What does this mean? "**Not for sale to US citizens while in US waters*"

rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,925
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
So... sometimes when I'm bored I go look at boat ads.... (I know I'm not the only one) and I found this ad for a well outfitted sailboat that just returned to the states from the Bahamas. At the end of the ad they state

"**Not for sale to US citizens while in US waters*"

What the heck does that mean? And why?:what:

Here is the ad if you want to look at it.
http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/65501
 
capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
5,072
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
The owner doesn't want the hassle of dealing with US taxes, etc. Probably not an American flagged vessel. This only means that the sale must take place outside US waters and with the Bahamas only 49 miles away, that is where this can be done w/o US taxation.
Almost all boats of size sold from Fla were taken to the Bahamas for a day or two to avoid Fla taxes, even US registered ones. However, some years back Fla closed that loophole and now I believe it must be in the new owner's possession for 90 days or more, outside Fla, to avoid the taxes.
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
What Capta said. Its Norwegian flagged.

Not huge taxes, but the owner wants no part of that part of the deal.

First 38. Easily one of the most durable and bluewater-ready Beneteaus made.
 
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Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
BTW, the import duty on a used boat is 1.5% of the purchase price. Plus any applicable state tax. Not a deal breaker.
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,925
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Jackdaw said:
First 38. Easily one of the most durable and bluewater-ready Beneteaus made.
Click to expand
Yeah! I kind of fell in love with it as I was looking through the pics. I might be taking my wife to the Bahamas this July (fly) and ... I hope to sell her on the idea of how much fun it would be to kick it around for a month or two on a sailboat. She does enjoy being on the boats I've had so far, but she does not seem all that interested in actually operating the boat. She likes to read magazines while I sail... and occasionally hold the tiller while I mess with a sail. And she fusses at me when I fire up the OB because it ruins the peace. So I feel that there is a sailor in there someplace. Maybe I need to plan my cruises so they end at a crab shack/tiki bar each evening... ;)
 
Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,311
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Don't know the details.... just eavesdropping other forum members over the years... but isn't there a similar loophole in California, which motivates buyers/sellers to change ownership in Mexico?
 
agprice22

agprice22

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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
I'll tell who doesn't let s$&t slide... New York! They wThey wouldn't register a trailer once because the PO owed PA taxes on it! The PO said screw off! So I just made it so I was first owner!
 
Rick D

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,203
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Joe said:
Don't know the details.... just eavesdropping other forum members over the years... but isn't there a similar loophole in California, which motivates buyers/sellers to change ownership in Mexico?
Click to expand
There used to be a 90 day rule. If the boat was purchased outside the USA ("Offshore Delivery") and was used outside for 90 or more days, it would be, subject to proof, exempt from the purchase tax. Now, as far as I know, it has been extended to a year from 90 days.
 
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