Dutch Customs

[Icarus39]

If you want to go to Holland, go to Holland. And enjoy it. Just spent 5 weeks over there, more than a dozen boats there from our club, nobody troubled one iota by any form of officialdom. It remains a most welcoming country so far as I'm concerned.

Sensible comment Cantata. I have been cruising Holland for years and have never had a problem.
We have been boarded twice on 2 different boats. My last boat, a pre 1985 UFO31, was boarded at sea a couple of years ago. The customs officials were polite and checked my SSR registration, bill of sale and asked what diesel I had. I produced receipts for white diesel which was fine. They asked for proof of VAT to which I mentioned the boat was pre 1985 so it was deemed VAT paid. They accepted this no problem, added us to their database and sent us on our way.

The second time was last year with our new boat which was launched in 2008. We carry a comprehensive ship's papers files with all the key documents in it - SSR cert, bill of sale, insurance documents, radio licence, radio certificate, RCD build certificate of conformity, current crew list, passports, etc. This is all nicely laid out with dividers, etc and very easy to go through. We also have 2 files of build VAT receipts for everything from the hull and deck, engine, mast, winches, fittings, wood .. everything. They checked through a few pages of this and were happy. They added us to their database, told us we would not be checked again now we are on it and went on their way. A pleasant and friendly boarding in harbour.

Perhaps some people who have problems are badly organised with documents missing, non originals, etc .. make it easy and logical to prove your status and you will have no problems.

As Cantana says, the Dutch are immensely friendly and helpful. We have found Dutch customs to be no different. We have everything in order and that is immediately apparent to Customs when we have been boarded ... perhaps this is the key point.

Enjoy Holland, it is a gem !

 

[Tranona]

If you want to go to Holland, go to Holland. And enjoy it. Just spent 5 weeks over there, more than a dozen boats there from our club, nobody troubled one iota by any form of officialdom. It remains a most welcoming country so far as I'm concerned.

Think that is probably true of most of our neighbours, but inevitably there will always be some checks - just as the UKBA carries out checks in UK waters.

The thing with these "problem" reports is that they are rarely specific - just I was stopped etc. but when (or if) you get the detail there really is not a problem, or if there is, it is because there is! - but is specific to that boat and situation. So if there is a lack of VAT document that might trigger off further enquiries which discover something else missing or not quite right.

The RYA has a report form on its website for people to tell them about problems they have with VAT documentation. Does not seem to be any, because they report they receive very few returns.

 

[prv]

The RYA has a report form on its website for people to tell them about problems they have with VAT documentation. Does not seem to be any, because they report they receive very few returns.

...or nobody knows about the form

Pete

 

[Tranona]

...or nobody knows about the form

Pete

That is, of course, quite possible - but you only have to look on the RYA site at the information on VAT in relation to boats to find it.

One would think anybody with an interest in the subject would at least check with the organisation responsible for monitoring issues of interest to yachtsmen.

However, if everybody read what is on the site, many of the interesting threads on here would never start!