Hi all.

I've been a member here since buying my Chriscraft/S&S 36 3 years ago. I've had amazing advice along the way, it was/is my first boat. I've had 2 successful winters cruising the QLD coast and now feel ready for the next step.
2017 I plan on sailing to Vanautu.
A major problem is thought that Nautilus is only QLD registered. Getting her Australian registered is a major hassle if even possible(Shes's 40 years old, had multiple owners worldwide) and costs a bunch or time and money.
I have a New Zealand passport though and after some quick research it seems I could have Nautilus registered as I NZ boat with next to no hassle(all online) and costing around NZ$500 for 5 years.
Has anyone done or had experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

>Vernon

Will you have to pay import duty to have it in OZ once it become an NZ ship??

Dexport, whats the problem with leaving it QLD registered?

Mines NSW registered and I didnt know there could be problems to sail O.S. with a state registered boat.

from the AMSA website.

Ability to sail overseas

It is an offence for an Australian-owned vessel to sail for a foreign port unless it is registered in the Australian Register of Ships.Please note: Vessels purchased overseas by Australians are also required to be registered before they sail for Australia or another foreign country.

You can take a non registered boat to another country....but you will have to pay any duty and GST for the country concerned. Depending on the country you may claim it back (some countries if if you legally can - good luck getting it back of the tax man).

I have heard some USA cruisers visiting Aust have paid a bond that they can get back when they leave - probably because they where not on the register?

On the AMSA site it implies that for boats less than 24m Australian registration is voluntary, but advisable because - quote:

What is the purpose of ship registration?
The purpose of Shipping Registration in Australia is to grant ships Australian nationality. It also allows for Australian ships to fly the Australian National Flag or the Australian Red Ensign in accordance with Australia's obligations under article 91 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, to which Australia is a party. When a ship is registered in Australia it receives legally recognisable Australian nationality, giving it advantages at home and abroad. The ship will be accorded Australian protection on the high seas and in foreign ports.

Just rang ASMA on 02 6279 5000.
The guy was friendly and helpful.
ANY vessel, not being on an indigenous journey ( eg canoe from Cape York to , say, Port Moresby) OR otherwise (non-indigenous) any row boat doing a trans Tasman crossing) out of Aust Territorial Waters and subsequently entering a foreign port (eg Wellington New Zealand)....irrespective of length, even three metres, if not an Australian registered ship.....commits an offence.
The suggestion was that upon entry to the foreign port, without proper AMSA papers, would be seized.
So from the horses mouth, aus registration req 'd for all vessels if you wish to enter any foreign country unless doing so on the quiet....illegal immigrant !
The guy said. "It's the vessels passport just like the owner needing a valid passport".

Welcome Trek.
The RORC trip....right around of Bay of Islands?
Just loved Aotearoa by push bike. Esp Mt Cook and the bloody Kea birds which chewed my bike to bits !!
Had to bus it back to CC.

Yes, timber.

Friend of mine a kiwi just sailed from france to nz. Im interested to hear how. What etc. I guess his boat was french registered. Probably some "rainbow warrior" leniency. Once in nz, being a kiwi you may get hit with more duty than a foreigner i read.
I didnt think australia registration was an issue is it really?

For a sailing vessel that has never been Australian registered before the one off fee is $1,554.

There is no yearly costs. Change of address of the current owner is free, you have to post current registration certificate along with a filled in form to the shipping office in Canberra and they post you back a new certificate with your new address.

All of there forms, even the change of address, are hard to fill in. I recommend making an attempt to fill in the form, scanning it, and emailing to them in Canberra. They seem to try to hide their email address:

[email protected]

Then of course they will email you back and say you can't scan the document, you have to post it to them, but hopefully they will tell you all the mistakes you have made in filling in the form that you can correct before posting it.

The markings for a sailing vessel are also hard to figure out, fortunately it was discussed here earlier:

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Australian-Ship-Register-marking-requirements/