Need some advice/info on shipping my boat from Canada to California

[j28mike]

I just bought a 28 Howard Bullet that is located in Ontario Canada. I have to wait about a month or so for the lake where the boat is located to thaw out. My plan is to fly out at that time and go through the dewinterizing process and do a compression leak down test before we take her out for a test drive. If all goes well, I will have it transported back here to Nor Cal. From the research I have done so far, the point of entry into the US which will be Sault
Ste. Marie, needs to be notified when the boat will be crossing the border which would expedite the process.

I could use some advice/info on a couple of things...

Has anyone purchased a boat from Canada into the US recently and did they have any issues??

Can anyone reccommend a transport service for the long haul?

Thank you in advance.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Call Jeff Murray for transport, he is a member here on the boards by that name.

Also call Gene at Howard boats about getting a boat across the border, there are a few legal hoops to jump through and your verbiage at the border better be correct, or those hoops will be higher.

Jeff may also be versed.



Brian

 

[DC-88]

I did it about 18 months ago. Used Interstate Haulers for shipping 910-295-2244 with good results in my case. Used a customs agency to prep all the paperwork for the shipper which I believe cost $500-700 or so. Everything had to be documented weeks in advance to make it a smooth crossing (lots of specific info on the boat and trailer, emissions etc ), and the shippers seemed to know the best spot to cross at because that varies I believe. Customs guy was out of NY named Mark and was on top of it too but I don't know if I still have his #.
edit. Think I found the # of customs guy--Mark AMG customs 716-200-0809

 

[McRib]

I've moved a few things from USA to Canada but never Canada to USA. Canada is very strict on how things cross over the border. Brokers are key and they are scattered all over near the POEs like bail bonds places near jails. They charge a heafty fee but the transaction is seamless. Call DCB and ask them what to do. They always have their boats going back and forth. Maybe they can put you in touch with who they use in the Canada side.

 

[spectras only]

It's more complicated bringing a boat to Canada from the US than the other way around.:thumbsdown The Howard is US made, re-importing it shouldn't be an issue. More paper work buying a boat/trailer from the US bringing it into Canada. It's much smoother when a broker involved though. I did a few myself. The seventeen digit scenario required for trailers is always a bitch with RIV in Canada.:thumbsdown

 

[CANUCK007]

Better check a map..Souix St. Marie is WWAAAYY out of your way to California!!! lol P/S .I know the boat awesome shape.nicely detailed.congrats.

 

[Fulldeck]

Hello,just shipped a Howard SDS on this past Saturday from Vancouver to Howard boats,I used a customs broker. There is 2 ways to cross ,personal or commercial,I used commercial because the boat only had potential buyers in Califonia, for commercial they want all the trailer info,boat they want epa #'s and a few other things. They needed federal tax ID # from Gene and he had some other paperwork to fill out. To cross the border I had to use a commercial carrier,went completely problem free at the border,I used Doug parks to haul the boat,preferred customs broker in Richmond,BC for the brokerage. Total cost was 1700 cdn $ for the brokers work and the commercial carrier to haul thru the border,and Doug was 1800 US $ to take to Howard. Doug picked up in Blaine Washington at 10:30 am on Friday and boat was at howard at 1 pm on Saturday,any questions feel free to call me, I attempted to do this 5 weeks ago myself and was turned around at the border and sent home with my tail between my legs.

John
604 805-3387

 

[jeffymurray1957]

Call Jeff Murray for transport, he is a member here on the boards by that name.

Also call Gene at Howard boats about getting a boat across the border, there are a few legal hoops to jump through and your verbiage at the border better be correct, or those hoops will be higher.

Jeff may also be versed.



Brian

I can help you once its on the US side. You need to use a reputable customs broker to help you with the paperwork. If you use the right broker it should not be that hard. Once you know where that it will be coming into the US give me a call and I will give you a quote. thanks 909-285-7486 or [email protected]

 

[wsuwrhr]

Based on your experience could you have waited like 20 miles into Washington, had the seller drive it across with the titles, done the exchange, and hit the road? Not saying it's a good idea , just curious....Mine was too far away but the concept was brought up to me at one point. I was also the original owner of the boat I was buying back so I had some additional documentation going in my favor.

Seller has to have their verbiage right as they cross south with the boat.

 

[Fulldeck]

Based on your experience could you have waited like 20 miles into Washington, had the seller drive it across with the titles, done the exchange, and hit the road? Not saying it's a good idea , just curious....Mine was too far away but the concept was brought up to me at one point. I was also the original owner of the boat I was buying back so I had some additional documentation going in my favor.

I'm Canadian and shipped the boat back to howard boats,when we were crossing the border I simply said I was selling the boat back to the dealer and they asked for the brokerage papers,and I said what brokerage papers ? They then proceeded to tell me for a commercial in voice i need commercial broker to handle transaction,if I was selling direct to somebody in the states it can come across as a personal effects,still need the broker though. If you come up and cross into Canada and get the boat and take across yourself it's done differently again. I had to put the boat and trailer into dealer name up here in Canada and then ship across,so that I can get the tax credit on my next boat.

 

[Fulldeck]

I had also thought about just saying that I was taking the boat across to a driver who was in Blaine,Washington and was having him take it to Desert Storm for me . The scenario that plays out then though if I was to sell to an American at Desert Storm Is that the boat has to travel back to Canada and stay there for 24 hrs,fill out all the paperwork in advance and after 24 hrs tow it back down,and if you don't do this you can't get the boat registered in the US. It's been an interesting few weeks getting everything required to import back to the States

 

[jeffymurray1957]

been to Blaine many times. small little town on the ocean

 

[j28mike]

i really appreciate everyones input. There is a lot of good info.

The boat is in Ontario Can. and the owner of the boat said he would drive 3 hours to Sault Saint Marie to get the boat into the states. It sounds like a customs broker is the way to go for a smooth transaction. The owner is going to get the boat shrink wrapped for the 2700 mile haul. I wonder if that is going to work as I would think the hull ID # would have to be checked at the boarder?? I have a bunch of phone calls to make today.

 

[Fulldeck]

i really appreciate everyones input. There is a lot of good info.

The boat is in Ontario Can. and the owner of the boat said he would drive 3 hours to Sault Saint Marie to get the boat into the states. It sounds like a customs broker is the way to go for a smooth transaction. The owner is going to get the boat shrink wrapped for the 2700 mile haul. I wonder if that is going to work as I would think the hull ID # would have to be checked at the boarder?? I have a bunch of phone calls to make today.

They climbed inside my boat and verified engine serial # and also checked the hull vin #,and did a walk thru the boat and compartments.

 

[Elway]

I did it about 18 months ago but I handled the transaction personally to avoid the broker fees. I arranged the paperwork ahead of time as well as inspection, flew up there and crossed the border at Sweetgrass with the seller. If you cross the border with the seller and the boat and trailer are made in the USA it is a breeze - it literally took me 15 minutes, all they cared about was whether the trailer had a USDOT sticker and if the engine had an emissions sticker. I'm not kidding. I stressed for weeks making sure I had everything I needed because I didnt want to be turned around at the border, had a shipper that I hired through UHaul that met me on the other side of the border who took it straight to Havasu and let me ride with him. In the end the only paperwork I needed (off the top of my head) was registration for both boat and trailer, an HS7 customs form for both and signed bills of sale. I was told by border agents ahead of time that I should also have a letter from the trailer manufacturer (Boatmate) stating that there were no recalls on the trailer, so I had that too but they never asked for it when I crossed. The shipper was waiting for me on the other side, unhooked from the seller's truck and loaded it up on his flatbed. Worked out great. Think I paid the shipper $1300. Happy to talk with you about the experience.