Transiting US/CAN border @ Lake Champlain

[Rol1964]

For any of you who have prior experience transiting the border at Lake Champlain (on the southern end of Riviere Richelieu) ...particularly, is it cumbersome and a time consuming process to get through customs or is this relatively pain free....?
Comments welcome for both sides i.e.: Canadian and American Customs and Border Protection folks.
My boat is presently on the American side but I am considering a marina on the Canadian side for cost savings so I'm wondering if losing time at the border might be a deal killer.
Thanks for your input, Rol1964

[sv_pelagia]

Probably a "pain" as long as current COVID-19 requirements in place. Canada requires a PCR test and double vaccination to enter Canada. That's a PCR test each time you cross. There is also random PCR testing at the border.

In normal times, it wasn't such a big deal, especially with a Nexus (or equivalent) card. But not now.

[Rol1964]

Good points but I'm operating with anticipation of relaxed covid rules for next summer season...hoping with fingers crossed.

[Mirage35]

No personal experience with customs there, but I note that just by making that move you're adding five hours or so sailing just to get to what I consider the interesting part of the lake. So customs is not necessarily the biggest factor to consider.

[Rol1964]

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

No personal experience with customs there, but I note that just by making that move you're adding five hours or so sailing just to get to what I consider the interesting part of the lake. So customs is not necessarily the biggest factor to consider.

About 10 miles or so to get through all the narrow parts so yeah...that is a consideration. Thx

[japarker11]

Originally Posted by Rol1964

For any of you who have prior experience transiting the border at Lake Champlain (on the southern end of Riviere Richelieu) ...particularly, is it cumbersome and a time consuming process to get through customs or is this relatively pain free....?
Comments welcome for both sides i.e.: Canadian and American Customs and Border Protection folks.
My boat is presently on the American side but I am considering a marina on the Canadian side for cost savings so I'm wondering if losing time at the border might be a deal killer.
Thanks for your input, Rol1964

It has been a while since I have done any research on this route. I do recall there were air draft concerns on the Chambly (29'). Been mostly dealing with left coast crossings of late. Your guess is as good as mine, what the status of COVID measures will be in 2022. Recreational vessel crossings requirements have been very changeable since 9/11. As the Chambly is not a high use crossing, staffing on either side may be reduced to levels that impact clearance times.

[Montanan]

What is your citizenship? American or Canadian. What country is the vessel flagged with?

[Rol1964]

Canadian both

[sail34]

Excluding the covid restrictions, what ever they may be at the time, I had no problem clearing Canadian customs and wintering at Marina Sieur de Champlain
It lies between the Canadian Customs dock and the US customs dock. Just be sure to report immediately to the US customs dock as soon as you cross the border in the river. I had anchored in the river North of the US Customs dock to do some work after launch and was awoken at 6:30 am and told to report to Customs or be fined. I reported
Cheers

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by Rol1964

For any of you who have prior experience transiting the border at Lake Champlain (on the southern end of Riviere Richelieu) ...particularly, is it cumbersome and a time consuming process to get through customs or is this relatively pain free....?
Comments welcome for both sides i.e.: Canadian and American Customs and Border Protection folks.
My boat is presently on the American side but I am considering a marina on the Canadian side for cost savings so I'm wondering if losing time at the border might be a deal killer.
Thanks for your input, Rol1964

Get a NEXUS card. The NEXUS Program is a joint US-Candadian trusted traveller program that speeds border crossings for frequent travelers. The link below is for the US side, I'm sure there is a similar page for Canada.

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Artic...language=en_US

[boatpoker]

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-v...pb-pp-eng.html

Of course, this stuff changes weekly

[boatpoker]

The current list of Canadian ports where one may report by telephone on arrival (scroll down).

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/op...itime-eng.html

[Elie]

My boat is stored in winter at Rouses Point(mast too high for the bridges). I've been transiting the border ith my previous boat and with my car all summer. No problem at all. A custom warf installed right after the Rouses Point bridge very convenient. Custom officers are helpfull, efficient but sometimes pugnacious on petty things- No more then one bottle of wine, no vegetables or fruits .But most of the time they don't care. A few days ago a went to my boat(from Canada ). Going thru the America side was easy, fast : Simple questions and no proof for Covid-19. On the contrary, on my return in Canada, 2 hours later, it took me one hour, although I had all the paper work for my Covid-19 vaccination. But it is almost abudsive from these ignorants. Along with my passport, I had to show my driver licence, my car registration, fill a lengthy questionnaire and sort out all the stupid questions and ridicule procedures from Canadian custom officers. I hope that things will improve on this side of the border... And training of these officers streamlined!. And I was given a kit for auto testing for Covid to be mailed ven if I had shone my vaccination proof. I was told later that is was a mistake from the custom officer.

[JonathanX]

Hi Rol1964, before coming to Canada with your sailboat just make sure you have a place for a marina as most of them having long list for a place. Here the list is over 300 waiting for a place.

[Rol1964]

Originally Posted by JonathanX

Hi Rol1964, before coming to Canada with your sailboat just make sure you have a place for a marina as most of them having long list for a place. Here the list is over 300 waiting for a place.

Which marina are you referring to? …with WL of 300?
At this point I will probably just stay where I am for next summer season and do some recon when I finally get a chance to spend some quality time in the area.
I was hoping to slash the annual Marina budget but this may not be feasible for many reasons previously mentioned. Gotta pay to play