A private purchase of a boat that is in France but flying an IT flag.

[dpb]

So if you are British, and live in England. Buy a French registered boat (11m ish) with intent to keep it in France until you sell it there some years later (or bite the VAT bullet and bring it home if we like it that much).
Is it better to go SSR or keep it French?
I was intending to go SSR route bu post #20 makes me wonder.

 

[westernman]

So if you are British, and live in England. Buy a French registered boat (11m ish) with intent to keep it in France until you sell it there some years later (or bite the VAT bullet and bring it home if we like it that much).
Is it better to go SSR or keep it French?
I was intending to go SSR route bu post #20 makes me wonder.

You are probably better going SSR (less control for safety equipment - such as in date life rafts). But ensure that the French registration is correctly irradiated. A competent broker will normally do this.

 

[DAW]

You are probably better going SSR (less control for safety equipment - such as in date life rafts). But ensure that the French registration is correctly irradiated. A competent broker will normally do this.

I agree that for a UK citizen resident in the England, SSR is a better option than staying French registered. You avoid the tax and other legal complications associated with the French registration. However, as a foreign vessel in transit or berthed in French national waters, you still need to comply with all French regulations regarding safety equipment, boat licence, etc.

 

[westernman]

I agree that for a UK citizen resident in the England, SSR is a better option than staying French registered. You avoid the tax and other legal complications associated with the French registration. However, as a foreign vessel in transit or berthed in French national waters, you still need to comply with all French regulations regarding safety equipment, boat licence, etc.

Yes - but they are very unlikely to check you unless you do something bad.

 

[prinex]

Im a Swiss national and my boat (in Italy) has an Italian flag. You just have to provide a "domicilio fiscale" that is a place in Italy that you elect as address (it has nothing to do with residency). The italian regulation apply to your ssr vessel as well, only difference would be the "Navigation Certificate" which means every 5 years boat needs to be lifted out of the water, a guy from RINA comes around and certifies that the boat has no holes and this is it.

Maybe is the same for France ?

Cruising around with a UK Flag in Italy / French (after Brexit) will get you checked and in fact the only time I saw a boat checked by the French this summer (with blue lights and all) was in front of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. It had a UK Flag on the mast.

 

[DAW]

Cruising around with a UK Flag in Italy / French (after Brexit) will get you checked and in fact the only time I saw a boat checked by the French this summer (with blue lights and all) was in front of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. It had a UK Flag on the mast.

Agreed. My boat is UK registered and I've already been checked twice this summer ... when at anchor off St Jean Cap Ferrat and again near St Tropez. On both occasions they looked at all the usual documents, but the thing they seemed most interested in was evidence of payment of EU VAT.

 

[Portofino]

Before Brexit I have been done 3 x in the usual places in the CdA , just reg doc , insurance , passports and a question of where I have been in the boat and where the home berth is .Never the VAT Q . Over a 15 y span .
In the later years they would come round on the rib + lap top and look at the “ system “ and drive off and get someone else .
Presume we were logged as ok and there time is better spent doing a boat not on the system ? Rather than doing the same old , same old good guys ?
Sounds like the Fr Nice base Douanes lots IT is not connected to the St Trop Douanes ??

Always noticed a few sudden up anchors though - coincidence? Not sure .


2 x in Italy thus far . First time a long one wanted to see everything a lot of uploading and a lot of phone calls .45 mins later , given the ok .This was outside Rome , they waited as we refuelled and as soon as I exited the Marina = blue lighted up .
Yes they checked the VAT status .

These days the boats got ghost marks from the Roma reg decals on its blue hull anyhow and I have a copy of all the paperwork inc the blue book .It’s now SSR and flys a red .
The second time ,last year at the Marina they did a “sting “ several vehicles flashing lights many boots on the pontoon .
Wife comments “ they look like they off to a fancy dress party “ sssch ? Thankfully not heard , as soon as I opened my mouth to the captain guy with the red stripe down his trouser leg , his junior had logged the boat name on the hand held device, he said they were not interested in us as we were on the system .
Anyhow this season , this keeps rocking up unannounced!


Been ignored thus far .
Then theses boys turned up once @ anchor .

I went down below in a “ here we go again “ mood and got the file out .
^ More interested with there make up as they were doing a film shoot for the local news it turned out , showing off the new Itama 50 based.

False alarm , stand down ! .

 

[Brunan]

I have imported some boats from Italy and it's a bit tricky.
I would recommend you to consult Home - Wind Service | Agenzia Nautica Lignano Sabbiadoro and get help from them to deal with the deflag, bill-of-sale and also set-up an escrow agreement with an notary.