Importing and registering boat

CorkRebell

Hi,
I am looking at buying a 1978 yacht in the UK and sailing it back to Ireland. The owner bought it from an estate sale 5 years ago and has no other documentation besides that sale document and his current boat registration (Part 1 British Ships Register) in the UK. I plan on using the boat for international cruising in the future so before I buy I want to make sure that I can re-register the boat here or in the EU and can prove the VAT exemption if I need to.

Can I register on a small ships register here or in the EU without full ownership history?
The boat should be VAT exempt as it is pre 1985, is there a way to prove that without the full ownership history or the original sale document?
What is the minimum documentation should I be looking for?

Thanks!

Roeboats

As far as I know there is no small ships register available in Ireland. Your best bet is to change the ownership in the UK and then you won't have any worries proving VAT etc. Of course when they leave the EU that might change but we should have a small boat register by then, hopefully, or there will be some sort of procedure to re-register in an European country.
Enjoy your new boat.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.sailing.ie/boat-owners/

This addresses the registering issue. Not so sure about the VAT side of things.

Might be worth giving the ISA a call?

murphym7

I have used this form in the past - get the current owners to use this form.

https://www.rya.org.uk/sitecollectiondocuments/legal/Web%20Documents/Legal%20Leaflets/Members%20Advice/Bill%20of%20Sale/BILL%20OF%20SALE.pdf

hytrogen

SI 65 of 2017 "Regulations outline the obligations of the manufacturer, importer, private
importer and distributor when making recreational craft and personal watercraft
available on the market and it prohibits a person from placing any watercraft
on the market unless it satisfies the essential safety requirements, has been subject to conformity assessment procedures (surveyor inspection), has had the CE marking affixed to it,
and when used for its intended purpose, does not endanger the health and safety
of persons."
Just have a read over this FYI.
As far as registration goes the Marine Survey office are the only Recognised Authority for vessel registration in Ireland, this however is mainly for commercial vessels operating in and around Ireland, the high seas and foreign going voyages.
You'll probably be registering your boat in the marina you'll berth it in which is probably sufficient for personal recreational craft, mainly for insurers benefit to track you down anyway.
Note the ISA tried bringing in a small boats register a few years ago and got their hides rode for it as they aren't a recognised authority so don't bother with that..

CorkRebell

Hi, @hytrogen
That legislation is new to me and it is an interesting read. It looks like it is aimed at the importation of new watercraft with an emphasis on safety and emissions. I am looking to import the 1978 boat for private non resale use but I can’t see any exemptions in the legislation for older vessels. I would imagine any legislation like this should have exemptions such as those we have for classic cars. Can anyone parse this legislation on how it would affect people buying older boats and bringing those into Ireland for personal use. I’m aware we currently don’t have a small craft register in Ireland but I believe as an EU citizen I can register on Holland or Denmark’s small craft register by post. I only need a registration for sailing to other countries. From what i’ve read we should have a new small craft register in Ireland soon but the requirements for that are an unknown as are the date that it will go into effect.

Thanks!

hytrogen

The emphasis is on safety and personal safety on the water so regardless of vintage, it's nothing like vintage cars on the road getting exemptions for tralala. As long as it meets satisfactory in it's survey it's good to use. This is because there is plenty more legislation since SOLAS was introduced that covers these requirements.
As you're planning on foreign going voyages a letter of registration from your home port / marina should suffice, no need for further bureaucracy.

CorkRebell

@hytrogen

I've read through the SI 65 legislation again and i'm no lawyer but my interpretation is that it only applies to new boats being imported into the EU from outside the EU.

Explanations of terminology from the legislation

“placing on the market” means the first making available of a product on the Union market; (This i'm guessing would not apply to second hand boats within the EU)

“private importer” means a person established within the Union who imports, in the course of a non-commercial activity, a product from a third country into the Union with the intention of putting it into service for the person’s own use; (This seems to imply that it only relates to importing from outside the EU)

“putting into service” means the first use of a product to which these Regulations apply in the Union by its end-user; ( Again first use would imply new boats only)