Local scuttlebutt is that Canada is getting tougher on US boats that
winter there. I've talked to some people who were hassled by
authorities last winter.

In your case, it sounds like you have to work with a yard to get an
October to April open work order. You'll need a shipyard to work with
you. Obviously, any official who walks the docs could see through that
excuse, especially if lots of boats are doing it, but it depends on
how vigorously they want to enforce it.

If they get really strict, the Canadian marinas are going to suffer
(there are a lot of US boats there). The current exchange rate isn't
helping. Not sure if their local government tax officials are
sensitive to local business owners, but the Victoria/Sidney region is
famous (infamous?) in Canada for thumbing their noses at Ottawa and
doing their own thing.

As far as letter of the law goes, the most recent info I can find
says, that after October 31:
Americans may leave their boat in Canada during the winter without
paying duty and tax only if repair or maintenace work is to be done by
a bona-fide marina during that time.

Before you can leave your boat in Canada for winter repair, the local
Canadian customs office must be presented with a copy of the work
order. For more information, call their marina division at 519-257-6457.

John Marshall

N55-Serendipity

Sequim Bay, WA

On Nov 3, 2007, at 10:15 AM, Tim Johnson wrote:

That is a good, and very popular idea.  As I understand the rules,
you can keep the boat in B.C. without paying tax, as long as the boat
briefly leaves B.C. and returns to the U.S. within a prescribed
interval.  (The problem is that I do not remember the interval -- it
may be every ninety days.) The run from Sidney to San Juan Island is
short and I am sure you can hire a professional to do it for you if
you are elsewhere.

Sidney-area marinas are filled with very expensive boats with U.S.
hailing ports and I personally know of one Krogen owner who kept
their boat there for precisely that reason.  Sidney also has many
services designed to keep boats healthy for affluent absentee owners
and an international airport nearby.

Best,

Steve

Steve Dubnoff
1966 Willard Pilothouse
www.mvnereid.com
sdubnoff@circlesys.com

This is news to me. As far as I know there is no tax levied on boats in
Canada. Well, if I were to buy one new here I would pay 6% but there is
nothing levied on used boats nor is there an annual registration fee. I
have never heard of this CANPASS before. Is it part of the Canadian Govt?

Rob Z
Alberta Canada

At 10:15 AM 11/3/2007 -0700, you wrote:

Do you realize that in about 40 years we will have thousands of old ladies
running around with tattoos and pierced navels?

Just an addendum to my first msg. It might be a provincial tax situation as
opposed to a federal one. As someone suggested try calling Canada Customs
or the BC Provincial tax people. I had forgotten about the provincial sales
tax as Alberta does not have any.

Rob Z

At 10:15 AM 11/3/2007 -0700, you wrote:

Do you realize that in about 40 years we will have thousands of old ladies
running around with tattoos and pierced navels?

The info below pertains to BC... you make a good point, I'm not sure
if its a federal or provincial issue.

CANPASS allows pre-screened people to go enter Canada easily. Even
better is is NEXUS (given its supported by both US and Canada) as it
facilitates clearance both ways.

I've heard these passes don't work between BC and Alaska, so they're
apparently BC and Washington state deals.

NEXUS has to be applied for in person right on the border (at Blaine)
where both Canadian and US guys collaborate with interviews, etc.

John

On Nov 4, 2007, at 6:40 AM, Rob Zanussi wrote:

This site is the best I've found for info on US boats in Canada...

http://boating.ncf.ca/canadaborder.html

John
On Nov 3, 2007, at 11:09 AM, Steven Dubnoff wrote: