wrote in message
...
On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 11:54:05 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

"ray lunder" wrote in message
. ..
Ahoy, I'm looking at a presently CA registered sailboat. It's 33', not
sure of displacement but it's a steel sloop so heavy. It's not USCG
documented but I think I want it to be. My residence is in WA state. I
hope to leave the boat in Mexico on the 10 year permit and not use it
in the USA at all. Well, maybe in San Diego for repairs or something
but mostly Mex and beyond until I run out of money or my yardarm falls
off.
Also, it was foreign built. I assume the Import extravaganza has
already been addressed when it became a CA registered vessel. Is this
circumstance treated differently when it becomes CG documented? I'd
appreciate any advice from people who've navigated this sticky, wreck
strewn reef before. Hoping to solve this without an attorney/marine
doc specialist.
Thanks as always for your time, ray.


As others have said USCG documentation is pretty easily done. I believe
the
fee if it's not a US hull is $500 for a waiver. I don't recall if there's
a
sales tax issue. (I know there is if it's a new boat, but I don't think so
if it's a third party transaction.) There will likely be a yearly use tax
from the county. They treat it like property tax for houses. They get the
info directly from the Coast Guard if you get the USCG documentation.

The tax issues vary by state. In Connecticut, like many states, you
still have to register your boat. If it is documented, you only have
to display a small sticker showing that you have paid the taxes. In
Connecticut, that sticker is known as a "certificate of decal". No
state can compel you to display registration numbers on a documented
vessel. Connecticut does not get information from the CG for tax
purposes. They do it completely on their own. The only connection is
that Connecticut uses your documentation number anywhere they would
use a registration number for a non-documented boat, and they accept
the documentation as your title of ownership.

I have no idea what the tax laws or registration requirements are for
Washington.



Interesting. Here you don't have to register if you're documented. The DMV
scrambled around when I called them right after I bought the boat (which was
already Fed documented). After a few minutes, they found someone who
confirmed that they didn't care about it in that case.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com