mind that it could be a couple of months between having your offer accepted and the boat arriving in WA State.

 

[12 metre]

I wonder, because Americans are allowed to drive through Canada to Alaska.

There was a big bruhaha when a bunch of them decided to stop in Banff for a bit of touristing.

Maybe that resulted in a change of protocol?

Yeah, a media event more than anything designed to sell newspapers and generate clicks.  I'm sure the Feds knew this would happen, but just wanted to curtail the huge volume of US visitors we usually get in the summer.

 

[Rain Man]

You might talk to Waggoner's here in Anacortes.  One of their reps gave a talk on the virtual Anacortes Boat Show relating his transit in and out of Canada for commercial/business purposes.  Also, he indicated that it's possible to transit through Canadian waters to SE Alaska; however, I don't know if that means non-stop or not (few of us have the ability to carry that much fuel and supplies).

Don't tell the R2AK competitors that.... :lol:

 

[sailordude69]

I'm the buyer that Grrr is trying to find a solution for.  I have spoke with someone that owns a business in the sailing industry, he does deliveries as one of his services.  He thinks he can deliver the boat to Canada for me and I will have to meet him at customs to pay all duties.  I could then take delivery of that boat from him and be on my way.  Unfortunately he's busy at the moment with the BYC Mac race, but once things slow down later in July/early August his schedule opens up.  I'm going to reach out to Canada Border Services Agency to make sure this solution will work.

Thank you to Grrr for posting this question, and to everyone who offered suggestions.

 

[Zonker]

If you travel through BC to Alaska by land, Do not stop in Banff and go hiking. A bunch of Americans got fined $1k each recently for doing this. 

I think if you travel by boat, do so expeditiously and don't dawdle along the way. I do not think that they expect non stop travel, and avoid the smaller communities along the way. 

 

[12 metre]

Okay, if a boat is purchased in Washington State by a BC resident, normally you have 45 days to remove the boat from WA State without paying the Sales & Use Tax.

So if a boat is purchased in WA now and the buyer wishes to store the boat in a yard until the border re-opens, does anyone no if there is some temporary COVID Clause allowing it to stay in WA indefinitely until the border re-opens without paying the Sales & Use Tax.  Normally his period can be extended if professional commissioning is required for the vessel (i.e. commissioning work not being done by the purchaser)

Just looking at all the options:

1. Hire a boat transport firm (US or Canadian) to get the boat into Canada to avoid quarantining on anyone's part.  

2.  Hire a delivery captain to bring it up (again no quarantining required)

3.  Store it in a dry storage yard in WA.

Of those options, my thinking is that

1. is fairly easy but most expensive.

2. might be hard to find a professional willing to do this, IDK

3. is the easiest, but probably risky in the sense of damage or theft from the boat plus possible taxes.  Also uncertainty of when the boat will finally make it to it's new home.

Any thoughts, input or other options on this?

 

[climenuts]

Okay, if a boat is purchased in Washington State by a BC resident, normally you have 45 days to remove the boat from WA State without paying the Sales & Use Tax.

So if a boat is purchased in WA now and the buyer wishes to store the boat in a yard until the border re-opens, does anyone no if there is some temporary COVID Clause allowing it to stay in WA indefinitely until the border re-opens without paying the Sales & Use Tax.  Normally his period can be extended if professional commissioning is required for the vessel (i.e. commissioning work not being done by the purchaser)

Just looking at all the options:

1. Hire a boat transport firm (US or Canadian) to get the boat into Canada to avoid quarantining on anyone's part.  

2.  Hire a delivery captain to bring it up (again no quarantining required)

3.  Store it in a dry storage yard in WA.

Of those options, my thinking is that

1. is fairly easy but most expensive.

2. might be hard to find a professional willing to do this, IDK

3. is the easiest, but probably risky in the sense of damage or theft from the boat plus possible taxes.  Also uncertainty of when the boat will finally make it to it's new home.

Any thoughts, input or other options on this?

I don't think there is anything stopping you from flying from Vancouver to Seattle and delivering the boat back yourself provided you're a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident. You'll have to quarantine for 14 days... go cruising.

 

[12 metre]

I don't think there is anything stopping you from flying from Vancouver to Seattle and delivering the boat back yourself provided you're a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident. You'll have to quarantine for 14 days... go cruising.

No, but I'm not going to quarantine for 14 days.  Hiring a delivery captain is the most likely option.   Even trucking from WA state is a better option than quarantining for me.