On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:03:32 +1000, "JohnM"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
As this is a cruising group and contains little info on actual
cruising, to give those contemplating sailing off shore I am posting
this email from a friend of mine who, like me, is also a solo sailor.

Jack, a US citizen who originally hailed from California, is a retired
deep sea diver who lives aboard his 40 foot ketch which has
registration in Hobart, Australia and which flies the Australian flag
- that's where his US registration expired during a circumnavigation
with his family.

How'd he get Australian registration for the boat without being an
Australian citizen? and when he did, did he have to pay import duty ?
Hobart's a great part of Australia. Captain James Cook said it was one of
the best cruising areas in the world.

Cheers


I'm not sure. It was in about 1986. I do know that he did not have to
pay import duty or any state taxes. He was just passing through and
his US registration had expired. He was able to register it even
though he was neither an Australian resident or citizen. One does not
have to be a citizen of either Panama or Monrovia to register there.
Whilst in Europe which has an 18 month limit of stay for non-EU
vessels, we could have obtained British registry through the mail
without even entering British waters. All we would have required was a
UK address. I could have used that of a friend in England.

I would point out that he has no personal objection to US
registration. He does however feel safer these days with his
Australian one. Mine, being New Zealand registered is even safer -
nobody knows where New Zealand is apart from movie buffs who have seen
"Xena", "The Last Samurai" and "Lord of the Rings". Even then, they
think of us as simple forest and mountain dwellers - totally harmless.

cheers
Peter