Purchase process in USA for a non-citizen

[pjmrichard]

Hello, I am new on the forum albeit I registered as a forum member 3 years ago which allowed me to read a lot of interesting threads and to increase my practical knowledge . Although originating from the coast of Brittany, I started sailing 9 years ago (I am now 70) with the sailing club of my company using rented sailing boats. I was trained during 7 sessions (basic sailing, security, harbor manouvers, route management, prep for offshore cruising,maintenance) and solo sailing is coming soon.
Although I am living retired in northern Brittany, I contemplate buying a cruising boat in Florida. She will be my first and my last boat. Why so far ? Most of the boat features match my requirements given who I am and the type of sailing I will envisage to the high latitudes (from Brittany to Iceland and further) : she is a cutter with a kindof deck saloon, a steel hull, a double steering system, alu mast with folding steps up to the top, accomodation for 6, hot an cold pressure water, running rigging leading aft to the cockpit,…
and the cherry on the cake : an electric engine fed by a diesel generator.
Since I started my search for a second hand boat I have been keen to select an « exceptional boat », a boat which has been built according to industrial standards by a shipyard but the configuration of which is special. Exceptional boat + reasonable price : I need to accept a drawback, otherwise she would have been already sold for a while.
The drawbacks are : no solar panels, no wind vane, no Spinnaker, no life raft, only 40 gallon flexible watertank and the electrical propulsion which may be considered by some buyers as not enough powerful. The drawback for me is the need to fly to Florida to visit her.
I am busy learning the sales conditions in USA. A sales tax is applicable. Is it payable even in case the boat is exported ?
Please can a forum member advise me a marine surveyor in the area of Indiantown ?
I read the thread « Really Bad Boat Survey ». I intend to preceed and be there during the survey.
I read the thread « Registering A Boat In The US »including a nice clarification of what is a USCG documentaion and state registration. If the boat is state registered, she will be considered without flag, a problem arriving in France.
I will need surveying the electrical part itself. I will consider the thread «Referral for electrical engineering/vendor » to select a specialized surveyor in the field. I understand that hiring an electrical engineer is very costly. Perhaps is it sufficient to ask for an engine visit by the Electric Yacht rep.
I would be grateful to you to give me some recommendations (sailing back during the summer time to Brittany across the north atlantic with my 2 retired fellows).

[JPA Cate]

Hello Richard, and welcome aboard CF.

I think you will need to have some kind of temporary permit,while in the US, plus you will have to make a specific effort to get cleared out from there (you'll need the clearance in France). If the boat is going home to Brittany, she will need to have French registry. You may be able to import her on arrival, but it may be prohibitively expensive. I would suggest querying your Douane relative to those issues. It is usually better to set such things up in advance.

Ann