"Edgar" wrote in message
...

"C. S." wrote in message
...

"George Estafette" wrote in message
...
C. S. wrote:
A US friend of mine is offering to sell me his Catalina Morgan 440 at a
very attractive price. Being a european I have no information about
this
particular brand of yacht.
Is there anyone on this group who can give me information about it?
What
I find via Google is mainly the normal "marketing information" where
this yacht is just the right one for you.
What I am looking for is how does this yacht really classify for
extensive blue water yachting and live aboard?

C.S.

This might be interesting reading before you buy (and don't forget the
VAT either)

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tle-15721.html

Regards

Thaks to you all for good links and answers.
Especially the link above is interesting.
One possibility I am considering is to keep the yacht under US flag and
owned by a US company. The yacht would be based somewhere in the
Mediteranean.
With such an arrangement I would not really have to worry about CE
approvals and VAT , at least not until I eventually decide to sell the
boat. And even then only in case the buyer wants to register it in an EU
country. And by the way, according to the manufacturer this type
(Catalina
Morgan 440) is EU approved.

'EU approved' simply means that they have done the basic stability
calculations and loads of other stuff the EU want for other boats of that
type. Unless the boat you buy has been EU certified and carries the CE
mark
you had better not try getting it into EU until it is.

I will have to check this with the manufacturer.

And I believe you
are wrong about US flagging a boat in Europe. You can go for 'temporary
importation' but that only lasts for 18 months and then you have to pay
the tax or take it away or get it impounded.

I know there are many US flaged yachts owned by US citicens in the
Mediteranean and they have been there for years without any EU tax or
importation problems. Do you think there would be a difference if the owner
is a US registered company and not a US individual?
I will however have to check what kind of rules there are if a foreigner
like me wants to set up a company in US. The rules obviously vary from state
to state so it it make take some research.
My believe is the potential problems with tax and EUapproval come only if I
later would like to sell the yacht to somebody who wants to register it in
EU.

Do a bit more research on Google before you make a costly mistake

I will do that.

CS