[MunMan]

FYI...
From Transport Canada's website, reasons to register your boat:

Canadian Register of Vessels
This register applies to vessels of all types and sizes including pleasure and commercial. This type of registration is required for:
• vessels more than 15 gross tonnes used for commercial purposes, including government-owned vessels (if unsure of tonnage, check this explanation of tonnage measurements)
• vessels that require marine mortgages
• if you are planning to travel outside of Canada for extended periods of time
You may also choose to register your pleasure craft in the Canadian Register of Vessels if you wish to have an approved name and port of registry for your vessel or show proof of ownership.

 

[born2bfree]

Thank you all for your words of wisdom. I really appreciate it.

I called Bahama Embassy 3 days in the row. They answered politely, took details of my inquiry, told me someone would get back to me, but nobody did. I could play this game with them a little longer, but let's try something different.

Assuming that Ontario boat licence is like US decals, did any of you sailed US boat on decals only to the Bahamas?

 

[john61ct]

The Bahamas gets over a thousand US boats coming and going daily in season, huge part of their economy.

Not a direct answer, but. . .

 

[RichH]

It will usually take a month of more for the Bahamian officialdom to formally reply to non-emergency requests.

Suggest you place a direct phone call to a major Bahamian entry port (Id recommend Marsh Harbour in the Abacos Islands), and make direct contact with Customs (and then Immigration if you have any immigration questions).

Probably the 'best' way to contact is by FAX and then request a FAX (written/FAX) reply as well as 'verbal'. But again, the Bahamas is quite 'laid back' and even a direct contact may be followed by bureaucratic delay. An official FAX reply will document any 'confirmation or request' and may prevent 'self interpretation' by customs and immigration official(s) in the 'out port' entry locations.

https://www.bahamaslocal.com/showlisting/10757/Bahamas_Customs.html

As stated before, In the Bahamas your (provincial or state) 'sticker' usually needs some form of tangible documentation to prove its validity and time-term of current status.

 

[Minnewaska]

What's the reluctance to register in Canada. Seems less work and concern. Cost?

 

[born2bfree]

Minnewaska,

We just bought the boat and have number of projects on her.
The reluctance comes from time it takes to process all the forms and the cost. I will likely register the boat next year, but this time I would prefer to avoid this project, if possible.

Thank you all for excellent tips. I will go with US bill of sale, US title transfer and Ontario license only and report how that went when I'm back.

Cheers

 

[hellosailor]

Ah, b2b?
You aren't going to get a "US title transfer" on that boat. You being a Canadian, not an American, apparently? US federal documentation is reserved for US citizens and US-majority-owned corporations. And most of our states will only issue a state title to a resident, or someone with a postal address in that state. And they'll be enquiring into a variety of taxes, not just sales taxes, when they do that.
You might need to rethink that, and just pay the piper.

 

[born2bfree]

Ah, b2b?
You aren't going to get a "US title transfer" on that boat. You being a Canadian, not an American, apparently? US federal documentation is reserved for US citizens and US-majority-owned corporations. And most of our states will only issue a state title to a resident, or someone with a postal address in that state. And they'll be enquiring into a variety of taxes, not just sales taxes, when they do that.
You might need to rethink that, and just pay the piper.

My apologies if I got the name of my title document wrong.
I am looking at it right now.
It is square as opposed to standard paper format, titled "CERTIFICATION OF TITLE", and shows boat details, previous owner, and buyers name.

 

[hellosailor]

Yes, but WHO issued it? A US state? A Canadian province? The Bahamas?
If it is a US federal title, there's a nifty heat-sensitive color changing patch on it, to make sure you didn't inkjet print it yourself. (Honest.)

 

[Arcb]

Certificate of Title isn't any kind of Canadian thing I know of. Sounds like a seller's receipt maybe. Possibly issued by the yacht broker as proof of purchase.

Proof of purchase is required in combination with a Canadian Federal License (Province of Ontario doesn't issue licenses, however, Federal licenses issued to residents Ontario contain the letters E or ON) as proof of ownership/proof of licensing.

Canadian Federal Registration stands alone as proof of ownership and proof of registration.

At least, that's how I understand it.

 

[Minnewaska]

Sounds like b2b bought the boat from someone who had it registered in the US, then imported it and licensed it in Canada. If so, the old US documents are useless.

The OP is departing in Jan 2018 for the Bahamas. I'm assuming that's not from Canada?! Is this boat still in the US? Is there a Canadian tax thing at play here? I know it costs a fortune to import a boat from the US to Canada.

 

[Rocky Mountain Breeze]

I guess this might open the door for a discussion of not only corruption of third world country officials and fees for entering the United States but perhaps also the character and motivations of individuals seeking to end run those fees...... What is good for the goose is also good for the ducks, chickens, and the rest of the barnyard fowl......

 

[Faster]

When I imported our boat from WA state, I did get a 'certificate of title' that was basically proof that I bought the boat and that it was the seller's to sell. It was a square-ish blue paper, IIRC. It was Canada Customs who was interested in that document during the import process.

In our experience registration did not take too long, a single visit to an office, but as I type I remember that it was a transfer, not an original registration (previous boat). I think today the registration involves a title and name search and around $300. OTOH if there's time the cost seems little enough for peace of mind during the (many) customs check-ins you'll be doing as you venture south.

 

[boatpoker]

Wow ! what a lot of mis-information.

There is no such thing as a "Provincially" licensed boat in Canada. Registration and Licensing are both Federal and provided by Transport Canada.

The US and Bahamas routinely recognize Canadian Licensed and Registered vessels. The OP will have no issue. Further afield one may have difficulties with a licensed vessel but the US and Bahamas are used to it. Even further afield there are no laws preventing use of a Canadian license. The issue is simply that foreign customs rarely see them and don't understand what they are looking at and .... well you know how underpaid and semi-literate bureaucrats are.

One does not have to acquire a US cruising license before going to the US. I routinely (8-10 times per yr. most years in my own boat and on deliveries) check into US ports and ask for a cruising license (most often at Oswego NY where CPB will fax it to the Oswego marina in about 10 minutes.

 

[born2bfree]

Wow ! what a lot of mis-information.

There is no such thing as a "Provincially" licensed boat in Canada. Registration and Licensing are both Federal and provided by Transport Canada.

The US and Bahamas routinely recognize Canadian Licensed and Registered vessels. The OP will have no issue. Further afield one may have difficulties with a licensed vessel but the US and Bahamas are used to it. Even further afield there are no laws preventing use of a Canadian license. The issue is simply that foreign customs rarely see them and don't understand what they are looking at and .... well you know how underpaid and semi-literate bureaucrats are.

One does not have to acquire a US cruising license before going to the US. I routinely (8-10 times per yr. most years in my own boat and on deliveries) check into US ports and ask for a cruising license (most often at Oswego NY where CPB will fax it to the Oswego marina in about 10 minutes.

Thank you for clarifying this.
I read somewhere that process of obtaining cruising licence in the US has changed or is about to change. Do you know anything about it?

 

[boatpoker]

Thank you for clarifying this.
I read somewhere that process of obtaining cruising licence in the US has changed or is about to change. Do you know anything about it?

I am currently in Florida, hoping to cross over to Bahamas before Christmas.
I have been in West Palm Beach CPB offices about ten times in the last two weeks dealing with other matters and have heard of no changes.

I have an article on my website explaining the differences between Licensed, Registered, Documented and State Registered Vessels that may be of interest.

EDIT. Sorry, that is not the correct article. It is somewhere on my website but there is so much in there now that even I have trouble finding stuff sometimes.

 

[Vasco]

Wow ! what a lot of mis-information.

There is no such thing as a "Provincially" licensed boat in Canada. Registration and Licensing are both Federal and provided by Transport Canada.

The US and Bahamas routinely recognize Canadian Licensed and Registered vessels. The OP will have no issue..

The above is correct except occasionally, usually in Florida, you might run into a CBP officer who does not understand a Canadian vessel license and gives you a really hard time. This happened recently to a sailing buddy so he eventually bit the bullet and registered his boat. Bahamas there's never a problem.