Hi Mike,
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MK>   Do you happen to know what type of import duties would apply to
MK>   a Yank buying a boat in Vancouver and taking it back to the US?
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      I think you'd have to find out from your end (the States), but I know
you wouldn't have to pay any Canadian taxes on the boat if you bought it
privately.  If you buy from a broker, then I think there is Provincial
Sales Tax (PST, about 8%?) and 7% Goods and Services Tax, but you really
should ask the brokerage directly what the taxes would be.  Either way, the
GST would be refunded in full after you get back to the U.S., and possibly
the PST too.  If you call U.S. Customs and let them know of your plans,
they'll tell you what duties you need to pay.  Here's the fun part, it
seems each port of entry has it's own idea of what to charge, so here's
what you do... SHOP!  Call all the different ports you're willing to enter
through, and take the best deal!
  A word of advice; it can be *very* helpful to have all the paperwork
prepared in advance!  After you purchase the boat (hopefully you'll have a
few days before returning home), get the paperwork done before you reach
the border or you'll have to deal with "la goons" (French :^) directly -
usually a l-e-n-g-t-h-y procedure, not to mention the personal insult.
Better to get all the necessary forms before you even come to Canada and
fill them out before you return!  The boat's origin (ie: American, or
whatever, product/registration) may also make a difference, but it likely
will depend on the port.  Of course, you can always hire a customs broker
(U.S. or Canadian) to handle all this for you for a couple hundred bucks if
it all seems too complicated.
  I presume you're not planning to sail your boat back to the States.  If
you are, then you can choose any customs port along the U.S. coast to claim
your acquisition, but I can't stress enough the headache you'll avoid if
the paperwork for the intended port is prepared in advance!
  Whatever you do, Good Luck!!, and may the Angels of Happy Re-entries be
  with you.
      Cheers,
              Augustin~~~===
                                 National Yacht Club, Toronto - S2STOR
... Frog philosophy: Time's fun when you're having flies.
 * Q-Blue 1.9 [NR] *
 * S2S Toronto, Ontario  (416) 975-1547
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