Hello.....

[PeterAndMargaret]

We are currently traveling around the USA in a RV but have come to realise that we need to expand our horizons and we think doing so in a yacht is the way to go. Besides traveling in the RV we travel when I work for a change. We are currently in Mexico house-sitting before we travel to South Africa.

I have New Zealand and South African passports and have a question about buying a yacht. I have seen some threads dealing with where to buy a yacht and have seen some comments stating that one can only register a yacht in a country in wchich one holds a passport. Does this mean I have to register a yacht in either New Zealand or South Africa? What is the position if I buy a yacht in another part of the world?

I would be grateful for any advice.

Peter

[redbopeep]

I don't have an answer for you--welcome aboard though. You can usually do your registration via mail in your home country though. So--check with your home countries to see what is best for you.

[Auzzee]

Hi and welcome to CL. I am Australian, and was in southeast Asia when I spotted the boat I wanted to buy. It was US registered and was sat on the hardstand in Mexico. I was not able to transfer the registration into my name although I did state I wanted to sail the boat internationally. If I had decided to sail it only in US waters, it may have been more acceptable to US authorities; but I am not sure.


You can register a boat under a flag of convenience. Several countries will accept your registration but it is expensive, is often from countries with an unstable governments and it may affect your chances of covering the boat with reputable insurance companies (is there such a thing?).


To register my boat in Oz was an easy task. I had to have the previous American owner de-register the boat with USCG and send me proof of this. He did this simply by signing a USCG form and having it notarised before submitting it to the US authorities in his home town in Arizona. Then I simply applied for Oz registration which was granted as easily as if I was at home.


The good thing about this is there is no annual fee after the original rego has been effected, I can travel internationally as an Aussie on an Aussie boat, enjoying the same sort of acceptance which is given to both Aussies and Kiwis, but which, unfortunately, is not quite so freely given to US flagged vessels, in some parts of the world, these days.


My advice to an Oceanic brother is therefore to register the boat with Kiwi authorities and breathe free and proud as you fly the Silver Fern from the shrouds, while you continue your traveling adventures.
Choice.
Best wishes.

[PeterAndMargaret]

Many thanks for the replies redbopeep and Auzzee. I think your advice is excellent advice Auzzee and that is certainly what I will do. I would feel really comfortable (and proud) to travel under the protection of the NZ Govt.

How does buying a boat outside NZ and travelling internationally affect the Cat A requirement. Will they simply leave me alone until I enter NZ water and then make me get a Cat A certification before I can leave NZ water again?

[Auzzee]

There was a time, some time back when the Kiwi authorities seemed determined to deter cruising boats from entering NZ waters. They imposed safety requirements which made it difficult for all but the wealthy to leave NZ on their own boats.


There seemed to be little heed paid to the fact that to get to New Zealand in the first place, crews and skippers needed to be fully aware of the dangers of crossing an ocean which, despite its name, is often not in the least 'pacific'. This required strong boats and strong, capable sailing people.


Because of the outcry both from cruising sailors and more specifically from those many professionals and trades people in New Zealand who depend on sailors to keep their businesses viable, the Kiwi Government relaxed its policies of making every boat which entered NZ waters, set itself up as though it was an offshore race boat.


MY understanding of the situation is that the laws, though somewhat modified, remain in place. They are there in the same way that laws preventing cruisers from staying on their boats in marinas are there. Responsible, safe and respectful people are allowed to continue with their sailing lives unhindered. Those who clearly shouldn't be on board what they are, where they are can be convinced to toe the line, because there are strict laws which can be enforced if the needs arise.


As far as your registration goes, it is the same as registering a car. They will want your dollars, they will ask that you mark your vessel in a specific way, and then you are on your own. When you arrive in New Zealand, they will need to see your papers and the markings and, providing your boat is seaworthy and well equipped they will not bother you any further...except perhaps (and here I draw on my knowledge of Australian protocols only) that if you intend to keep the boat in NZ, and to sell it there, you will need to pay import duties which may be simply the application of GST on either the purchase price (less the cost of delivery) or on the valuation of the boat as she sits.


Cat 1 safety is essentially there to cover race organisers for boats which undertake the most dangerous form of yacht racing. As cruisers we know that racing is best done in something with four wheels and a V8, and that betting a six pack on the outcome of a harbour challenge between like minded crews trying to get from a point to an anchorage, is rarely going to boost the adrenalin or increase the risk of catastrophe...unless of course either the fridge blows a gasket, or the dunny back up.


I haven't seen Delatbel online for a while (He's recently married and sailing somewhere in the Pacific), but he will have first hand knowledge of the requirements of clearing in and out of NZ. Hopefully he will give you the benefit of his great knowledge when he comes up for air.

[haiqu]

There's one minor snag to all this. Last time I checked you had to present in person to register a ship in NZ, and have a valid address there. Check with these guys for more information:

Part B ship registration - Maritime New Zealand

[Auzzee]

Have just heard from NZ Maritime. The good news is there is no need to physically front up to their offices either in NZ or anywhere else to complete the registration of a ship. As long as you are a Kiwi, your application can be processed by mail. If the ship is currently registered (either in the US or anywhere else) NZ Maritime requires documentary proof that the ship has been de-registered with the foreign authority before NZ registration can be effected.

[haiqu]

Seems as if they've seen sense, good news. The previous rules were a little impractical.

[PeterAndMargaret]

Many thanks for your help Auzzee, much appreciated.