Visiting Maine waters for the summer. Tax?

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PDReynolds

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Sep 19, 2011
53
Beneteau Oceanis 423 Rhode Island
Hi All,

We are considering sailing to the Bar Harbour area for the summer from our home port in Rhode Island but I read little bits on the internet about tax or excise tax implications if you keep your boat there for long period, example 60 days?

No plans to move to Maine and become a resident, but would enjoy leaving our sailboat there for this season.

Thoughts on this?

Thanks,
PR
 
C

CarlN

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Jan 4, 2009
603
Ketch 55 Bristol, RI
Understanding that forum legal information is worth what you pay for it....

The sales/use tax is only a problem if you have owned your boat for less than a year. If it is a new boat, I'd wait until next year for the Maine trip.

A CG documented boat registered in RI (as RI requires) is exempt from the small Maine property tax for at least 60 days and no one's going to notice a little longer.

If only the weather was good in Maine that long ....
 
PaulK

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,522
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
If you're concerned about getting taxed for staying in Maine for 60 days, why not ask the marina where you're planning to stay what the deal is? They are likely to know. Vessels that stay in Connecticut waters for more than 60 days in a season are also supposed to pay a Connecticut registration or "certificate of decal" fee. For our 36' vessel, it's $180. If you moor in one place for 60 days, they might find you. Here, you could cross over to New York State or Rhode Island for a weekend, and start a new 60-day count. In Maine, you might be able to cruise more than 12 miles offshore and then start over. Ostensibly, the fees help to pay for things such as pump-out stations, moorings, and marine police that benefit recreational yachtsmen. We solve the problem by going to Maine in August, when fog is less likely, and August is only 31 days.
 
R

Rick486

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Oct 1, 2007
1,865
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
I strongly recommend that you research this thoroughly as part of your trip planning. There have been other threads here and on other boards on this subject. A few years back there was a controversy over this with several notable incidents involving boats from states with no sales tax on boats, cruising in Maine and running afoul of the Maine state tax collection apparatus. The atmosphere up there may be different now but you should research it. Google it as well. Maybe some of our Maine guys will weigh in as well.
 
shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
7,997
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Rick486 said:
I strongly recommend that you research this thoroughly as part of your trip planning. There have been other threads here and on other boards on this subject. A few years back there was a controversy over this with several notable incidents involving boats from states with no sales tax on boats, cruising in Maine and running afoul of the Maine state tax collection apparatus. The atmosphere up there may be different now but you should research it. Google it as well. Maybe some of our Maine guys will weigh in as well.
Click to expand
A slightly different example: I'm registered in NY. I was in CT for a cruise and had a repair done there. I got a ""Use Tax" bill from CT. because my registration sticker was out of date. I was registered but hadn't put the new sticker on the boat. It went on a bit but by showing documentation, I never paid the tax. They never said I didn't owe it - they just stopping dunning me.
The takeout lesson is that this is revenue for the states and they want the money.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,759
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
PDReynolds said:
Hi All,

We are considering sailing to the Bar Harbour area for the summer from our home port in Rhode Island but I read little bits on the internet about tax or excise tax implications if you keep your boat there for long period, example 60 days?

No plans to move to Maine and become a resident, but would enjoy leaving our sailboat there for this season.

Thoughts on this?

Thanks,
PR
Click to expand
On the way North to the boat stop at Wentworth, or Newburyport port for a bite to eat then buy something at the dock house at the marina, and keep the receipt...;) I'm not saying "why" to do that, I figure you can read between the lines....
 
woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,244
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
Maine Sail said:
On the way North to the boat stop at Wentworth, or Newburyport port for a bite to eat then buy something at the dock house at the marina, and keep the receipt...;) I'm not saying "why" to do that, I figure you can read between the lines....
Click to expand
that is very good advice...but its a shame that we have to travel in our own country this day and time and maintain a monetary proof of our travels...i go out of town for a few days and always use my debit card somewhere just for that reason
 
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