You guys dont know how to pack thats all.

I couriered a homemade pie to Nort 3 weeks ago and it was perfect !!!!! He has pics to prove it.

Everytime I get a fedex or UPS to me here in SIngapore (from the US) they send it to China..doh.no wonder your moving to third world status
DHL actually knows where Singapore is.
I'm f**ked if I know how your pilots ever get here?
What makes me really laugh is they have special decals when the parcel arrives in China, to redirect to Singapore, so clearly they know they cant train the monkeys.

Fogducker,
If you are going to import anything and you want the process to go smoothly, you need to open an account with a customs broker prior to the goods being shipped. A signed power of attorney is a CBSA requirement and no responsible broker will overlook this. Choose a local independent broker that can clear your goods regardless of how they are shipped. They will give you straight forward advise and do things right. Using a courier's inhouse brokerage service is a mistake, but given your circumstances you really had no other choice.
Phil

No matter how it is packaged the monkeys at UPS will break it and they will always say it wasnt packaged right EVEN if it was packaged at a UPS store!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a prune pie

I have purchased numerous items from the US....big and small. From boats to coins.....NEVER have any problem when it comes via the good ole USPS and is handed over to Canada Post at the border.....on top of the normal taxes that I have to pay, I get charged $5 for "brokerage fees" by Canada Post........can't beat that when UPS, FedEx, Purolator etc ding me anything from $25 to over $75 for their "brokerage fees" which is a joke because 90% of the "paperwork" is done electronically BEFORE the actual item even hits the border!!!

What I found is that most people think you HAVE to have a broker, WRONG, an individual can act as their own broker when personally bringing an item across the border, all they want is the tax money.......

PS. I am currently sitting at home STILL waiting for my second box.......

i ship a lot of items out of the US to all over the world and i always try to use the USPS if the weight is not to much as the paperwork is a lot less of a hassle UPS wants to know the last time you took a sh!t on their paperwork but given any chance UPS will destroy your item Fed Ex rates are rediculous DHL is a complete joke and the USPS will loose your item if given a chance but i use USPS and UPS exclusively

Is it a hassle for a US citizen to buy a used boat from a dealer in Canada - any additional costs in getting it across the border?

They all suck! it just depends on how much you want to deal with! We just got a motor returned from UPS that THEY damaged during the shipment. It never made it to the customer!! They did their "inspection" and determined it was packed properly! BIG SURPRISE!!! Funny how the motor made it to us in Chicago via UPS from Brazil with no issues yet they cant do a domestic delivery to PA without damaging something!!!
And i would never believe it if anyone else told me this, but one of our regional sales guys that visits NJ has witnessed first hand as a UPS guy drove down the block and THREW the package out the door of the truck never slowing down at their feet as they were coming out of the building!!! CRAZY!

oh heres a pic of the damaged motor....they busted a cast iron foot off the motor! This thing was wrapped to a plywwod board with that shrink wrap seran wrap stuff and then double boxed with extra thick cardboard. The box looked beat up but whole....you open the box and the plywood looked like it was put through a wood chipper and the wrap was split in half...and it was like 10 layers around or so...