All I know is that his boat papers show Aussie registration; the flag
he flies is Aussie and the word "Hobart" is carved in teak beneath the
boat's name "Kulkuri", also carved in teak.

It may be that, like mine, it has expired.

No. Australian shipping registration for pleasure craft, as it stands
at the moment, does not expire (unlike NZ or US documentation). Each
of the separate states and territories has its own registration, which
involves re-registering the vessel annually, but Australian shipping
registration does not require annual or 5-annual renewal.

In Malaysia, we do not even ask for boat papers. All that is required
is to have your passport stamped. The fact that you arrived by yacht
doesn't really matter - so far as Customs etc is concerned, you could
have swimmed. The Harbour Master's (with Jabatan Laut) dept is not
interested in yachts either. They are more interested in big shipping
and the Indonesian barter trade boats.

Hmm ... every time I've entered and exited Malaysian waters I've had
to fill out forms for Jabatan Laut that require entry of the vessel's
official number etc. Jabatan Laut officers often do not ask to see the
papers, but they want their forms filled in and submitted. In
Malaysia, port clearance is handled by Customs (clearing in and out
with Jabatan Laut, the Marine Department, is more for JL's sense of
control than anything else) and Customs generally do want to see the
original copy of the ship's papers.

... Very seldom has anyone queried that the registration
expiry date on the papers states 2000. When they have, I merely say
that in New Zealand the original still stands and that I have some
documentation somewhere on the boat to show that it is still current.
A lie perhaps but why should I pay the $1,000 or so for registration
for another 5 years. ...

You may get away with this, and 1k seems wildly expensive for
registration, but not everyone who tries this has as much luck as you
have. I have witnessed folks getting into very uncomfortable
situations with customs because of lapsed registration. In the
islands there is always the temptation to just sail away but that does
tend to poison the waters for folks who follow on and even the most
primitive customs houses seem to be able to forward the particulars of
offenders on. French and US territorial folks do not seem to care
much but the Aussies and Kiwis do and it can be awkward to have to
fight the government in either of those places. I don't know how it
all plays out in the rest of the world, but since US renewal is free
and since they will send you a new cert any time you ask for one I
haven't ever been motivated to go without.

-- Tom.

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 06:30:47 -0700, Bil wrote:

Hi,
This is all strange to me, especially as I have worked with Jabatan
Kastam Diraja Malaysia - Marin.

To be sure, one can go through all the proceedures if one chooses to
but few do and it is not enforced at all. You can fill out the harbour
master's forms at each port if you choose but from social
conversations with these people, they would really prefer not to. The
same with Customs where they are attached to immigration - they are
not part of the prevention part of the Customs department.

I am positive that if you were to enquire at the Marine Customs bases
(part of Prevention - not Revenue) at such as Tanjong Putri in Johor
Bahru, Pelabuhan Klang, Penang or Langkawi - all ports of entry, they
would not know what you would be talking about. I cannot recall any
ships papers of yachts being asked for whereas they examine all barter
trade papers minutely.

I have just checked with friends who I have worked with and they agree
that they never bother with such matters. They have found that yachts
are not a problem.

regards
Peter

Hmm ... every time I've entered and exited Malaysian waters I've had
to fill out forms for Jabatan Laut that require entry of the vessel's
official number etc. Jabatan Laut officers often do not ask to see the
papers, but they want their forms filled in and submitted. In
Malaysia, port clearance is handled by Customs (clearing in and out
with Jabatan Laut, the Marine Department, is more for JL's sense of
control than anything else) and Customs generally do want to see the
original copy of the ship's papers.

On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 07:33:27 +1000, wrote:

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 06:30:47 -0700, Bil wrote:

Hi,
This is all strange to me, especially as I have worked with Jabatan
Kastam Diraja Malaysia - Marin.

To be sure, one can go through all the proceedures if one chooses to
but few do and it is not enforced at all. You can fill out the harbour
master's forms at each port if you choose but from social
conversations with these people, they would really prefer not to. The
same with Customs where they are attached to immigration - they are
not part of the prevention part of the Customs department.

I am positive that if you were to enquire at the Marine Customs bases
(part of Prevention - not Revenue) at such as Tanjong Putri in Johor
Bahru, Pelabuhan Klang, Penang or Langkawi - all ports of entry, they
would not know what you would be talking about. I cannot recall any
ships papers of yachts being asked for whereas they examine all barter
trade papers minutely.

I have just checked with friends who I have worked with and they agree
that they never bother with such matters. They have found that yachts
are not a problem.

regards
Peter

Hmm ... every time I've entered and exited Malaysian waters I've had
to fill out forms for Jabatan Laut that require entry of the vessel's
official number etc. Jabatan Laut officers often do not ask to see the
papers, but they want their forms filled in and submitted. In
Malaysia, port clearance is handled by Customs (clearing in and out
with Jabatan Laut, the Marine Department, is more for JL's sense of
control than anything else) and Customs generally do want to see the
original copy of the ship's papers.

At langkawi, you trudge down to the ferry terminal and go to
Immigrations, fill out the form and get stamped in, then up stairs to
the Harbor Master's office and fill out the inward clearance form
(same one commercial vessels use), then down stairs again to Customs
and turn in your outward clearance from your last port. When you leave
the procedure is reversed except that you go to Customs AFTER clearing
Immigrations for some reason.

In addition, when departing you must pay harbor and "lighting" fees --
1.50 RM, or something like that.

I cleared in at Port Dickson last time and we arrived Saturday evening
so bright and early on Sunday I arrived at the Harbor Master's office
where they politely informed me that they could clear me but I would
have to pay overtime, or if I came back tomorrow no charge.
Immigration had a guy available because there was a ferry coming in
from Singapore (I think) so he stamped my passport but Customs was
closed. Come back tomorrow.

But in no case have I been asked for the actual boat registration
papers.

In Thailand you need to give them photocopies of registration papers
but nobody reads them.

Singapore does take your registration but only so they enter the
particulars into the computer. I cleared on a photocopy one time. I
was so brainwashed by the Thai procedures that I handed over a
photocopy. Nothing was said.

I've never cleared in the Philippines but I understand the procedure
is much the same.




Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)

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