Taking non registered boat in to canada

Hello, I am in the proccess of building a 10 ft hydroplane from scratch, i ve looked into regerisrting a homemade boat in New York state and it sounds like it takes 8 weeks to get the HIN and title and reistration, i am going to my cottage in 2 weeks. My question is can you take a boat without proof of ownership (reg. or title) across the boarder and back
Any input is welcome. thanks

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

More interestingly - where is your cottage?

I have trailered motorcycles back and forth for years and have never been questioned about ownership. FWIW, YMMV. But personally I wouldn't worry about it. But . . . If you are going to spend most of the summer in Canada you better get your boat licensed with MOT, it's easy and free.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

westport Ontario, I am only going to be there for the week then bring it back home, going to reg. it in NY but it wont be in 2 wks. seeing how it takes so long. Just conserned if there going to give me a hard time at the boarder for not having proof of ownership.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

I don't think registration in the way you mean it is going to be a problem. It's not like you are importing a purchased boat and have to prove someone transferred it legally into your name. You are coming for a visit and going home again.

That would be like the CBSA asking to see your car ownership as you cross over into Canada or USCBP asking for the same as we go from here to the US. It just isn't done unless of course they are suspicious about something.

What you will need to operate a boat in Canada over 10 hp is a boat license. Those are the numbers on either side of the bow, which I think in the US is called the registration. Registering a pleasure boat in Canada is optional (mostly). Licensing and displaying the licence numbers on a boat over the 10 hp is not.

I think you will get dinged if you are stopped in Ontario waters without (let's call them) these hull numbers. Either "foreign" numbers from registering in the US, or Canadian numbers as a result of licensing. $150-$200 I think is the fine - something in that neighbourhood.

This, of course, assumes you are boating on a lake large enough to be visited by the good folks from your nearest marine police detachment.

So, unless an eagle-eyed, boat-savvy agent notices you are over ten horsepower and have no numbers, I'd say you won't have a problem. If the engine is at the cottage already and the boat is behind your car on the trailer without one, so much the better.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

I'd be more concerned with U.S. Customs turning away your "undocumented alien" boat upon returning...

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

Maybe take a set of plans and a receipt for material or something. Might keep things at the "conversation" level.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

Laminate a card with your name and address into the varnish on the hull. The trailer will be registered in N.Y. and there will be no question as to ownership of either equipment.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

You won't (shouldn't) have a problem crossing the boarder, either way. Nafta has eliminated and duty or tax on items made in north america.

I have done it.
Father has done it.

The owner of the resort we frequent, often buys boats and other items while he is wintering in southern Wisconsin, and we transport them for him.

Occasionally the Canadian border agents will ask if we plan on leaving anything in Canada, then we show them the bill of sale.
These boats all had numbers on them, but they never checked.

Operating a boat without numbers on it will undoubtedly draw some unwelcome attention.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

It's not so difficult to put numbers on the side of a boat. Here is the rule book for Canada:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/publications/en/tp511/pdf/hr/tp511e.pdf

Enjoy your time in Westport. It's 20 minutes from me on Eagle Lake.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

roscoe said:

You won't (shouldn't) have a problem crossing the boarder, either way. Nafta has eliminated and duty or tax on items made in north america....

Click to expand...

Sadly, that wasn't my experience...Canada Customs was certainly there with their hand out, looking for the sales tax on the Scout when I towed it up from North Carolina where I bought it used. Same for the trailer.

Interestingly, they didn't blink at the Yamaha engine, which - with its prominent Made in Japan sticker on the serial number plate - should have qualified it for an extra ding. Perhaps they considered it part of the factory package put together by Scout, hence technically a "product of North America."

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

thanks for the imput guys, i think ill bring along the receipt of matirials and a few pics of the build in case im asked for ownership.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

scoutabout said:

Sadly, that wasn't my experience...Canada Customs was certainly there with their hand out, looking for the sales tax on the Scout when I towed it up from North Carolina where I bought it used. Same for the trailer.

Interestingly, they didn't blink at the Yamaha engine, which - with its prominent Made in Japan sticker on the serial number plate - should have qualified it for an extra ding. Perhaps they considered it part of the factory package put together by Scout, hence technically a "product of North America."

Click to expand...

Thats a bit different circumstance as you were bringing the boat in with the intent to leave it in Canada.
And the taxes you paid were not an import duty, but a sales, pst, or gst.

We had to do the same thing, as well as register and insure our camper that we leave in Canada.

Boats that we transported for the resort, had the paperwork done and tax payments arranged before we arrived, so we did not have to deal with it.

Re: Taking non registered boat in to canada

I can't speak to CBSA, but so long as you have something showing that the boat is not being imported into the USA you should have no problem with CBP. We generally would only be concerned with importing it as it is considered a vehicle. PM me if you have questions about reentry into the USA