packinair

Has anyone sold a boat outside the US? what is involved in customs etc. How do you protect both the seller and buyer?

jeff32

I bought many fronm us to canada. Do just like you would do selling to US. Make sure you get the money, give title that's it. The buyer would need you to sign a certificat of origin stating the boat was made in US, otherwise he is gonna have to pay the regular 6% + 7.5% taxes PLUS taxes on stuff made outside US.

If you have questions feel free to contact me!

otis311

be VERY careful and follow the letter of the laws to a tee.

I have a freind of mine that sold his boat to a Canadian and the boat got confiscated at the border by the Canadian Goverment due to him having his title already signed over. They accused him of trying to escape paying the taxes. It cost him well in excess of $40k to get the boat back due to a simple mistake. The boat was only worth $90k !!

bluellama

Otis, there has to be more to that story....
Wrong price on the bill of sale ?
American owner telling Customs he was going boating in Canada, instead of telling them he was delivering a sold boat ?

Safest way to sell it is to meet the Canadian owner just South of the border, sell your boat, and let the new owner deal with Customs.
It's done every day, where do you think all of our boats come from

jeff32

I forgot to mention the bill of sale between the seller and the buyer, but as bluellama said, done this many time no problem at all. The only problem the buyer could have is sometimes the serial number on the trailer is on a sticker type label on the trailer, and if it is faded by the sun and you can't read the serial number clearly, then your are (the buyer) stuck at customs. Otherwise... never had a problem!

otis311

No hidden secrets in this story, He decalred that he was traveling up to deliver boat to the potential new owner. They searched his truck and found the signed over title. They cuffed him and threw him in jail !! abd cofinscated the boat . He called the buyer and had him come down to the jail and explain also how the deal was going thru and that didnt work.

The guy I am talking about is as straight a shooter as you can get. He now owns the black Miami Vice Donzi 38' His name is Ken Collette. If anyone wants to hear his story and his troubles with the Canadian Government due to a mix up in paperwork...having the title pre signed over to new owner before crossing...Ill put you in touch with him. It was a hellish nightmare for him and cost him dearly !!

senzaspectre

I sold my boat to a dealer in Canada, they came and picked it up from me here in Mi. I guess theres problems with bringing boats on trailers across the border. What they did was claim that it was a custom built trailer, and put their mfg. sticker on it. because a trailer here does not have a title, only the boat does.????????

bluellama

Otis, the world just keeps getting smaller....

I'm in Fort Myers Beach right now visiting my Folks.
We were at Parrot Key Saturday afternoon for drinks after we had been out in the boat for awhile, we get talking to this real nice group of people at the table next to us. Topic turns to boats, guy says he has a black 38ZR, I say "you must be from Lake George "
Seems like a great guy, I told him he needs to make the short pull from Lake Geo to the 1000 Islands for the Pokerr Run next Augist.

otis311

thats Ken