Pan Oceanic 46?
- Thread starter Tim Good
- Start date
Tranona
Well-Known Member
As you probably know Ted Brewer design dating from the 1970s and built in Taiwan. He designed a number of very similar boats for the N American bluewater market, some built in US and Canada, but many built in Taiwan to take advantage of low labour costs and good woodworking skills. Chance of finding one this side of the pond, let alone anybody who has owned one is pretty slim. (Recognise you have seen one, but probably the only one!). If you look to the US you will find many boats built in similar style to that dating from that period and often for sale at what seems a low price (as you will see from the ones listed on Yachtworld). However, it is almost impossible to legally bring them into the EU. On a practical note, some are not so well built as they appear and much of the equipment will be US orientated which can make ongoing maintenance difficult. Be wary of teak decks!
Tim Good
Well-Known Member
Sorry for my ignorance but can you explain that one?
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Yes. To import such a boat into the EU it will need to comply with the RCD to get a CE mark. You will need to get all the design data to establish which category it will be in, or have it tested. The engine will also need a CE mark, which may be possible if it has had a recent new engine. Other changes to equipment may also be needed. Ignoring the engine the cost of certification can be as much as £8-10k. On top of that you will have to pay freight (or sail it over) and VAT at 20%.
One of the reasons why you see so few of that type of boat in Europe is the cost and inconvenience of legally importing them. The $120k (£80k) asking price in US can easily end up as £120k by the time you get it to the UK. It could be the boat you saw either belongs to a US visitor, was imported prior to 1998 when things were a lot easier or using one of the very restrictive exemptions - or it could be illegal! Not a smart move if the latter as the penalties are potentially severe and the boat unsaleable except to somebody else who is prepared to have an illegal boat.
If you are thinking of buying a boat outside the EU and want to use it here, do your homework beforehand. The above is the general principles, but the rules (both on certification and duty/VAT) are very complex and you need to know all the details of the boat to determine if it is possible to import it and what needs doing to it to make it legal.
There is good guidance on the basic rules on the RYA website.
