Cruising Permit Required?

Hi Folks,

I am a Canadian, who purchased a boat in Ohio, and getting ready to bring her to Solomons Island in Chesapeake Bay.Other than a transit through the Welland Canal, it is unlikely she will call Canada home.
My question is, will I need a Cruising Permit to make the trip to Solomons from Sandusky Ohio?

A cruising permit does not dispose of all rules relating to a vessel’s travel within our borders. Even with a permit, the captain must notify Customs whenever the vessel moves from one port jurisdiction to another, or when it enters and departs U.S. waters. Depending on the size, a vessel may also be required to file a Notice of Arrival/Departure when bound for, or departing from, ports within the United States. Notices can be filed electronically on the National Vessel Movement Center’s website, and the amount of notice required prior to arrival depends on the length of the voyage from the relevant foreign port to U.S. waters. Failure to file a proper NOA can result in fines or the Coast Guard not allowing the vessel to enter U.S. waters until sufficient information has been provided.

Captain F. Lee

Slider said:

Hi Folks,

I am a Canadian, who purchased a boat in Ohio, and getting ready to bring her to Solomons Island in Chesapeake Bay.Other than a transit through the Welland Canal, it is unlikely she will call Canada home.
My question is, will I need a Cruising Permit to make the trip to Solomons from Sandusky Ohio?

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Where are you going to register it?

Not sure where it is going to be registered at this point. We are retiring on the boat, but with no real destination. Short term, Solomons. (4 mos)

Here in our FL hurricane hole all of the Canadians that purchased a US boat simply registered it here where it spends most of the summer , and sometimes much of the winter season.

They use the address where the boat is docked.

Even after a decade there have been no problems or hassles , some of the boats have been to the Bahamas multiple times , no hassles.

Usually the boat is finally sold in the USA (bigger dollars) and there are no problems for anyone.

It is my understanding that a cruising permit is only required for a non-US registered/documented boat. A Canadian Licenced boat can not even get a cruising permit, it has to be Canadian registered (equivalent to USCG documented). Our newly purchased boat was Canadian Licenced and I am in the process of getting her Registered.

Virginias Run said:

Not sure where it is going to be registered at this point. We are retiring on the boat, but with no real destination. Short term, Solomons. (4 mos)

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Did you change your screen name?

Register it in the US, not issues with using the boat. You However will be required to.meet visa and tax requirements.

As a Canadian citizen, Canadian Customs will be looking for tax and possible duities when you check in Port Colbourne. Have your credit card ready, you are not leaving til' they get their cut. .... or if possible enter the Erie canal at Tonawanda and avoid Canadian waters.

- A US registered boat even when owned by a Canadian does not require a Cruising License for US waters.
- A Canadian Licensed boat is eligible for a US Cruising License.

I've delivered hundreds of US and Canadian boats cross broder for several decades.
The above is based on my personal experience in every possible variation of these conditions.

Boatpoker, can you explain the difference between a Cruising Licence and Cruising permit?

Nightsky said:

Boatpoker, can you explain the difference between a Cruising Licence and Cruising permit?

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The official Term is "Cruising License". Some just refer to it as a "permit".

Here is a photo of an old one.

Virginias Run said:

Not sure where it is going to be registered at this point. We are retiring on the boat, but with no real destination. Short term, Solomons. (4 mos)

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I think the sooner you decide where you plan on registering your new boat, the better. If your don't register your boat anywhere and plan on keeping in Maryland waters for 4 months, you could possibly have issues with the State.


Jim

boatpoker said:

The official Term is "Cruising License". Some just refer to it as a "permit".

Here is a photo of an old one.

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Thanks for the clarification.

boatpoker said:

The official Term is "Cruising License". Some just refer to it as a "permit".

Here is a photo of an old one.

Click to expand...

If you are a Canadian registered boat the catch is that it expires in a year, and you can only apply for another one entering the US from a foreign country. Therefore, those doing the Great Loop have to go to the Bahamas (or somewhere else) for a week and come back because it can't be renewed in the US.


So, to complete a 365 day travel time Great Loop over 2 years, 6 months at a time for tax/immigration reasons, becomes a problem.


The AGLCA does seminars on doing this (another one on the 10th of July)

fgarriso said:

Depending on the size, a vessel may also be required to file a Notice of Arrival/Departure when bound for, or departing from, ports within the United States. Captain F. Lee

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What is a "port" for this process? Is this every time you move another 20 miles down a canal or waterway? That would make filing the Notice a daily requirement.

If I were you, I'd say in a no sales tax state and register there until you pick some permanent place.
When I brought my current boat home from Canada, my total import costs, for a documented boat, were $12.50. But is was originally built in the US.