Legal and other requirements for Blue Water Cruising

[KiwiKen]

Originally Posted by Paul L

What is your problem with requiring exporting?

New Zealand is the politically correct, and now virtue signalling, Nanny state, they tried to apply their tough, you can't take any risks or carry out any adventurous activities to all yachtsmen leaving New Zealand, but a Court challenge restricted the New Zealand maritime authorities to solely making life difficult for NZ yachtsmen departing. It is hard to reconcile the Nanny State to the country that gave the world Ed Hilary, Peter Blake, Grant dalton and some of the finest competitive offshore and ocean racing yachtsmen the world has seen, plus also being the home of the All Blacks.



Australia's interest in visiting yacht cruisers is to collecting taxes, levies and charges wherever and whenever they can, The spirit of Ned Kelly lives on in the Customs and Australian Tax Office, in the land of rip off your mates.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by KiwiKen

New Zealand is the politically correct, and now virtue signalling, Nanny state, they tried to apply their tough, you can't take any risks or carry out any adventurous activities to all yachtsmen leaving New Zealand, but a Court challenge restricted the New Zealand maritime authorities to solely making life difficult for NZ yachtsmen departing. It is hard to reconcile the Nanny State to the country that gave the world Ed Hilary, Peter Blake, Grant dalton and some of the finest competitive offshore and ocean racing yachtsmen the world has seen, plus also being the home of the All Blacks.



Australia's interest in visiting yacht cruisers is to collecting taxes, levies and charges wherever and whenever they can, The spirit of Ned Kelly lives on in the Customs and Australian Tax Office, in the land of rip off your mates.

Sounds like you need to move to the northern hemisphere😁
The Kiwi Cat 1 requirements are mostly sensible and reasonable for an offshore cruising boat. I can certainly see where the items beyond mostly sensible would be very irritating for NZ cruiser who wants to sail out. Fortunately it is pretty easy to register the boat somewhere else if you don't want to comply with the Cat 1.

As far as Australia is concerned. It is a relatively expensive place to cruise with a fairly hostile coast. Interesting inhabitants.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Pierreinsa

Thanks Paul, So what are the ramifications if you don't "export" your yacht?

I've left twice on two different boats, I cant remember exporting my boat either time. We did the immigration customs thing both times.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by daletournier

I've left twice on two different boats, I cant remember exporting my boat either time. We did the immigration customs thing both times.

I asume it is customs where you export an Aussie boat. As a foreign boat we need to close out our temporary import at customs. We left from Thursday Island. All very easy with one stop shopping at the Australian Border Force office.

[Belezar]

I’ve only cruised the US and Caribbean, but in the Caribbean having a crew/passenger manifest with passport data, etc. will be required in each country and you need lots of copies, usually 3-4 per country. If there are just two of you maybe not to time consuming to do manually, but with 4 or more it’s no fun. If you have a printer on board, print as needed. Otherwise I’d take lots of copies.

[psp2psp2]

Once away from your home waters, you will generally be asked to show ORIGINAL boat registration documents and proof of insurance (3rd party liability). Some jurisdictions expect you to present paperwork from your last port visited; also known as “Clearance papers”. Books like Cornell’s WORLD CRUISING GUIDE are a good source of info on these requirements.

In Europe on a couple of occasions, I was asked to show separate “proof of ownership “ for the dinghy and outboard- but managed to convince the authorities that I don’t have because this is not a legal requirement back home. Likewise, some countries expect you to have an insurance certificate in their language, not just English. (The insurers PANTAENIUS issue a multi lingual cover page with their policies)

Make sure your passports have at least six months validity remaining. Get visas where necessary and if you have any crew or passengers on board, make sure you really know who they are and that they have valid passports etc.

AGE OF SAIL - Home

[tp12]

Originally Posted by ilenart

this looks like a pretty good summary.

https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-...pleasure-craft.

Regarding export it states:

“Masters of Australian or imported vessels may be required to 'enter' the vessel for export if the craft is to be sold or positioned overseas.“

I assume this applies on the basis that you are not planning on returning the vessel to Australia(?). I assume the correct answer would be “ yes sir of course we are planning on returning” . Anyone have experience with this particular issue?

Ilenart

Your quoted comment definitely reads as export being required only if you intend to sell the vessel or intend on not returning to Australia.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by tp12

Your quoted comment definitely reads as export being required only if you intend to sell the vessel or intend on not returning to Australia.

It's clear as mud

Export of Small Craft
An Export Declaration is not required for:
• small craft leaving Australia after cruising around Australia on a Control Permit
(formerly a Cruising Permit);
• yachts sailing overseas to engage in yacht races with the intention of sailing
back to Australia;
• itinerant aircraft travelling through Australia with the intention of departing for an
overseas destination; or
• Australian based aircraft that are travelling to an overseas destination but intend
to return to Australia.

If an Australian based small craft returns to Australia without having being sold or
having any modifications or repairs undertaken while overseas, the owners will not be
required to complete an Import Declaration on their return to Australia.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Pierreinsa

what other documentation is a must-have before heading off?.

Also worth having a look at SOLAS Regulations which medium sized or larger yachts need to comply with:

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-adv...gulations.aspx

Whilst unlikely to be checked, you really don't want to upset overseas customs so they then go to town on you and your vessel, in a foreign language you don't speak. Glaswegian springs to mind

Pete

[tp12]

Originally Posted by Paul L

It's clear as mud

The wording could be better, for sure, but I don't believe the intent is to capture Australian registered vessels that plan on returning to Australia other than to get them to pay GST on upgrades or repairs. If you don't export it how can they prove you've had any repairs or upgraded anything? If they can, then pay GST on that item and move on. It would save a lot of hassle

I think this statement supports that, as well as the original quoted section I was referring to:

If an Australian based small craft returns to Australia without having being sold or having any modifications or repairs undertaken while overseas, the owners will not be required to complete an Import Declaration on their return to Australia.

If you have an Australian registered vessel and you're leaving Australian waters on a tour / circumnavigation / whatever and intend on returning to Australia I wouldn't bother with the export and import process.

That's exactly what I ultimately intend and I don't see anything in the information in this thread that would convince me to go through the export and import process.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by tp12

The wording could be better, for sure, but I don't believe the intent is to capture Australian registered vessels that plan on returning to Australia other than to get them to pay GST on upgrades or repairs. If you don't export it how can they prove you've had any repairs or upgraded anything? If they can, then pay GST on that item and move on. It would save a lot of hassle

I think this statement supports that, as well as the original quoted section I was referring to:



If you have an Australian registered vessel and you're leaving Australian waters on a tour / circumnavigation / whatever and intend on returning to Australia I wouldn't bother with the export and import process.

That's exactly what I ultimately intend and I don't see anything in the information in this thread that would convince me to go through the export and import process.

I agree with you as to the intent.

Not sure why you decided not to do the export. Seems like a fairly easy process and you will already be dealing with the ABF when you leave. If you have the export paper it might possibly save you some fees when you eventually return.

[tp12]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I agree with you as to the intent.

Not sure why you decided not to do the export. Seems like a fairly easy process and you will already be dealing with the ABF when you leave. If you have the export paper it might possibly save you some fees when you eventually return.

How much does the process cost? The cost and submitting myself to an unnecessary process is why. I see no value except for minimising return taxes. Which I think can be avoided by not going through the process in the first place?

I'm happy to be wrong and will happily be so if there's more to this? Is there? Maybe I'm missing something? Who has been through this?

[argonauta1]

Probably the highest priority prerequisite is to have a well found and equipped vessel capable of handling the demands of off shore sailing including navigation and providing life support necessities. The list is too long to include here but as anyone knows, there are some great sources: books, web sites, sailing associations and experienced sailors are some. Countries of registry vary greatly as to documentary evidence that the yacht and crew are qualified. This varies from nothing to a highly demanding yacht master certificate. Basically, anything goes and it all depends on country of registration.

Throughout our circumnavigation, I was never ask for proof of competency but always in demand were yacht papers and passports. Proof of hull insurance was rarely requested.

Some of the more "nanny" inclined countries of registry did set basic equipment requirements such as life jackets and all the obvious gear no sane yachtsperson would leave port without. Still, the most conscientious might not get it right and that is where research and networking comes in. Essential!

Can't really quibble with countries setting a certain standard of equipment prerequisites because it is the country in the area of Search and Rescue responsibility that has to shell out the rescue costs and the cost of maintaining such a capability. Thus they see it as their right to demand those standards whatever they might be. Bottom line though: it is the skipper's responsibility to get it right.

[pbmaise]

Copies of your AIS license to give in Singapore or Thailand.

Check Noonsite for every country you are traveling too.

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Australia (and New Zealand) have some odd requirements. For Australian registered boats that are leaving on extended offshore cruises you are supposed to export your yacht with customs before leaving.
For NZ registered boats leaving NZ you have to get and pass Cat 1 safety survey.

I left Australia on an international trip...from the australian point there was no problem, all you need is Yacht registration, passport and offyou go after clearing out.