Stroke of genius or act of lunacy?

May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Background: American friends of ours from, oh let's say, NM have kept their boat in Canada for over 10 years. They looove Canada . . . in the summer. In past years, they would migrate North in April or May and return to their home in late September or early October. Of course because of the pandemic that did not happen last year and is certainly not a sure thing this year. So I have been thinking of how I could help reunite my friends with their lovely boat.
Yes I understand that last year some boats were repatriated back to their owners country using commercial delivery captains that have dual American/Canadian citizenship. And for those that moored their boat on the mainland this was very doable and very affordable. For example Port Roberts, WA is less than 10 NM from Canadian customs at Crescent Beach Marina, BC. The cost is in the order of $1,200 and clearance is painless. However, our friends' boat is moored on Vancouver Island which would increase the delivery captain's logistics and subsequent costs considerably. And currently with 14 day quarantine times on both sides of the border, I am not sure if this service will even be offered this year. So here is my brilliant (or foolhardy) suggested plan of action.
The boat currently lies about 15NM from the US/Canadian border and that puts you in the middle of Haro Strait. So on some nice sunny day with a light NW wind and southerly ebbing tide, I would motor their boat close to the Canadian side of the border. Like really, really close. Say 0.5NM or even closer . . 10 ft??? I would abandoned the boat leaving it to float merrily across the border on its own to our friends waiting on the US side. They would then board their beloved boat and continue on their way.
Stroke of genius or act of lunacy?
 
May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Maybe a nice friend (say a marina mate) that just happened to be cruising in the area would help me out.
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
So basically finding a loophole in the law, instead of following the intent of it ?

To follow the intent...I guess you could disinfect the boat, get tested, avoid any contacts for 14 days then do that method. (Or disinfect it, and deliver it to the middle of the channel with a bio suit on)

I wonder what is done with shipping containers etc.

The 14 day rule doesnt apply to commercial truck drivers etc. i dont see why it can't be delivered normally by a company.
 
May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
So basically finding a loophole in the law, instead of following the intent of it ?

To follow the intent...I guess you could disinfect the boat, get tested, avoid any contacts for 14 days then do that method. (Or disinfect it, and deliver it to the middle of the channel with a bio suit on)

I wonder what is done with shipping containers etc.

The 14 day rule doesnt apply to commercial truck drivers etc. If so, i dont see why it can't be delivered normally by a company.
Not looking for anything that evens touches on illegal. In fact just the opposite. Before something like this is tried my friends would have to have a document in writing from the "authorities".
I don't see the difference between paying to have something transported across the border (either trucked or sailed by a paid captain) and letting it float across the border at $0.
I think the risk of contracting Covid-19 by touching something would be minimal if one takes reasonable precautions such as using proper PPE. There should be no quarantine required.
To truck a 35' Island Packet from Vancouver Island to anywhere in the US would be pricey.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
I would abandoned the boat leaving it to float merrily across the border on its own to our friends waiting on the US side.
Such an inventive mind, Len.We could be that so called friend waiting on the other side, just by chance, to salvage that abandon boat. I'm sure we could get a pretty penny for it. Ransom anyone?
 
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May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Such an inventive mind, Len.We could be that so called friend waiting on the other side, just by chance, to salvage that abandon boat. I'm sure we could get a pretty penny for it. Ransom anyone?
I think our friends from New Mexico would be there to do battle with you for the salvage rights, Terry.
 
Dec 14, 2003
1,393
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
Why not simply sail your friends' boat to the mentioned Crescent Beach, BC, marina and have them organize its crossing the border to Port Roberts, WA, with a commercial captain. You and your friends stay legal, the boat is not floated crewless in the current. Painless and the cost should be reasonnable !
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
A recent article in WebMD states that is very unlikely that you will catch corona virus from surfaces ... it is almost exclusively droplets in the air.
 
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May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Why not simply sail your friends' boat to the mentioned Crescent Beach, BC, marina and have them organize its crossing the border to Port Roberts, WA, with a commercial captain. You and your friends stay legal, the boat is not floated crewless in the current. Painless and the cost should be reasonnable !
I do want to repeat. I would do nothing contrary to law in either country. Full Stop.

Claude your suggestion makes a 3rd option, thanks. Although Point Roberts was a PoE (Port of Entry) because of Covid and where they physically sit in the world it no longer is. Blaine may be a preferred US destination for the delivery captain. But that is just nit picking.
It would add at least 45NM (60NM vice 15NM) on the outgoing leg of the trip for me and it would be at least a days activity getting back from Crescent Beach back to Vancouver Island for me but that is minimal inconvenience. I would also have to contact a delivery captain to see if they are currently considered essential workers in that they don't have to quarantine in each country for 14 days each time they cross the border (28 days :eek:)???
 
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BarryL

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May 21, 2004
1,000
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hey,

Sail the boat to the border. Put the bow on the american side. Your friend climbs on from his support boat. Before the stern leaves the canadian side you exit onto your support boat.

Done.

The boat never is unattended.

Barry
 
May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Hey,

Sail the boat to the border. Put the bow on the american side. Your friend climbs on from his support boat. Before the stern leaves the canadian side you exit onto your support boat.

Done.

The boat never is unattended.

Barry
"Now you're using my brain." my dad used to say. They claim GPS is accurate to within 16'. If we allow for that much error on each side of the border that is 32'. It gives both me and my friends 1.5" to work with and still be legal.
I was thinking I have 600' of stern tie, 450' of anchor rode plus another 180' in deep storage on a spare anchor plus about 100' of mooring/dock lines. If I tie them all together, I would have enough to tether float their boat to California almost.
But yours is much easier. I like it.
 
Oct 26, 2010
1,881
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Is there a spot with reversing current and reasonable depth at the US/Canada water border? Anchor the boat such that the current keeps you on the "correct side" you are delivering from with a lot of scope so that when the current reverses the boat is carried over the border to the other side he retrieves the anchor and is on his way. This would only work if you could use a small enough anchor that you could count on it dragging over the border so when he goes to retrieve he is still on his side. You'd have to anchor at near slack water or for that matter, you could anchor when the tide is heading his direction and back down on your (departing) side. Leave the boat and let it settle and drag to his (receiving) side. How's that for out of the box thinking. You wouldn't have to use a real anchor. Just a heavy hunk of big old chain instead of hte anchor to slow the drift. (Ask me how I know you'll drift slowly dragging heavy chain with no anchor attached :yikes:)
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Is there a spot with reversing current and reasonable depth at the US/Canada water border? Anchor the boat such that the current keeps you on the "correct side" you are delivering from with a lot of scope so that when the current reverses the boat is carried over the border to the other side he retrieves the anchor and is on his way. This would only work if you could use a small enough anchor that you could count on it dragging over the border so when he goes to retrieve he is still on his side. You'd have to anchor at near slack water or for that matter, you could anchor when the tide is heading his direction and back down on your (departing) side. Leave the boat and let it settle and drag to his (receiving) side. How's that for out of the box thinking. You wouldn't have to use a real anchor. Just a heavy hunk of big old chain instead of hte anchor to slow the drift. (Ask me how I know you'll drift slowly dragging heavy chain with no anchor attached :yikes:)
That sounded fun so I went and looked at the NOAA charts.... seems like most of the depths there are 300+

What is the legality of crossing the line while in the water. I thought you just wern't allowed to make landfall????

This is what it says about crossing the US/Canada line in Lake Erie

You can cross the invisible boundary line on your boat, no problem. But you must report to customs when you dock or drop anchor in the waters of the other country. (I once asked a U.S. Coast Guard about this. ... Both the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards patrol Lake Erie.
.


This might not be true in COVID times but if it is.... I'd think so long as you hand the boat over while still on the water.... say at the line-ish... you legal. Call the CCG and ask if it is illegal to drift over the line so long as you don't make landfall.
 
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Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Not looking for anything that evens touches on illegal. In fact just the opposite.
Yup. Exactly. Loopholes are legal. :thumbup:

I don't see the difference between paying to have something transported across the border (either trucked or sailed by a paid captain) and letting it float across the border at $0.
Not much. The authorities may have a hay day figuring it out.

I think the risk of contracting Covid-19 by touching something would be minimal if one takes reasonable precautions such as using proper PPE. There should be no quarantine required.
This is why shipments are free to cross. The risk, even though it is not zero, is low enough that for economic reasons it isnt considered an issue.
That doesnt mean the risk is zero, and airborne particles would be there if they boarded quickly after you abandoned ship.

As @rgranger said, it's the landfall that would normally count.

But what do they fill out in the paperwork ?
Point of vessel departure and point of arrival.
 
May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
What is the legality of crossing the line while in the water. I thought you just wern't allowed to make landfall????
Well that is a very good question and out of curiosity I once asked that question to a CBP at Port Townsend Boat Haven. His response was yes that was true previously but not since 911. I have not researched this as up to now it was never germane. When I tack down Haro Strait or Boundary Pass or the Strait of Georgia I am very careful not to cross over on the "other" side of the border. Maybe I am being overly cautious.
 
Sep 25, 2008
1,096
CS 30 Toronto
All of theses must be recorded on video and GPS screen shots to beat the prosecutors and lawyers.

What if you sail/motor right to the border (with GPS tracking of cause) with a dingy on tow. Meet your friend (or the owner/customer) with another dingy coming to meet you. As you get off the boat, your friend/customer boarded the boat from the other side (at least 6 feet apart). He/she take control of the boat and sail away.

Nobody crossed the border. Nobody left the country. All's good.

For good measure, get a camera crew to document everything. You might get good money from YouTube while you at it.. That may be a new business idea??