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[kosanin kosher salt]

i should be going off to buy a boat tommorow  in bellingham  .  but not  exactly sure how it works  , i dont want to mess up .     i think its like this
step 1- go buy the boat , and get bill of sale.
step2- come back  to the border
step3- pay taxes   

it should be that simple  , or am i missing something ?? if anyone  has any information im missing or should know can you please reply  thanks.

[canso]

paper work for importing a boat:

-Bill of Sale for boat and trailer defining the price for each.(or separate "bill of sale" for each)
-title for Trailer.
-if the trailer is 12years or newer  "recall declaration letter" from the manufacture is needed.

the boarder doesn't need the title for boat, but you will need it to sell the boat later.

you will pay at the border:
both taxes on the boat, and GST only on the trailer, for the value in Canadian dollars at the time of import.

PST on the trailer will be paid when you register the trailer with icbc.



Caution:
if the bill of sale looks to be cheaper then the value of the boat,  the border people will make life miserable during the process,  a copy of the "for sale add" will help in your favour.

Bonus but not needed:
On high ticket items, all the above paper work should be sent to the US border services 72hours prior to exporting from the US.  They will verify all paper work, check for liens, and allow the export.

[arimaBOATER]

Canso's info may be 100% correct ....We bought an 1996 ARIMA 15 ft 11 in Sea Explorer with a cuddy that easily sleeps 2 adults !!!  Went down to Everett Wa. to buy it in OCT 2007 ( 1.5 yrs ago)  ---------------- IN OUR CASE... what the Canadian Customs wanted from us was VERY IMPORTANT ..... TITLE .... also BILL of SALE...separate bill of sale for trailer & one for the boat ... IF it's on the one bill of sale it should tell the cost of the boat & the cost of the trailer. ---------------- You will also have to get the trailer checked out by Canadian Tire... inspection within a week or two... after coming into Canada.... the customs will give ya paper work.  -------- The trailer was a 1996 model BUT customs DID NOT need any RECALL PAPERS etc... At one time this was the law but I guess there was so much hassle they changed the law on this procedure ( I think I'm 95% correct on this)  ------------- The VERY VERY easyest way to buy a boat in the USA & bringing back into Canada is  A) BRING YOUR OWN TRAILER DOWN with BC plates etc... ( make sure you bring your paperwork for the trailer)  B) BUY THE BOAT in USA in your case Bellingham Wa. .... GET THE TITLE & BILL OF SALE FOR THE BOAT.   ( load the USA boat on your BC trailer) .............. Now when ya come to the Canadian Customs... You just pay the tax on the boat ( no duty)  ------------- also when ya buy the boat in Wa. State you do not pay any US sales tax. ---------- then you are on your way................................ SIMPLE AS PIE .............. Then all ya have to do is go to a SERVICE CANADA OFFICE( same office that people get passports etc......)  when ever & get the boat registered.... you then can put your numbers on the side of your boat. --------- If ya take the boat out on the water before registering... make sure ya take a hair dryer & remove the USA decal numbers & letters. ----------------- Hope that helps !!!

[fishinfever]

This is sure a timely post as was just talking to my wife about going to states to buy a boat.
Thanks for your input as there is nothing like getting info from someone who has done it.
FF

[arimaBOATER]

fishinfever Right on ... good that Canso & I could help out...... I FORGOT TO ADD IN... when we went to Everett we purchased some travel insurance JUST IN CASE we got in a car accident & landed in a USA hospital....  BC MEDICAL will pay ONLY PEANUTS or so very very little of the medical costs.   For $35 for the day I was covered 100%.......can get this extra coverage at your bank or credit union even BCAA....  ----------------- fishinfever you can get a great deal on Washington boats even with our low dollar.  Check craigslist in Bellingham Seattle OR Portland..... also King Salmon Marine Auburn Wa ... Boat Country Sales in Everett Wa. is where we got our used boat.(MANY MAKES TO CHOOSE FROM) --------------- Check for the boat ya want... but I can recommend an Arima boat.... but only go with what ARIMA recommends for hp ---- some Arima owners put on too big a 4 stroke thus there's just too much weight on the stern ... add in the fuel tank  batteries & kicker............ Anyways alot of great boats down there of every make. ---------- Again sujj ya get travel insurance as a USA hospital bill can be in the 75 thou to 200 thousand which can be a real burden money wise. --------------------------------------Happy boat hunting..... but buyer beware ... Take the boat out on the water & see how everything checks out.......... In our case everything worked out PERFECTLY !!!

[fishinfever]

Thanks for the reminderof insurance.
 know of a person that was in intensive care for just a couple of hours and bill was over 100,000.
 I think we have insurance but will make sure.
 FF

[kosanin kosher salt]

by the time i left i could have only read canso's reply thanks alot canso , but yeah i had no permit to drive the trailer,  the insurance place was closed in anacortes,  so we just took our chance driving washington plates from 2004  border guys didnt care or didnt find out so i might have got lucky     . but the process is actually very simple just like arimaboater and canso described it .   i showed the cnd border gaurd the title of both boat and trailer  and he taxed me for what was it worth . the (RIV) inspection for the trailer... you got to follow  something online then send it to canadian tire to get it looked at . thanks for replys

[arimaBOATER]

There is an Arima Boat used ...2004 17ft Sea Ranger for sale at Galleon Marine Richmond --- 90 Yamaha & 8 hp kicker --- Put trim tabs on this boat & it would even be EXTRA stable. I know a guy who has a 17 Arima & he said it takes the ROUGH SEAS better than his past 24ft boat !!! ------- If the hull is good (no accident & motors serviced & rinsed properly) the ASKING PRICE is excellent... plus there' even room to bargain (I assume...as no body pays the asking price do they ?) --- Just thought I'd mention about this boat as most have to travel to the USA to get a good used Arima. ---- some other used boats there also look interesting ...... besides this Arima.  For those who are boat hunting hope this helps.

[glx]

I recently purchased a drift boat and trailor from the states.  Once you have the boat and trailor across, make sure you have the form 1 and 2, bill of sale, registraion etc.  Form 2 I got from RIV, Registrar of Imported vehicles ($205).  Canadian Tire needs both forms to do the inspection.  Once this is done, you can get insurance and plates. 

I used a broker to get mine across as I couldnt be there in person in time.  $300.  Gst was paid at the border on the boat and trailor.  PST was paid the trailor when insuring the trailor.  You will need a day permit to get it from the border to the inspection place and then to the insurance broker. 

This was my first time doing this and getting the trailor sure was a pain in the my friend. 

[arimaBOATER]

glx  Ya I hear ya . If I were to do it over again definately would have brought my own insured BC owned boat trailer down to pick up the Arima boat in Wa. State ...then it would of been a TOTAL BREEZE.  Importing the trailer is the part that is a bit of a pain. Extra paper work...inspections...insure...more & more questions...... -----------------  Most sellers should be willing to knock off $1000 to $2000 & keep their trailer & just sell their boat to ya. (they can easily sell their used trailer to a USA resident) ---- Plus this way when your at the USA boat launch ya can give the boat a test drive.... & after that ya can decide to which trailer the boat gets loaded on !!! --- Ya do not like the boat seller can load it back on his trailer BUT if ya like the boat ... it loads on your BC trailer & it's a BREEZE after that... ya transport your boat into Canada with so little hassle at the border. (as long as ya have title & bill of sale)

[jetboatjim]

trailer is easy......when you get home you have to fill out form #1 scan it or fax it to the R.I.V. (number is on the form) they will e- mail you form #2. you take both to canadian tire, they inspect, then the R.I.V. mails you a new VIN # sticker, to replace the old US one.

[arimaBOATER]

jetboatjim  Your right it is "trailer is easy" BUT after going through the whole process...which went like clock-work... when it was time to insure the trailer I went to the 1st insurance place (ICBC agent) & because they did not have much experience insuring a trailer from the USA ... they got picky on the paperwork.... the 2nd place I went to also got picky FINALLY I got an experienced worker who said all my paper work was in ORDER & finally I got plates !!!  It was a pain because we wanted to go boating... money on hand & these "agents" were giving me the "GEARS" .... HA .... water under the bridge now as we've had "tons" of fun in our 16 Arima. In fact a person would buy our 16 ft boat ...LIKE RIGHT NOW as that's the only size he wants..... TEMPTING as then we could go & buy that 17 ft Arima at Galleon Marine....  BUT as I'm a cheapo on fuel costs thus we will keep this boat. ( say if the 17 ft had a 75 Yamaha 4 stroke instead of the 90 then we'd consider dealing.......)