Aussies buying a US flag vessel in mexico

[ruthndave]

Are there any recent threads or people with current experience can give us some uptodate advice on the paperwork process, please?
We are just about to make an offer to buy in san carlos, and could do with suggestions about surveyors, and the escrow process.
Not our first boat, but by far largest purchase to date! And first outside australia.
Many thanks in advance - we have been reading the forum for a few years now, and really appreciate the efforts people make in their responses. We are looking forward to becoming cruisers ourselves instead of voyeurs!


Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[JPA Cate]

There is an excellent surveyor in San Diego, Zeehag knows his name, and I've forgotten it.
He would come as a friend and advisor for you and be in addition to a Mexican one, and you may need an "abogado", a Mexican attorney, too.

You'll need a bill of sale. If the yacht is documented in the US, the owner of record needs to discontinue that following the sale to you.

You'll have to import the boat into Australia, and you'll find information pertaining to that on the Customs website.

Try using the Advanced Google Search function on the CF search, for buying boats in Mexico. It has been discussed recently, and Zeehag names the surveyor from SD in one of her posts on that thread.

Ann

[zeehag]

surveyor in san diego is kjels christian, christian and associates.
he is listed everywhere, and is online as well. the best , honest , he and travels.
aint cheap.
IS good.
dona jenkins is an excellent document service company online and in san diego

[ruthndave]

Thanks for that, ann and zeehag, yes have a handle on the aussie side of things, somewhat ;-) , mostly the surveyor, so I appreciate the referrals.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by ruthndave

Are there any recent threads or people with current experience can give us some uptodate advice on the paperwork process, please?
We are just about to make an offer to buy in san carlos, and could do with suggestions about surveyors, and the escrow process.
Not our first boat, but by far largest purchase to date! And first outside australia.
Many thanks in advance - we have been reading the forum for a few years now, and really appreciate the efforts people make in their responses. We are looking forward to becoming cruisers ourselves instead of voyeurs!


Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Be diligent checking on the paperwork. Buying in one country flagged in another and your being from another sounds risky?

[ruthndave]

Cheers cadence, we are checking, and checking again. .. which is another reason to ask on cruisers forum! It all helps build the picture!


Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by ruthndave

Cheers cadence, we are checking, and checking again. .. which is another reason to ask on cruisers forum! It all helps build the picture!


Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I would be concerned about liens. Also check on what you need to register (flag at home). Just a warning. I bought from a South African couple nothing wrong with the transaction. I donated the boat and the non profit org. they had a time getting it registered in the US just because SA had no official system of reg. I think. I just hooked them up with the seller. I hope it worked out. what can go wrong will go wrong,

[ruthndave]

Thanks cadence, have the aus registration documentation covered, the survey now covered (by a us surveyor) and now the paperchase! A great kind of scary! :-)

Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[ikold]

Recently purchased a U.S. flagged vessel in Europe. Was a scary process for sure but all worked out swimmingly. Make sure to have a notarized USCG bill of sale or equivalent.
Not sure where your going but you may want to keep the U.S. flag of registry.

[ruthndave]

Ikold, am not sure why you suggest keeping us flag? As aussies we are required to register as a piece of australia.
Yes, the notary is being prepped, if survey works as we expect. Good advice. Thanks

Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[BandB]

Survey, departure papers are rather obvious. Liens in both countries become more complicated. You'll need a title search and the documentation agent can likely head you in the right direction. Can't leave this one out either and that is verify all ID's to be sure the person selling it to you is the owner. If they aren't going to be present then have copies of id's sent but also have them hold the id up to their fact and take a photo with a time stamp and send it immediately to you.

I know this may seem overly cautious but in the last three years there have been many homes rented and "sold" by someone who didn't own them.

[clownfishsydney]

Having just registered a Queensland yacht in New South Wales and all the trouble that was, I would have thought that it would not be a simple matter to register a boat in NSW when still in Mexico or the US. You may be better trying to keep it as US register till you get home.

The main problem I encountered was the requirement to provide a HIN certificate to RMS (Roads and Maritime Services for non NSW readers). Even though it had been registered in NSW before, we had to get a certificate from a NSW approved operator (and there are not many around, even in Sydney). Anyway, good luck.

[Reefmagnet]

The po won't need to worry about state rego. We recently went through the joys of transferring an already aus registered vessel to our name and got mired in red tape - even though we purchased via a broker. You should use the official AMSA bill of sale form (which needs to be signed by the seller) and you must basically ensure that you can trace the ownership history of the vessel all the way back to the builder for proof of rightful ownership otherwise you'll be jumping through many hoops in the process. The Aus rego certificate has as much importance a real estate title deed it seems.

[ruthndave]

Thanks all. Bandb, id check duly noted, will be good to have all parties present at documentation handover.
Clownfishsydney, as reefmagnet states, amsa rego is the be all. State rego not required as we not there yet. Amsa bill of sale docs in the process. I like the idea of multiple copies of this and a ' builders cert' from those knowing boat history where possible and owner history, avail from uscg.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[kutoroka]

Originally Posted by ruthndave

Ikold, am not sure why you suggest keeping us flag? As aussies we are required to register as a piece of australia

Whoever told you that is mistaken. There is no such reqirement. Ultimately if you return to Australia you will be obligated as per the following link. If you cruise extensively before returning to Australia you may be able to 'de-value' the vessel and save some tax and duty. If you cruise and sell the vessel without ever returning it to Australia you can avoid paying the tax and duty completely.

Unless you really want to have an Australian registered ship, the easiest and most economical would be to retain the current flag and simply change ownership.

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4361.asp

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app