An Aussie Taking A Us Boat Back To Oz

[neritan]

Hi All, I want to fly into the states to buy a boat and wondered what visas I need to do that? Also. does the states have a boat registration system for the boat to sail internationally? I also wonder how you make sure the broker isnt giving you his personal bank account? He does have a license in florida to sell boats over 32ft(i checked). Is there a way around that damn sales tax. Its a hefty whack on top of a boat. especialy when i only need a few months to get organised to leave.

thanks in advance, cheers steve

[marno]

Gday Mate,

I have done it, I bought the boat in New Jersey. We flew in on the visa waiver program which gives you three months in the country. We were there longer, so had to go to Canada for a couple of days and re-enter the country for another three months. As soon as we purchased the boat (we did it privately, no brokers) we started on the paperwork to register the boat in Oz, it takes a while, so don't piss around. You aren't registering the boat in the US, so there is no tax until you get to Oz where you have to pay 5% duty and 10% GST (We might sell ours in NZ or something to avoid paying the tax)

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Cya

Marno

www.yachtattitudes.com

[neritan]

Hi Marno. Cheers for that info. So you registered her as an aussie boat while still in the states? how did they arrive at a value for it for the tax? Did you need to have an outward bound plane ticket to go in on the visa waiver?

figured on the aussie gov having a hand out for some cash, 15% isnt too bad. Dont the Kiwis charge anything? Might have to have a think about that.

cheers steve

[marno]

Gday Steve,

I registered it while I was still in the States, we flew in on return tickets and got partial refund on the return portion. If you have the time (We didn't) you could go in on a one way ticket I imagine with the right visa organised ahead of time, but you would have to talk to the Yanks about that.

The value I put down was what I paid for the boat. I haven't paid the tax yet, I'm not liable for it until I take the boat back to Oz. Another option is to register the boat somewhere like Jersey or Guernsey, and then I could go back to Oz with the boat and then not be liable for the tax unless I sell the boat while I am there. I imagine the Kiwis would take their share when I sold the boat if I did so there.

Cya

Marno

[alan]

Hi Guys,

A mate of mine has done it twice now, bought Sunsail excharter 411 Benetaus.

I helped him get the first one back from Tortola BV Is. the second was purchased in St. Maarten. Both proved to be good value but the last one remains on the market in Brisbane over 12 months now.

John Champion based in Whitsundays bought his Hunter in US and has written extensively on his experiences. In the current Cruising Helmsman (Sept issue ) he details costings etc.

In my opinion it is not for the faint hearted! Exchange rates & taxes + formalities are the bugbear.

[neritan]

Originally Posted by alan

Hi Guys,

A mate of mine has done it twice now, bought Sunsail excharter 411 Benetaus.

I helped him get the first one back from Tortola BV Is. the second was purchased in St. Maarten. Both proved to be good value but the last one remains on the market in Brisbane over 12 months now.

John Champion based in Whitsundays bought his Hunter in US and has written extensively on his experiences. In the current Cruising Helmsman (Sept issue ) he details costings etc.

In my opinion it is not for the faint hearted! Exchange rates & taxes + formalities are the bugbear.

Hey thanks guys its all great info.

I expect alot of paperwork etc. Part of the deal really.

I am in Scotland at the moment so I cant get cruising helmsman.can anyone tell me the bottom line on that fellas financials? Or on theirs?

I wonder why the boat has sat in Brisbane so long. Maybe its because its an ex charter boat? I was planning on a private boat. Brisbane wasnt a great place for me to sell my boat either. I was planning to take it to Sydney.

Cheers steve

[markje4]

Originally Posted by neritan

I am in Scotland at the moment so I cant get cruising helmsman.can anyone tell me the bottom line on that fellas financials? Or on theirs?

G'day Steve

I am looking at buying in the Med and using the boat as a liveaboard but do like the look of many of the boats that are available in US - the clipper-bowed ones, in particular.

The CH article looked at a Camper & Nicholson listed for sale at $208000 AUD complete in Australia compared to $79511 AUD in the US.

Three options were considered: broker, importing yourself and shipping home, purchasing and sailing home.

Figure were only estimates but showed an approximate savings of $50000 on shipping home and about $73000 if sailed back.

Certainly makes for an attractive proposition but article came with usual caveats.

Good luck in your search. If you're like me you live on sites like Yachtworld!

Mark

[neritan]

Hi Mark,

those are interesting figures. I wonder what his sailing budget is. Caviar and bubbly over six months will eat into the profit margin a bit. The length is important too. Its cheap enough to stick it into a shipping container if it will fit.

I saw one of the clipper bowed boats in OZ for sale at a bargain price for a long time. A DownEaster I think.

Better off with a Hans Christian or a Choy Lee.

I havnt had much to do with sailing forums. As a grotty yachty, money and internet was scarce.

I did look at bringing a boat here or to Spain. some good Westerlies if you stay north. only a few weeks and your in the sun in the Med.

Cheers Steve

[davist333]

Gday,

Can you confirm that duty and GST is only payable if you sell the boat. I am a dual national (UK and Oz) and intend to sail a boat to Oz that I have bought overseas and then keep it in Oz.

[Nausikaa]

Originally Posted by davist333

I am a dual national (UK and Oz) and intend to sail a boat to Oz that I have bought overseas and then keep it in Oz.

Keep in mind that as an EU citizen you could well be required to pay VAT on any boat brought by yourself into the Community.

Aye // Stephen

[delatbabel]

Originally Posted by davist333

Gday,

Can you confirm that duty and GST is only payable if you sell the boat. I am a dual national (UK and Oz) and intend to sail a boat to Oz that I have bought overseas and then keep it in Oz.

This is incorrect. Duty and GST are payable when you import a boat into Australia whether you sell the boat or not. If you import boats as a business and pay GST on the imports, then you may claim that GST back in your quarterly BAS, but then you will also be paying GST on the sale value of the boats you sell, so it's no gain to you.

[davist333]

Thanks for that. That is what I originally thought. Any idea how quickly they want the duty after arrival in Oz waters?

Tony

[delatbabel]

Originally Posted by davist333

Thanks for that. That is what I originally thought. Any idea how quickly they want the duty after arrival in Oz waters?

Tony

My current understanding is that it's required within 12 months, or thereabouts.

[neritan]

Hi Guys, 12 months isnt too bad. Especialy if your trying to sell it. Does anyone know how they gauge the value of the boat? Is it on the purchase or the estimated value in OZ?

Thanks for all the great info and help.

cheers steve

Originally Posted by delatbabel

My current understanding is that it's required within 12 months, or thereabouts.

[berniekatchor]

Most important boats in USA are incredibly cheap at the moment

Old boats that were well built are more amazingly cheap asUSAfolk like new boats

we came to buy a 35 ft boat but with money we had got a 43 ft Endeavour on which we have cruised for 15 years and are back in USAatthe moment .

Ifyou fly into USA on one way ticket buy a cheapie to fly to Mexico so you have a ticket out.

Now, in Florida, you get 90 days to 'refit' boat befoe tax of 7% has to be aid

We got 15 days so went to Bahamas (NOW $300 entry fee) and paid more money to register in Australia as we needed regn to get back to FL as a foreign boat to buy the stuffyou need

legally there are specalists to examine the title of the boat and there are many very poor surveyors My surveyor wa aboardfor 12 hours (he is dead alas) butsurveyor stories are horrendous (If a surveyor cans a boat heis not recomended by a broker etc......

Make a list of what you need on a boat and price this and add the missingnumbers to any boat you look at

We added 20,000 to our boat for example the anchors were two yellow cables to plug into a marina

Wehave never used a marina in USA

I could go on and on - we are off to CUBA a most wonderful country.

[muz]

I was under the impression that there is no duty to pay between the US and Oz since the free trade agreement a couple of years ago. Only GST which is calculated on the price paid for the boat plus the costs of getting the boat to oz either by shipping or by the most practicle comercial route inc crew wages ,victualling (except grog), etc . I'm not sure but I have heard duty is still payable if the boat is not built in the US. check out , www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4365

I was also told by the US embassy that you need to go further than CANADA or MEXICO to apply for a new visa. This was in june.

This is all probably pointless at the moment with the recent decline in AUD to USD value.

cheers