Westerly renown

[Riki]

Hello!
Need help! Does anyone know how I can get a declaration of conformity for a Westerly Renown? I think the constructor no longer exists!?
Thank you

 

[dankilb]

Conformity with what? (Where? What regs?).

I think the constructor no longer exists!?

Very much so!

Doubt you’ll get any paperwork to satisfy/meet a current regulatory requirement - although these are strong, well-built boats and if maintained well should ‘conform’ in practice.

Your best bet will be that whatever jurisdiction you’re in will have a paperwork exemption for older boats or might accept a survey.

All speculation of course. You need to give us more details.

Great boats btw. My family owned one (a Berwick) from new and still does, having been passed down the generations.

 

[Concerto]

Who ever is asking for the "declaration of conformity for a Westerly Renown" is talking a load of bull. Your Renown was built decades before any regulations that apply today and therefore is exempt from them. Please provide more information on who is asking for it and exactly what they are asking for. I sail a Westerly Fulmar built in 1980 and I certainly have never been asked to comply with the EU Recreational Craft Directive which started to be applied in 1998.

Recreational Craft Directive - Wikipedia

 

[Riki]

Thanks dankilb and concerto. I´m from Portugal, and the authorities ask for this document, however I am not sure if for these older boats the legislation applies. I'll try to find out with the authorities.

 

[Riki]

The boat is registered with the UK, If I want to keep the UK flag, what do I need to do? Is it necessary to go to the UK in person? what costs and taxes i will pay? Are boat inspections required?
Sorry for the many questions! It is probably easier to re-register in the UK than in Portugal.

 

[dankilb]

Who ever is asking for the "declaration of conformity for a Westerly Renown" is talking a load of bull

OP also posted the same on Sailing Anarchy - so no doubt they’ll get a ‘direct’ response in that regard on there (as well as “n00b, post tits, your boat is a sh*t box” etc.). Braver OP than me!!!

 

[Tranona]

The boat is registered with the UK, If I want to keep the UK flag, what do I need to do? Is it necessary to go to the UK in person? what costs and taxes i will pay? Are boat inspections required?
Sorry for the many questions! It is probably easier to re-register in the UK than in Portugal.

You can register it on Part 1 of the UK register, but it will require what is known as a "Tonnage Survey" which measures the boat according to the registration rules and confirms that it exists. This is done by an appointed surveyor and typically costs £350. There may be an appointed surveyor in Portugal, but if not you will have to pay for one to come out from the UK. You will also need a nominated person and address in the UK for communications with the registry. Registration lasts 5 years and is renewable. Have a look on the main bulkhead of the boat as it may have a board engraved with "O,N followed by a 6 or 7 digit number" and "Reg Ton followed by something like 5 6/10". This would indicate that it has been registered previously.

The UK has 2 registers and what is known as Part 3 is a simplified register for UK residents only. The number allocated under this register is SSR followed by a number.

If you do want to pursue British registry this is the office
ukshipregister.co.uk

 

[Riki]

Thank you, it was very informative.

 

[dankilb]

A third EU country is another option for re-registration, e.g. Poland: see, among many such threads online: Polish Flag Registration

[correction, you never mentioned the boat was outside of Portugal - presume it isn’t in the UK, but instead just carrying UK reg?
Would you also have to pay tax/duties if returning the boat to Portugal?]

 

[Tranona]

Suspect the boat is one of the many taken there by UK sailors and "abandoned" for example because the owners gave up returned to UK or passed on.

The Portuguese registration system is much more complex than ours and is based on the assumption that boats are produced to the RCD (post 97) and therefore have a documented Certificate of Conformity. Plus they require a regular survey and limits of their use to that indicated by their RCD category.

 

[Riki]

A third EU country is another option for re-registration, e.g. Poland: see, among many such threads online: Polish Flag Registration

[correction, you never mentioned the boat was outside of Portugal - presume it isn’t in the UK, but instead just carrying UK reg?
Would you also have to pay tax/duties if returning the boat to Portugal?]

The boat is from UK and registerd there. I have to confirm if I have to pay duties!

 

[dankilb]

The boat is from UK and registerd there. I have to confirm if I have to pay duties!

I’d presume you do have to pay tax (equivalent to VAT?). I’m no expert, but I looked into taking our boat into Portugal (under residency visa and as tax resident) and found tax would be required for an existing resident importing a boat. Others know more.

Hopefully any tax/duties could be based on the sale price - which I assume/hope would be low-ish (a few years ago knackered ones could easily go for <£10k and good ones not much more)?

 

[Riki]

I’d presume you do have to pay tax (equivalent to VAT?). I’m no expert, but I looked into taking our boat into Portugal (under residency visa and as tax resident) and found tax would be required for an existing resident importing a boat. Others know more.

Hopefully any tax/duties could be based on the sale price - which I assume/hope would be low-ish (a few years ago knackered ones could easily go for <£10k and good ones not much more)?

ThankYou for the information.

 

[dankilb]

Btw if the OP is looking at the one I’m thinking of, then it seems a good deal and a very reputable brokerage (we’d all recommend without hesitation).

 

[Tranona]

The boat is from UK and registerd there. I have to confirm if I have to pay duties!

Then you will find it difficult to import it into Portugal even before you try and register it there IF you are a Portuguese resident. Brexit effectively killed any trade in secondhand boats, particularly old ones between the UK and the EU with the combination of VAT and re-certification.

There are ways round the problems for a narrow group of people. If you are a UK resident you can use the boat in the EU for up to 18 months without importing it and can be registered on the SSR. This can be renewed by taking the boat out of the EU and re-entering to start the clock again. Many people do this, but the management of the process is at state level so you need to be clear about how customs deal with it in the state where you are keeping the boat. If you are intending to take up residence in the EU state, or are an EU citizen who is classified as a returning resident, you may qualify for returning resident relief why allows you to import a boat you already own as part of your personal chattels. Again this is managed by the state where you are taking up residence as there are specific EU conditions in the rule, some of which are open to local interpretation.

If you do not fall into either of these categories then just buying a boat in the UK and importing it into the EU in general, and some countries like Portugal in particular is really not a practical.