Clearing In and Out with Newly Purchased Used Boat

[DesertBoater]

I am working on buying a French flagged boat in St Martin. I've employed a marine documentation/title place to transfer her to a USA flag. My concern is that this process can take a while and I will need to move the boat to Trinidad or Grenada for hurricane season, probably before having the USCG Documentation complete.

Can I do the clearance with the old papers and a bill of sale?

Thanks.

[Zanshin]

I did this several years ago with a boat purchased in the BVI but the new registration was going to take time. I was given a "Letter of Running" from the broker; you might ask your broker about having them issue one.
If you island-hop and stick to the French islands you'll never have to worry; but the ex-British countries can be real sticklers for paperwork.