dsmdude

What is all required in order to do this? Can you freely travel between the US and Canada via boat on the Great Lakes? We are planning a possible trip from Duluth, MN to Thunder Bay, ON next summer and don't wish to get shot at by the Coast Guard for doing something wrong.

David Stotz

dsmdude,
It all depends. If you do everything by the book it can be a hassle. We live in Western NY (Buffalo) and boat to Canada alot. The beaches there are awesome. However there are alot of rules to follow. My advice to you would be to call Canadian Customs !-888-226-7277 and talk to them.
Dave

Dd24skater

We go to Pelee Island in Lake Erie all the time. You have to call Canadian Customs when you get there and call US customs when you return. You will need everyone's S.S. #'s and boat registration numbers.

All there is to it!

Dd

Put everything on your Mastercard or Visa while you are there to get the best exchange rate.

yzbert

you have to check in with canadian customs upon your arrival, they will ask a few questions and give you a number, you have to check back in with us customs upon your return, need to apply for us customs number for your boat before you go. they were upset last year when i did not have mine, they sent me the form to fill out. which reminds me that i have not done that yet. i will look up us form when i get back home. pretty easy to do, they used to have only certain reporting stations and that was a pain at times, now it is easier.
remember captain is the only one allowed off the boat untill you have checked in.

Rippem

unless everyone aboard has a I68, you all have to report in person (or videophone station) to US Customs upon return.

an I68 is a identity/background check just for boaters. You get mugshoted and fingerprinted. Go to your nearest full Customs facility, it's $16 per person.

This, and this only allows you to report in by phone.

admittedly, our system is in trouble and one hand may not know what the other is doing at times, but this is the legal way for boaters to avoid reporting in person (to stations that often close at 7 or 9 PM) or finding a videophone (which are out of order alot).

We here in the 1000 Islands know all about it.

Rippem

that is correct and the window they like to see for check in is 20 minutes. Upon arrival call 1 800 CAN PASS and have a pen&paper ready to write down your check in # and leave it on the dash or pasted to a window of your boat.

They can get pretty upset and/or deny you entry if you don't follow the rules!

BradH

If you already have a passport it helps, but I would not go and get one just for Canada. I 68 makes it a lot smoother. And make sure all of your gear is there (flares, whistle, lifejackets etc) for both US and Canadian Coasties.

CBR

My grandpaps used to go from the Bahamas to Canada all the time, with a few stops outside the 3 mile limit along the way.

Rippem

yzbert

[QUOTE=Rippem]unless everyone aboard has a I68, you all have to report in person (or videophone station) to US Customs upon return.

an I68 is a identity/background check just for boaters. You get mugshoted and fingerprinted. Go to your nearest full Customs facility, it's $16 per person.



I have never had to have a I 68, been back and forth for years. what they wanted me to have now is a us department of homeland security bureau of customs and border protection annual user fee decal. it is cbp form 339v. decal that you display on the boat good for one year. call 317-298-1245 or http://www.cbp.gov select travel tab, select user fee decal program, click on apply online for decal.

i am in northern michigan, and only know of one video phone up here. we just call on cell and check in, they were upset last year that we did not have the decal. (i did not no about it though)