Warning to Great Lake boaters
 

I have been warned that Canadians / Americans crossing boundries and are cought will have a hell of a time getting back.

Please clarify.:confused:

You will have no problem at all as long as you have an I68. If you do not have one, you will have problems and it is a $500 fine for everyone on board you vessel that doesn't have one. Oh and the fines are all given to the owner of the vessel not the person without one. So make sure if you plan on crossing those imaginary lines in the lakes that seperate Canada and the US that everyone on board has an I68. They require you to bring 3 small photos, like passport photos and a couple pieces of ID to a customs office. They will keep 2 of the photos and one gets put on the I68 form. They also finger print you. The cost is $16.

Has anybody been on the St. Lawrence river yet, 1000 islands area, and have you seen extra security measures?

That was my next question. Do these same rules apply to the St Lawerence/1000 Islands area? What is an I68?

I'm not positive on the location. I think it is everywhere there is a border. I am positive that I need it to go to Michigan or Ohio. It is a goverment form that basically says that you have been cleared to go between the 2 countries without having to go to customs or call them everytime.

I thought I read somewhere that the I68's where temporarily suspended due to 9/11

You may want to call US Customs to make sure.

They are no longer suspended. Many of my friends already have them. The change was that you now need the pictures and the finger prints. That was their answer to 911.

James, we were told you need an I68 if "you drop anchor or set foot on Canadian soil" (for us Americans), rather than "cross the border". Is this how you heard it? In other words, we can cruise thru Canadian waters, but as soon as we drop anchor and stay awhile or get out and walk around in Canada, we're hosed without an I68.

Did you get one yet and where did you get it?

Christine

From what I have been told there is no provision for crossing lines in a boat not enough customs people to do the job. Due to 9/11... The Americans / Canadian are hashing out how to handle this but at this time there has been no resolution to the delema according to my flotilla comander.

Delsol from the board is an American, he lives in Canada however. He was at Kelley's Island last weekend on a Canadian vessel. Customs with drug dog and all boarded their vessel and gave them the whole breakdown. It is what I just said above. If you even cross the imaginary border and a customs boat sees you, you're pooched without an I68. For the lousy $16 I really don't think it would be worth not having one.

Christine, I haven't got mine yet. Got my pictures done this week. I will be going to the customs office in Algonac or Marine City to get mine within the next week. The first PIB trip is in June so I need one before then.

Hope to know more by the 14 our next meeting

Milord,

Thank's for that info. We were in the St Clair river last Sunday without an I68, however we did not venture too close to the US side. I'll be stopping this Saturday to pick mine up.

Rick

Sounds like they are serious about this. I dont go to canada, but I run the rivers alot and I'm going to continue to care less about technicalities like this, if I cross an imaginary line in the center of the river, or cut the border while going to Put-in-bay, so what, and I'll be the first to tell them that, and play dumb, express my intentions to go party my face off, and and invite them to search my boat all they want while I party on, they are generally just like you and I, but they have a job to do, so let em do it, and it always works out. If I was knowingly going to go over to canada I'd get one of these forms though... otherwise :p :p :p ;)

Rick,

Where were you near in St.Clair? Where do you boat from? I spend a lot of my time in the River. My girlfriend lives in Sombra so I'm up that way a lot.

Check out this link. It will explain how to report to Canada Customs. http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/customs/i...ateboat-e.html

Rob ... don't be so damn cheap .. go get one. That way I can get you over to Reggae night at the Sandbar! :D :D

like I said if I'm going I'll get one, otherwise I'm not gonna. It's tough to go to the sandbar for raggae night when the tin fish is so close and has a great one too the same night, but I'm sure I will a few times this year!

Milord,

Me and a buddy come down and run the river every spring to shake our boats down. We however do most of our boating up on the Trent System and Georgian Bay. It was cold in Sarnia on Sunday, not many out, but the river was flat and good for the run down to Lake St Clair. Just put a new 502 Mag in my boat and I needed some break-in hours.

Rick

Rick, so do you live up in the TO area. I think I'm dragging my boat up to Georgian Bay this year for a weekend anyway. I have never been up there on a boat, I think it will be a nice trip.

Milord,

I live in St Thomas and we trailer 3 hrs every weekend up to the Trent. Once you go up there, it will be hard to boat anywhere else. We usually trailer to Hot Knots and put in there. It's a good staring point to go either way on the Trent. If you are going to Georgian Bay, you can launch at Lock 45 or Midland. Get some charts for Georgian Bay or stay in the marked channel...lots of rocks.

We're heading up to Orillia on May 24 and cursing down to Peterborough. Flat water, not many speed zones and lots of marinas to stay at. I’ll send some pictures to your personal email address. If you want, you can let me know when your going up and we can give you the guided tour. It’s great boating !!

Rick

Hi all.

here in the 1000 islands you can still travel without an I-68 provided you do so during office hours and you stop to check in.
I think the hours are 8am to 6pm. After that you must have your I-68. The police have a total of 4 boats patroling between Brockville and Kingston with the RCMP kicking in an additional 7 vessels for home land security. HA HA

Give me a shout if your in the area (2 miles from international bridge):D

The 1000 Islands Power Boat Club is having a meeting this Saturday morning at Hutchson's in ABay with the State Police, Park Police, and US Customs. One of the items to get explained and clarified is the I-68. I'll post what I learn after the meeting.

Guess we're going to have a little fun run after the meeting.

is there a waiting period for the I68 Im coming to Alex bay july 1-7th exactly what do I do, I know there is a US customs at Alex and Clayton, I just want to cover my ass Thanks

Here's a press release from the INS on the form. The question I have is who enforces this? When we go to Canada, we have to call Canadian Customs from a land line at a marina or restaurant. And I've had the friendly OPP stop by in Crystal Bay and ask if I've called in. I have never called anyone when coming back. I've never heard of anyone (American) calling in or being stopped coming back from Canada by boat. Is this the sherriff, USCG, or US border patrol's responsibility?

I went to a Power Squadron meeting where an INS guy talked about the form. He said having it will make it so that you don't have to go to a port of entry to get cleared for entry. Now the only points of entry in SE Michigan are at vehicle border crossings, and he said that without the form, you're supposed to check in there when returning from Canada. I beleive he said you can tie your boat up at a seawall and hike up to the Customs booths at the bridge, and he was serious. What a load of crap. I might get one of the forms, but I think it's just a money making scheme for the gov't. Buy the form, so you don't get stopped by one of the huge number of border patrol boats. What do those look like anyway? I've only been boating between the US and Canada for 7 or 8 years now, so I haven't seen one yet...

How do I go about getting one of theese I68 things?

Customs
 

I went back and found this information that was a topic of discussion in March. I am going to cut out some of the information that I had posted at that time. Also check the links for some good reading.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
From what I read and from what people say there seams to be some confusion as to what is the correct way to go between the US and Canada. From what I’ve read if you go from the US and even drop anchor in Canadian waters you are considered to be on Canadian soil. If you go on land they require you to check in by phone. It could end here or they can send someone down for inspection or even make you report to a customs or immigration station miles away. (this probably rarely happens)
One thing people fail to do is report back to US customs when they return to the US. They could make your life miserable if they wanted to by not reporting back in.
Think of it the same as if you drive across the border. They make you stop on the way in and also on the way back. It’s all documented by Canada or the US when you reported and I’m sure they share information especially now.
Here are some links to information about it.
http://www.cruising.ca/docs/USAE.html#I-68
http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp....html#P256_9720

+++++++++++++++++
I just got off the phone with a Customs inspector and was told that you MUST report back in to the United States or could face forfeiture of your boat and possible jail time.
If you want to verify it call
Cleveland
(440) 267-3600
Toledo-Sandusky
1. (888) 523-2628
2. (419) 259-6424
3. (419) 625-0022
This is a number that he also gave me to the Customs Management Center for LAKE ERIE : 716-626-0400

The form you referred to is called an I-68 form. It was for Immigrations and the cost was $16 with a max of $32 per family. After calling the 888 # above and listing to the recording it says that you can use the # to call and leave a message before leaving Canada, while in route from Canada on a cell phone, or when you make land in the US.
1) Give registration #
2) Length of boat (note that if the boat is over 30 feet in length you must provide a number from the customs decal that you are suppose to have purchased for $25.)
3) Name & Date of birth of the captain
4) # of passengers on board
5) Anything to declare
6) What Marina you will be going to
It also states that the I-68 form and the video phone does not satisfy the requirements of the US Customs.

Each boat entering a U.S. dock or anchorage , must properly report-in to the closest international port-of-entry (POE) to the United States. Officials of the U.S. Government inspect all persons arriving. There are four separate inspections. Customs, Immigration, Public Health, and Agriculture. You may only talk to one official who does all four inspections or you may talk to more than one official.

If your boat has anchored or tied up, you are considered to have entered the United States. No one shall board or leave the boat without first completing customs processing, unless permission to do so is granted by the Customs officer in charge. The only exception to this requirement is to report arrival.
If it is necessary for someone to leave the boat to report arrival to U.S. Customs, he or she must return to the boat after reporting and remain on board. No one who arrived on that boat may leave until the Customs officer grants permission to go ashore. Violations may result in substantial penalties and forfeiture of the boat.
This is what to do going to Canada.
The captain of a boat arriving in Canada must report to Canadian Customs immediately upon arrival. You must report in at designated stations, but, as a convenience, most marinas are eligible and have instructions and toll-free phone numbers posted. You should be prepared to wait for an inspector or to move your boat to another location if required. Be sure to keep all passengers on board until you have cleared entry procedures.
Have your boat license or registration information with you as well as the full names, citizenship, birth dates, and addresses of all persons on board when you talk to the customs agent. Make an entry in your own ship's log (date, agent's name, location of entry, clearance number) for reference.
You can report to Canadian Customs, toll free at 1-800-265-5633 24 hours a day.
I’ve taken this information off of various sites in the hopes that I can help others who want to make the border crossings.
It's late and I got to get up early so if you take the time to check out the links you will find more information then you care to know.
Cordell

I have been told buy Aux flotilla comander the official proceedures are to be anowenced monday and should be much like Milord has stated.

Here's an article from the Macomb Daily newspaper. It sounds like you can get different answers based on whom you ask.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=402945&rfi=6

We'll most likely get ours to avoid the hassle. But what do we do if we take out-of-town guests out, besides stick close to the US shoreline?

Christine

Christine, I'm telling all my friends that come boating with me to get one. I don't need any of those big fines! :D

That was my thought, too, James, but we've got friends coming up from Cincinnati in late June. We might be able to work something out, but if not, we'll go to "plan B" (whatever that is).

Another problem is the Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and INS are not all the same agency. Additionally the INS is scheduled for restructuring this year. It wil be split into two seperate agencies.

The two big Poker Runs in the Thousand Islands will be interesting. Especially the larger one in August.

Cleveland Plain Dealer Article
 

The following article was in the Cleveland Plain dealer around mid-April.
Written by Molly Kavanaugh

Boaters facing tighter security
Fingerprints, photos needed to visit Canada

People traveling on recreational boats to Canadian ports, even for a day, face stricter immigration requirements because of increased concerns about national security.
The government now requires boaters 14 and older to be finger printed and to submit three identical photographs annually at one of three offices along Lake Erie.
In the past, they could apply for the permit once and renew the form by mail.
The changes could effect thousands of boaters like Bill Bechstein of Sandusky. He is not happy about it.
“What is it going to accomplish? I will definitely go get one-it’s the right thing to do,” said Bechstein, who visits Pelee Island and Leamington, Ontario, every summer. “But if they’re doing it for security reasons, I think they’re just kidding themselves.”
The program is currently known as the Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit program, or Form I-68.
It began in 1963 in Minnesota to facilitate boating and fishing in boundary waters.
The program expanded nationally, and a fee was attached in 1995.
“The program is really designed to accommodate legitimate boaters,” said Frank Pangas, area port director with the U.S. Immigrations and Naturalization Service office in Cleveland.
Under the changes, the form will still be valid for one year, and the annual cost, $16 per individual or $32 per family, has not changed.
Boaters who do not wish to apply for an I-68 still can report in at one of the eight 24-hour videophone stations in the Cleveland area each time they return from Canada.
Those sites are: Ashtabula City Public Dock; Fairport Harbor, Grand River Marina; Mentor Lagoons Marina; Chagrin River Yacht Club in Eastlake: East 55th Street Marina in Cleveland; Cedar Point Marina in Sandusky: Brand’s Drydock Marina in Port Clinton: and Put-in-Bay dock master’s office on South Bass Island.
Terry Jackson, Manager of Leamington Municipal Marina, said 8,000 to 10,000 Ohio guests visit the marina every year.
When the I-68 program first began, Jackson was worried that it would start to keep U.S. boaters away.
Those worries were unfounded.
He’s not sure what to make of the new requirements.
“I don’t think it will hurt us, but if (INS) got real bad with this, it could be major problems for us,” Jackson said.
Letters about the changes are being mailed to the 2,000 boaters currently listed with Cleveland’s INS office as having an I-68 form.
Pangas said that, based on his conversations with boaters at the Cleveland boat show in January, he suspects many visit Canada without the form.
U.S. boaters who fail to comply do not face a penalty per se, but they may be inconvenienced by having to produce documents, said Ins spokeswoman Kimberly Weissman.
Border patrol inspections and enforcement will be enhanced this year, Weissman said.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT
IDENTIFICATION:
People applying for a permit must bring proof of citizenship and photo identification, plus three identical photographs. Children younger than 14 do not need to be present, but their birth certificates must be presented.
COST:
$16 per applicant annually or $32 per family (husband and wife, their parents and their unmarried children younger than 21). Payment must be by check or money order.
APPLICATIONS:
Will be taken in May at the following INS locations:
Burke Lakefront Airport,
1501 North Marginal Road,
Cleveland: Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(216) 522-2265

Feick Office Building,
Suite 206, 158 E. Market St.
Sandusky:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(419) 625-2194

AFTER JUNE:
Call the office for an appointment.

IN TOLEDO:
An appointment is always needed, Call (419)-259-6474

If I read this right, It says that you do not need the I-68 form but must call/check in at one of the ports with a video phone.
MR OFFSHORE.... When I was younger I learned a lesson the hard way. NOTHING OUT RUNS A RADIO!
:eek:

Cordell