Buying a boat currently in Canada

forbin

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Nov 4, 2013
166
Tartan 3700 Seattle - Elliot Bay
Has anyone looked in to this or know someone who has recently? Besides the obvious of not being able to see the boat in person, have there been any roadblocks?

I'm looking at two close to identical boats, one here and one in Vancouver, wondering whether to spend any time on the Vancouver one.
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
As you appear to be aware the border is closed for “non-essential” travel. I don’t see that changing for quite some time to come so the hassle factor would be high for the Canadian vessel.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
It's not a hassle factor. The border is CLOSED. Period. Do your homework, this is NOT a viable option. www.cruisersforum.com has a few threads about folks back east who can't even go across to see boats that they already own. Forget it. I'm not being harsh or blunt, I am sharing reality.
 
Aug 7, 2018
179
Catalina 350 Great Sodus Bay, Lake Ontario
You can still "ship a boat" overland (across the border) by truck. There are other methods of course. The cost of shipping is the issue, you should also use a customs broker to make the process go smoothly. No duty will be due if you are importing a US-manufactured boat. I seriously considered this method when looking for a "rare" year, condition, fresh water and model vessel. There were only 4 units for sale in the North American continent. The boat was 40k less than others. The cost estimate for shipping and preparation on both ends was approx 18k. So why didn't I? Simple, it was not worth the hassle and risk. I do hope you find what you want here in the states.
 
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Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
If you cross the border you need to quarantine for 14 days. Are you ready for that? Dr. Bonnie Henry, our BC health minister, takes this seriously.
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
You can still "ship a boat" overland (across the border) by truck.
I don’t have any personal experience with this but assume it might depend on whether the customs official considers the load to be “essential”. Moving a “used” boat is likely in the grey area. The load could be turned away and you would still be stuck with the costs with no ability to actually even see the new to you boat let alone use it for the foreseeable future.

The province of BC has been subjected to some extra pressure given the “loophole” of US citizens crossing the land border to transit through to Alaska. Lots of press where some have been caught “vacationing”.

@Stu Jackson is correct as there is no Canadian sense of humour with anyone trying to bend or ignore the rules of the border closure.
 

forbin

.
Nov 4, 2013
166
Tartan 3700 Seattle - Elliot Bay
Thanks for the replies. I was not planning to cross the border myself, I'm aware that's not allowed, and I'm not really in to sneaking across international borders for fun. Currently the border is closed until 9/21, but that's been extended every month so I don't see any reason it wouldn't be extended again this month. As far as quarantining for 14 days, although we don't have that requirement, prior to covid I would have said no way, but now, no problem, I think I didn't leave the house for almost two months initially.

But it sounds like a potential pain in the ass.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
We have a couple of members who are without use of their boats this year, one keeps his boat in Ontario on the hard and the other lives in Ontario and neither have been successful at either retrieving their boat or in the case of the one here in MI, launching their boat. Truly a sad year for those individuals.