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svonadym · 09-11-2022, 14:39

Has anyone here traveled internationally beyond Canada or Mexico with a USA flagged, state-registered-only boat. If so, did you experience any great hassle with clearance paperwork? Any advice to make it easier? My boat is merely 25' LOA and I am therefore unable to get it federally registered (per USCG). I'm wondering if I should expect trouble (read: "paperwork headaches") attempting to enter, for example, central American countries while carrying relatively-seldom-seen state registration docs for the boat. Thanks for any input you might provide.

- O

donradcliffe · 09-11-2022, 14:56

I took a California registered boat to New Zealand and visited 9 countries on the way. No hassles. But I didn't wear a tshirt and flip flops to check in.

Rumrace · 09-11-2022, 15:08

Good tip on the flip flops.

svonadym · 09-11-2022, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I took a California registered boat to New Zealand and visited 9 countries on the way. No hassles. But I didn't wear a tshirt and flip flops to check in.

Thanks for the info and tip, Don. When the time comes, I'll pack accordingly.

HeywoodJ · 09-11-2022, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I took a California registered boat to New Zealand and visited 9 countries on the way. No hassles. But I didn't wear a tshirt and flip flops to check in.

Ditto right down to the flip flops. More than 40 countries, never once even had a question about the CA registration card as evidence of boat ownership, etc.

svonadym · 10-11-2022, 16:14

Thank you, HeywoodJ. It's reassuring to know it's been done and not an issue.

Chotu · 10-11-2022, 16:26

I am curious to know when it was done for the people that have done it.

**Jim Cate** · 10-11-2022, 18:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chotu

I am curious to know when it was done for the people that have done it.

We started doing it in 1986/7 and have continued to this day. Zero issues... they don't seem to care.

Jim

Chotu · 10-11-2022, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

We started doing it in 1986/7 and have continued to this day. Zero issues... they don't seem to care.

Jim

Thanks, Jim!

That’s good to know.

fxykty · 11-11-2022, 14:53

If Americans themselves mostly don’t know the difference, why would anyone else?

You fly a national flag, you have a listed port that is a location inside that nation, and you have a document that says that your vessel is registered at that location. That’s all that any place needs for inward clearance.

Whether it’s strictly legal, does it matter?

US is probably near unique in that it doesn’t require an outward clearance to leave the country (I’m actually not sure if that’s correct, but all the countries in the SW Pacific require outward clearance). So there’s no one checking that your vessel is documented correctly before you enter your first foreign country.

sv_pelagia · 11-11-2022, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by fxykty

US is probably near unique in that it doesn’t require an outward clearance to leave the country (I’m actually not sure if that’s correct, but all the countries in the SW Pacific require outward clearance).

Neither does Canada....