crossing into Canada with covid-19

I anticipate moving my 38' trawler from Fort Lauderdale to Victoria BC in August 2020, using a yacht ocean shipping service (such as United Yacht Transport) that will deliver the boat to Victoria via Panama. The US/Canadian border is currently closed to non-commercial traffic. I need to know if I will be able to move my trawler from Victoria to Friday Harbor in September, either by going to Canada myself, or hiring a licensed captain to deliver my boat from Canada to Washington State. Thanks for any insights.

Methinks any answer you would get now, would be speculation.

Captained deliveries are happening. Needs to be a licensed captain, and things need to be lined up in advance with both boarders, but they are happening regularly. I don't know any more details than that.

First off, things could change for the better or worse between now and then. We live in pretty dynamic times!!
From my limited understanding, most if not all of the cross border boat movement happening recently (during the border closure) have been due to commerce, ie. the sale of a boat.
I have seen several yachts (boats) delivered by freighter to Nanaimo during this time frame, but I am not familiar with the logistics involved (and I don't think these boats involved sales). I suggest contacting both border services (I know fun times ), and the delivery company you are using with these questions.
You want to know what you will be facing.

twistedtree said:

Captained deliveries are happening. Needs to be a licensed captain, and things need to be lined up in advance with both boarders, but they are happening regularly. I don't know any more details than that.

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I know this to be the case as well, at least as of this morning.

IRENE said:

I know this to be the case as well, at least as of this morning.

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Twistedtree and Irene: Good to know, at least as of this date. I know that everything could change (better or worse) by September. But right now, I'm a little more optimistic it is a do-able thing with the proper planning and coordination. Thanks for the feedback.

Unless your boat is a family heirloom or sentimentally close, have you considered selling your boat in Florida and buying a boat in B.C.? Zero shipping cost and, currently, a favorable exchange rate.

Here is what was recently posted on the PNW Yacht Owners Facebook page:

AMERICAN BOATS IN CANADA BACK TO USA.

A Canadian tow boat just pulled into the slip next to Mary Pearl at Cap Sante in Anacortes. Shortly after leaving he returned with a US Customs agent. They are ferrying US vessels (with a licensed captain running the boat) out of BC all pre approved with the tow boat’s job is taking the captain directly back to BC without touching land. They are allowed to secure the boat at Cap Sante where the customs agent is expecting them. Adam says they have done several with everything pre approved so it’s seamless when they arrive stateside. Just in case some were still wrestling with this problem.

Call Adam Coldwater at (250)888-2601

Best regards,
David Evans

Give the homeland security in Anacortes,WA a call and ask very nice bunch. 877-227-5511 or you can ask via email.

Russell Clifton said:

Here is what was recently posted on the PNW Yacht Owners Facebook page:

AMERICAN BOATS IN CANADA BACK TO USA.

A Canadian tow boat just pulled into the slip next to Mary Pearl at Cap Sante in Anacortes. Shortly after leaving he returned with a US Customs agent. They are ferrying US vessels (with a licensed captain running the boat) out of BC all pre approved with the tow boat’s job is taking the captain directly back to BC without touching land. They are allowed to secure the boat at Cap Sante where the customs agent is expecting them. Adam says they have done several with everything pre approved so it’s seamless when they arrive stateside. Just in case some were still wrestling with this problem.

Call Adam Coldwater at (250)888-2601

Best regards,
David Evans

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Hi David. Very interesting information, and much appreciated. Would you say that Cap Sante was used instead of Friday Harbor perhaps because they were coming from Vancouver? I would have guessed that Friday Harbor would have been preferred over Anacortes if the boat had been coming from Victoria.

Don Souza said:

Give the homeland security in Anacortes,WA a call and ask very nice bunch. 877-227-5511 or you can ask via email.

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Hi Don. I may just do that when I get a little closer to my shipping date. Thanks for the phone number.

seattleboatguy said:

Hi David. Very interesting information, and much appreciated. Would you say that Cap Sante was used instead of Friday Harbor perhaps because they were coming from Vancouver? I would have guessed that Friday Harbor would have been preferred over Anacortes if the boat had been coming from Victoria.

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Sorry for the confusion. I am not David. He was the one that wrote this up, I am Russell. I am just showing you what he knows about this process.

Anacortes was probably used based on the vessel’s final destination. Just last week a boat was delivered to Blane and another to Bellingham.

Putting our boat on a ship in ft Lauderdale next week (I hope) for Victoria or nanaimo, where ever the ship docks. Should be easy to get a captain to bring it to Us. Roche, Friday or Anacortes

Goldcar said:

Putting our boat on a ship in ft Lauderdale next week (I hope) for Victoria or nanaimo, where ever the ship docks. Should be easy to get a captain to bring it to Us. Roche, Friday or Anacortes

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I'm doing pretty much the same thing, but in August. Hopefully the shipping company has done this enough times to figure out the delivery captain thing. This might be an economic boom if you happen to be a licensed captain living in Victoria.

seattleboatguy said:

I'm doing pretty much the same thing, but in August. Hopefully the shipping company has done this enough times to figure out the delivery captain thing. This might be an economic boom if you happen to be a licensed captain living in Victoria.

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We just bought the 2015 AT 485 for sale in Jupiter, Fla. Today it was prepared for loading tomorrow on a carrier ship in Palm Beach. From there it will head to Victoria, B C via the canal. My broker, Martin Snyder of Seattle Yachts in Anacortes has already arranged for a captain to pick up the AT 485 in Victoria and deliver it to Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes. Then Martin, my wife and I will cruise our new baby to our home port of Edmonds, WA.
We are very lucky to be working with Martin as he was happy to fly to Jupiter, negotiate the deal, oversee the surveys and
preparation of the boat for shipping from Palm Beach. All we had to do was stay safe sheltering in place here in Edmonds, write checks and bake carrot cakes. Oh, didn’t I tell you Martin works for carrot cake.
Things were simplified for us as all the sales and purchase listings were handled by Seattle Yachts, including sale of my Symbol 45 and the sale and purchase of the AT 485. (Seattle Yachts is the new sales agent for American Tugs in Florida).
Best of all is Martin Snyder, a great broker and good friend.