Boaters pulling up anchor to avoid tax

[uspirate]

Anyone see this?
Boaters pulling up anchor to avoid tax

[labatt]

That's seriously nasty! Talk about double dipping! That's one area I'll be bypassing when we have our new boat...

[AjariBonten]

Marina managers are worried the tax will hurt their businesses and take money from the Grand Strand economy.

Gee, Ya Think?? Freekin' Mo-Rons. What's wrong with keeping it at 180 days?

This will be great for their micro-economy . NOT!

[xort]

If this is in force when I cruise south, I will move through SC as fast as possible. I would fear that I might have a mechanical problem that would keep me there longer than planned. I won't take that chance and the businesses will suffer because of it.
Hopefully they will vote the politicians out.

Anybody know where to let the powers at be know they are shooting themselves in the foot?

[Valiente]

While I'm sure this is of little concern to U.S. legislators, decisions like this directly affect the way Canadians determine whether they will come to the U.S. in any fashion as cruisers.

My wife and I are thinking that we will have a "shakedown cruise" in '09 in our own Atlantic provinces, and then scoot out via the Oswego-New York canals straight to Bermuda and then to the Caribbean. Our goal is to get to the Pacific, but if the locals were friendlier to the transient cruiser in some locales on the U.S. East Coast, we would consider lingering. We have some friends at the moment in Brunswick, Georgia over-wintering. We will discuss with them whether these foolish money-grabs will change their minds about giving their custom to the U.S.

[sailingdog]

Rather stupid, short-sighted and greedy of the SC government IMHO. It'll probably help drive a lot of the marine related businesses out of business over the long-term. If a boat is laid up getting repairs or work done, those days count against the 60/90 day limits AFAICT...so my guess would be that they'll lose a lot of business to Georgia and North Carolina....and it will spiral. As more marine related businesses fold, there will eventually be a point where they don't have enough to sustain the native boaters...and then recreational boating in SC will die off.

[Raggbagger]

This is a disgrace , what on earth could they possably gain from this other than a few quick bucks before everyone wises up and avoids the state like the plague . It doesnt make any sense that a tourist destination like SC would be this stupid . I dont get it . I bet the locals are bighting there fingernails down to the quick . Thats too bad I really enjoyed my gunkholes in SC and certainly would have entertained the thought of spending extended time there on future cruises . I guess thats another one crossed off the list oh well weigh anchor , Savanna here we come .

[Sapperwhite]

Well, no real surprise. If they can get away with it, they will try anything. With this and the anchoring fiasco in Fla. I'd say the hell with it. Jump off from Norfolk to Bermuda, then south to the Carib. Avoid the southern states, don't give those a-holes a chance to see one cent of your money, tax or otherwise.

At the end of the day, do they think the taxes raised will even come close to the amount dollars spent directly into the local economy (which are subsequently taxed also) if the boaters hadn't been scared off? Bunch of s#!t heads.

[Rockter]

Is that 6 percent of the value??? of the boat, and 10.5% if it does not have a galley???? Plus marina fees???

What?????????????????????????????

Lokk guys, if I read that correctly, then a $100,000 boat is going to have to pay $6000, at least to stay there, plus marina fees.

Well, that will pay for one hell of a trip to Scotland, where you can stop on Loch Ness, or anywhere on the 65 mile long canal, in perfect safety, for marina fees only..... a 36 ft ship pays about £1200 a year. You can stay 6 months without a problem, and you'd be welcome, and untaxed.

South Carolina has lost the plot.

Just leave the place.

Expletive to them.

[Rockter]

It's probably prettier too...

http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/c...Summer2007.jpg

http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/c...Summer2007.jpg

...and they can make some good whisky, and beer.

Rockter