Leaving New Zealand

[tdw]

I've been searching through NZ customs without any success to find out the rules governing qualifications of a skipper of an outward bound craft of New Zealand origin and registry being moved permanently to another country.

(Looking at a new boat but she's in NZ and I'll want to sail her back to Australia and can't find the relevent regulations)

I'd be thankful for any advice.

Regards

TDW

[camaraderie]

There are no requirements imposed for captains of visiting pleasure yachts in terms of sailing experience...there are however some clearance procedures....

From Noosite
p 409-11 new text to replace old: Procedure on Arrival - You can obtain a copy of the New Zealand Border Agencies Information Pack for Yachts and Small Craft from Customs & yacht clubs around the Pacific. Every yacht arriving from overseas must inform customs and agricultural quarantine officers by radio or telephone of one's intended ETA. This must be done at least 48 hours before arrival. Note: Text versions of the arrival notification form can be accessed through the Customs website (www.customs.govt.nz). Facsimile to +64-9-307 6720.
Email to Yachts@customs.govt.nz. Once you have entered New Zealand territorial waters (12 nautical miles), the International Q-flag must be clearly displayed. All craft arriving in New Zealand from overseas must first report at a Customs port of entry. Once your craft has arrived, Customs and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) quarantine officers will meet you. On arrival, every yacht must clear customs, immigration (via Customs) and undergo an inspection by an quarantine officer before clearance is complete. If a yacht is not able to contact the authorities by radio and arrives unannounced, the captain must immediately contact customs or police by telephone (toll free numbers are available: Whangarei customs 0800 428 786). No one else must go ashore until clearance is complete.
Taupo Maritime Radio keeps continuous radio watch on 2182 kHz, 8291 kHz, 4125 kHz, 6215 kHz and 16420 kHz. They can also be contacted on Tel. +64 9 359 6655 or +64 25 961 375 (after hours). A telephone report may also be made to MAF in Auckland, Tel. +64 9 366 0345, +64 9 309 9093 or +64 274 975 171 (after hours).
On approaching the port of entry one should endeavour to confirm one's arrival. This can be done by VHF via Taupo Maritime Radio, which maintains repeaters along the coast. Alternatively, local port authority radio stations can forward an arrival confirmation. The arrival itself must be confirmed to the port on Channel 16. Russell Radio (see weather) will inform customs and immigration of a boat's arrival if this is requested by radio.
Procedure on Departure
The same entry and departure formalities apply to New Zealand yachts as to foreign vessels.
All craft departing overseas from New Zealand must depart from a Customs port of entry, A Customs officer will attend at the agreed time and place of departure. You should advise the New Zealand Customs Service at least 72 hours before your intended departure to ensure that there is no delay. Once issued with a clearance certificate, yachts are required to go to sea within a reasonable time. Any delay should be reported to Customs. The controversial Clause 21 of the Maritime Safety Act, requiring each pleasure craft departing New Zealand to obtain a Safety Certificate, has been repealed.



In addition:
Here is the departure vessel clearance form:
http://www.customs.govt.nz/nr/rdonly.../0/formc2b.pdf



the passenger departure card:
http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/quest/sddquest.nsf/12df43879eb9b25e4c256809001ee0fe/9226dae2ca1cf9564c2569650002caeb/$FILE/departure%20card.PDF



and the advance notice of departure form which you must fax:
http://www.customs.govt.nz/nr/rdonly.../0/nzcs345.pdf

General Maritime rules/regs can be found here...
http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/rec_ru...s_overview.asp

[tdw]

Thanks Cam.
I was under the impression that NZ like most EU countries requires the skipper (or one of the crew at least) to hold a Yachtmasters certificate before they would grant an NZ boat permission to sail to a foreign port.
Cheers
TD

[T34C]

I you buy the boat as an Aussie national, does it remain a NZ vessel? Can you do paperwork in Aus before going to get the boat?

[sailingdog]

Are you sure you want to go to Australia???

See this thread: Australian Customs Gone Bad.

[chris_gee]

There is a requirement for NZ boats going more than 50 miles offshore to meet category 1 standards ie SSB or sat ph epirb etc. The crewing requirement is that someone has the required knowledge and experience to do the voyage and navigate without gps. This may be practical experience or a theory plus practical qualification like Ocean Yachtmaster. It only applies to NZ boats which must be registered. If you are an Australian citizen you can register it as an Australian ship prior to leaving. The MSA requirements then don't apply. Commonsense still says the boat and skipper are equipped for the passage.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Are you sure you want to go to Australia???

See this thread: Australian Customs Gone Bad.

Yes, but Queensland is another story altogether. and runs for cover.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by chris_gee

There is a requirement for NZ boats going more than 50 miles offshore to meet category 1 standards ie SSB or sat ph epirb etc. The crewing requirement is that someone has the required knowledge and experience to do the voyage and navigate without gps. This may be practical experience or a theory plus practical qualification like Ocean Yachtmaster. It only applies to NZ boats which must be registered. If you are an Australian citizen you can register it as an Australian ship prior to leaving. The MSA requirements then don't apply. Commonsense still says the boat and skipper are equipped for the passage.

Ah, thank you so much, that's the info I was after. The boat in question is fully equipped for offshore passage making (she did a major Pacific Cruise only last year, she's a famous design by an almost legendary naval architect, many of her sister ships have circumnavigated) and fear not, the skipper and crew will be up to the task but I don't have my offshore yachtmaster qualification yet. We'll also leave her in NZ for at least the first few months. Much to explore and we can get a feel for the boat and her systems before attempting the crossing home. May even avoid the Tasman and take the long way round through New Caledonia etc. I wasn't sure as to the exact wording of the regulation nor exactly who it applied to. Hadn't thought about transferring the registration before leaving NZ, it's an obvious move though. Thanks again for your advice.

[chris_gee]

The other point you may want to check is the possibility of reclaiming GST 12.5% as it seems you have to pay duty and gst in oz. That is 15% on the purchase price plus deemed delivery costs including crew food but not beer.

GST isn't added on to the price of second hand boats on sale in NZ but is deemed part of the purchase price. It doesn't apply to exports. However it is not normally refundable just on local purchases.

There may be a way of doing it, such as the seller exporting it and you delivering it but paying say on arrival at New Caledonia or at time of departure but you would need to check it out.

That would not fit with wandering around here on shakedown cruises and the saving may not be worth the hassle depending on the value of the boat.

[tdw]

Chris,
I'm factoring in the fact that I'll have to pay gst and import duty when I get her back to Oz. It's a fact of life, an infortunate fact of life but one nonetheless. It will be a fair whack as the boat in question won't leave me much change out of NZ$200,000 by the time we're done with the importing. We are just at the beginning of the buying process and it's possible that one of these things will pop up in Oz before the deal is done but that is "wait and see". Again I thank you for your input. Major problem is that the design really fits what I want in our next boat and there were only about fifty of them built worldwide. Half of these had the type B interior which is unsuitable for my needs so I need to cast my net pretty widely to get what I want. A worldwide search has only incovered three boats for sale and two of those are either in Canada or the UK. NZ is looking better all the time, Tasman Sea or no Tasman Sea.
Regards
TD