Buying a boat in the US

[Koeketiene]

When was the last time anyone had their CE certified checked?

Don't ask questions like that - before you know it, you're branded a criminal.

 

[st599]

When was the last time anyone had their CE certified checked?

It's a condition of import, so only those who've imported a boat can answer.

 

[Beneteau381]

will you ever be able to sell it in the UK or Europe without the CE paperwork might be a question too

Yes, who checks CE paperwork anyway! VAT paid, check, survey, check, registration, check, haggle, shake hands!

 

[Beneteau381]

It's a condition of import, so only those who've imported a boat can answer.

Buy in America, sail to Ireland, check in at Cork, carry on to Holyhead and park it. Then go wherever you want.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

When was the last time anyone had their CE certified checked?

Me, when I bought the boat 8 weeks ago, it was requested from the previous owner by the Broker and checked with Bavaria Yachtbau. If the boat had been something uncertified and I was planning to use it in the EU then I would have walked away.



Was also checked by the surveyor, here's his photo form the survey under the section for CE marking.

 

[Tranona]

Yes, who checks CE paperwork anyway! VAT paid, check, survey, check, registration, check, haggle, shake hands!

You seem to think customs are stupid. They know the boat will need certification and direct you to HPI Verification Services hpivs.com who are the approved certifying body for the UK. For boats that have a post 2017 CE mark and the Certificate of Conformity there is generally nothing extra to do but pre 2017 boats require a Post Construction Assessment (PCA) against the post 2017 RCD/RCR.. That may be either expensive or impossible.

Who else checks? Every broker following the YDSA/BMF will expect to see a copy of the Certificate of Conformity on post 97 boats and buyers may well be resistant if that is not available. Hope you have yours when you come to sell. If you think that is hard most EU states will only register boats that have their certificate.

It is not a legal requirement in the UK to be in possession of the certificate, but it is illegal to import a boat without one.

 

[Beneteau381]

You seem to think customs are stupid. They know the boat will need certification and direct you to HPI Verification Services hpivs.com who are the approved certifying body for the UK. For boats that have a post 2017 CE mark and the Certificate of Conformity there is generally nothing extra to do but pre 2017 boats require a Post Construction Assessment (PCA) against the post 2017 RCD/RCR.. That may be either expensive or impossible.

Who else checks? Every broker following the YDSA/BMF will expect to see a copy of the Certificate of Conformity on post 97 boats and buyers may well be resistant if that is not available. Hope you have yours when you come to sell. If you think that is hard most EU states will only register boats that have their certificate.

It is not a legal requirement in the UK to be in possession of the certificate, but it is illegal to import a boat without one.

Of course!

 

[Koeketiene]

Yes, who checks CE paperwork anyway! VAT paid, check, survey, check, registration, check, haggle, shake hands!

When I imported/registered my boat I was required the submit CE-certificate of the engine.
The boat itself (1977) was exempt.

 

[Beneteau381]

When I imported/registered my boat I was required the submit CE-certificate of the engine.
The boat itself (1977) was exempt.

You live in France

 

[Sea Change]

I'm sure this will have been answered a million times before, but if I bought an EU flagged and tax paid boat, would that be in any way simpler than an American one?
Would I have to take it to an EU country every 18 months?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I'm sure this will have been answered a million times before, but if I bought an EU flagged and tax paid boat, would that be in any way simpler than an American one?
Would I have to take it to an EU country every 18 months?

Depends on how long it's been out of the EU and if you brought it back to the UK you would have to pay VAT and import duty plus the possibility of recertification.

 

[Tranona]

I'm sure this will have been answered a million times before, but if I bought an EU flagged and tax paid boat, would that be in any way simpler than an American one?
Would I have to take it to an EU country every 18 months?

any boat from outside the UK will be subject to VAT and recertification. The UK has effectively become a closed market putting EU boats into the same category as those from anywhere else in the world.

 

[Sea Change]

any boat from outside the UK will be subject to VAT and recertification. The UK has effectively become a closed market putting EU boats into the same category as those from anywhere else in the world.

But in practical terms, might an EU boat be a better prospect, as I could pop over to Ireland much more easily than America...?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

But in practical terms, might an EU boat be a better prospect, as I could pop over to Ireland much more easily than America...?

Only you will know when you do the sums, as you are resident in the UK as soon as you take it to the UK all the taxes and certification issues kick in, of course you could keep it in the EU and then there is no problem other than an expensive trip to the UK should you decide to make one.

 

[Tranona]

But in practical terms, might an EU boat be a better prospect, as I could pop over to Ireland much more easily than America...?

Yes, if you never plan to bring it into the UK. Many UK residents own EU boats in the EU.

Suspect, though that just like the UK you will find few boats of the age/type you have thought about in the past in either the EU or over the pond are worth buying.

 

[Sea Change]

Do you have to pay VAT and seek certification immediately upon entry to the UK?
It would make a lot of sense to stop in Ireland in that case. Which would give me 18 months to figure something out.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Do you have to pay VAT and seek certification immediately upon entry to the UK?
It would make a lot of sense to stop in Ireland in that case. Which would give me 18 months to figure something out.

Yes and yes, I suspect it will be the certification that would be the back breaker as almost certainly it would be a new engine. The vat and import duty would be on value either assessed or the purchase price.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

This was done to death recently on this thread .... New boat and buyer advice

Includes references to the relevant legislation.

 

[Tranona]

It would make a lot of sense to stop in Ireland in that case. Which would give me 18 months to figure something out.

Only if it a non EU boat and eligible for TA into the EU. If it is EU VAT paid it can stay there for ever. In either case you as a UK resident cannot bring it into the UK. Legally there is no way round out. What Brexit did was turn EU boats into the same position as non EU and therefore subject to VAT rules that have been in place since 1992 or thereabouts for VAT and 1998 for certification.

I think you just have to accept that importing a boat from outside the UK is no longer viable except if it is post 2017 with a valid Certificate of Conformity - and even then chances are once you have paid VAT it will be 20-30% higher cost than a similar UK boat. There may well be exceptions such as some late model Scandinavian boats which are not available used in the UK where the buyer might be prepared to pay the premium.

 

[Sea Change]

So... I sail back in to Ireland, transfer ownership to a friend who is resident in the EU, then carry on to the UK. And every 18 months I need to pop over to Ireland.

Definitely not an ideal situation. But I'm trying to come up with options in case repairing my current boat isn't viable.
I could buy another boat in the UK, but I'm not in a great hurry to repeat the mileage I've already done through orca alley. Plus, if I buy over the other side of the pond, I can transfer a lot of equipment from my old boat.