Importing A Boat From The Usa To Australia

[olitay]

Hey Raiders, for a few years now I have looked into importing a boat from the States and actually came very close to doing this last year however the deal fell through. Well, with the Aussie dollar sitting pretty at the moment I took the plunge and decided that the time was right.

I searched the net frantically for weeks, looking for the right boat. I emailed dealers, brokers, wanabees, weirdos, private sellers, Dodgy characters until finally I found a contact that seemed to know what he was on about.

This guy had sold a number of boats from the US to Aussie buyers and did it all from his broker office in the states.

He found me just the boat that I was looking for, a 23ft Seaswirl Walkaround with an inboard Volvo (pics attached). The trailer would not suit Aussie specs so I upgraded for an Australian Specification built trailer for an additional trade price of $1000 dollars, My guy co-ordinated the whole process.

I will update you all on the process as i know there is a lot of interest in importing boats from the US at them moment. I have paid for the boat and will be paying for the container this week. FYI, a 40 ft container from the US should cost you between 6-8K and if you do it right you should be able to fit 2 boats in, 1 20-23ft boat and another 18ft. The boats are placed on a cradle on a 45 degree angle. I have another 18ft Wellcraft CC that will be accompanying the seaswirl.

Now, for those who have done this before, I know there are duties, taxes, GST, quarantine and all sorts of other hidden costs involved and in time, I will make sure that I let you all know what these costs equate to based on my experience. I have heard crazy stories of boats being held up in quarantine for weeks on end at an expense of 700AUD a day, I hope this isnt the case for me.

If anyone wants to know who im dealing with please pm and ill let you know, so far, the process has been great and all communication has been very prompt and professional.

Watch this space, ill keep you all updated on the progress.

BillyD

[coasty1]

awsome mate,great boat will it work out cheaper or are you just going for it as you wont it regadless,i will looking sometime next year for new hull and will be very interested in your venture.Keep us posted:thumbup:

[framedtrash]

nice lookin boat mate

how does it compare to your current boat

the layout looks pretty similar from memory

cant wait to see it covered in fin blood

[olitay]

nice lookin boat mate

how does it compare to your current boat

the layout looks pretty similar from memory

cant wait to see it covered in fin blood

Hey Simon, where you been fella!

The boat is very similar, just newer and a better fuel injected motor which would probably be a little more fuel efficent. not sure which one ill keep yet. I guess ill wait till it gets here.

Lets fish soon aye!

[eagle ray]

awsome mate,great boat will it work out cheaper or are you just going for it as you wont it regadless,i will looking sometime next year for new hull and will be very interested in your venture.Keep us posted:thumbup:

Definately some deals to be had out there. Definatey cheaper to import than to buy local in terms of quality. There are pros and cons and towing (in NSW) can be problomatic. Warranty is an issue issue however 2 days four strokes are very relaiable.

your biggest concern would be quarantine and having the boat held up however a good agent with offices in both oz and us should make sure that your boat is clean before it departs the sates.

The biggest issue for me is what to pick, there are so many choices, though not so many with a beam under 250cm.

[wrxhoon1]

I wish you luck with your importation .

I have imported several boats over the years from US and I use to import used cars from Japan for a living.

The boat you have chosen is wider than 2.5 mtrs ( it is 2.59 mts,or 8'6" wide) and you will need a permit to tow on our roads.

Its easy to get a permit but they are very restrictive in NSW as to the time and roads you can use .

I hope you have an import approval for the trailer, you don't need one for the boat .

When you get the trailer you have to comply it to ADR . You will need brakes on all wheels ( well over 2000 kgs) , a breakaway system and you must be able to apply the trailer brakes from the drivers seat without applying the cars brakes. The cheapest way to do this is to use an electric actuator, like a Hydrastar, Dexter , etc..

You will need to change the lights ( they use red for blinker in USA) The coupling,wirring ( they use the trailer body for earth), mudflaps and a few reflectors as well as a new compliance plate.

I wouldn't put the boat in a container if I was you because of the risk of damage, I would do a RO-RO, it looks more expensive but if you consider that you will need a crane to take the boat out of the container here , not a lot of difference but the again you have two boats in there.

If you are in Sydney she will berth at Port Kembla, customs will clear it after you pay the tax and their small fee and then Q/T will inspect it, expect to be send for a clean ( if used boat for sure) . could cost anything up to $1000 or more but usualy $500-600 and can be done at PK wharf.

Unless you have a trade plate its a tow home of workshop to get the trailer complied, you can't send your tow truck in PK wharf , only certified PK warf trucks can enter.

Tow to Sydney $300-400.

I forgot you have to pay port fees as well , around the $800-1000.

Once you have the trailer complied you need to weigh it, at a public weighbridge ( without the boat), take the trailer and ticket to an authorised inspection station to get a brown slip ( like a blue for heavy trailers over 2000 kg ATM) , when you get that take all the paperwork to your local RTA ( only a few will register over 2 ton trailers ) , pay the fees and your done . The boat is much easier .

If you need to know more contact me on : wrxhoon@yahoo.com

[finningaround]

Billy D well done champ u have pikd a gorgeous boat cant wait to cu out on the water.like u ive been doing a lot of reserche

and making enquires bout boats from us i really like the grady whites with the dollar the way it is they all look good

would b great if i could get some details as to who u are using over there hes obviously pretty good ur boat looks awsom and il b

looking out for more info on the progress.see you out there

[johnv]

now thats an awesome lookin boat there Billy, gotta be happy with that when its here well done

john

[olitay]

I wish you luck with your importation .

I have imported several boats over the years from US and I use to import used cars from Japan for a living.

The boat you have chosen is wider than 2.5 mtrs ( it is 2.59 mts,or 8'6" wide) and you will need a permit to tow on our roads.

Its easy to get a permit but they are very restrictive in NSW as to the time and roads you can use .

I hope you have an import approval for the trailer, you don't need one for the boat .

When you get the trailer you have to comply it to ADR . You will need brakes on all wheels ( well over 2000 kgs) , a breakaway system and you must be able to apply the trailer brakes from the drivers seat without applying the cars brakes. The cheapest way to do this is to use an electric actuator, like a Hydrastar, Dexter , etc..

You will need to change the lights ( they use red for blinker in USA) The coupling,wirring ( they use the trailer body for earth), mudflaps and a few reflectors as well as a new compliance plate.

I wouldn't put the boat in a container if I was you because of the risk of damage, I would do a RO-RO, it looks more expensive but if you consider that you will need a crane to take the boat out of the container here , not a lot of difference but the again you have two boats in there.

If you are in Sydney she will berth at Port Kembla, customs will clear it after you pay the tax and their small fee and then Q/T will inspect it, expect to be send for a clean ( if used boat for sure) . could cost anything up to $1000 or more but usualy $500-600 and can be done at PK wharf.

Unless you have a trade plate its a tow home of workshop to get the trailer complied, you can't send your tow truck in PK wharf , only certified PK warf trucks can enter.

Tow to Sydney $300-400.

I forgot you have to pay port fees as well , around the $800-1000.

Once you have the trailer complied you need to weigh it, at a public weighbridge ( without the boat), take the trailer and ticket to an authorised inspection station to get a brown slip ( like a blue for heavy trailers over 2000 kg ATM) , when you get that take all the paperwork to your local RTA ( only a few will register over 2 ton trailers ) , pay the fees and your done . The boat is much easier .

If you need to know more contact me on : wrxhoon@yahoo.com

Thanks for the information, Im not concerned about needing a tow permit as im very close to the boat ramp and dont usually tow the boat too far. I realise its not the best situation but it is really hard to find a decent size 23footer under 2.59 and for a boat like this im willing to compromise.

All import permits are being put together by my agent in Australia so hopefully all goes through smoothly.

Ill be adding an 18ft Wellcraft CC so it makes sense to use a container as the second boat only incurs a 600 dollar roll in.

Ill keep you all posted!

[wrxhoon1]

All import permits are being put together by my agent in Australia so hopefully all goes through smoothly.

I

You only need a permit for any boat trailers you import, no permit is needed for any boats.

The permit should issued to your name and it comes from Canberra.

I would advice you to have the permit for the trailer before you ship the trailer if you are importing a trailer .

It costs $50 for the permit .

[stevefish]

i hope it all works for you and if so i will be interested in your contacts,

but umm, ive been told a 2101 is about 27 foot from trailer hitch to prop. you might need a bit of lube to get your 18 footer in the same container.

for you i hope im wrong, all the best.

[olitay]

i hope it all works for you and if so i will be interested in your contacts,

but umm, ive been told a 2101 is about 27 foot from trailer hitch to prop. you might need a bit of lube to get your 18 footer in the same container.

for you i hope im wrong, all the best.

Ha, your right mate, they actually go in on a 45% cradle head to head, so it juuuuust fits!

Just like this.

Edited November 9, 2010 by BillyD

[olitay]

Update.

New trailer arrived today and it looks like I wont need a permit to tow the boat as im being told that the regulations apply to the trailer, not the boat. So i have had a new trailer built in the US with AU specs! yipee.

Also, ive gone against the container Idea and will be shrink wrapping the boat and sending it via RORO (Roll on Roll Off Service)

The Seaswirl will leave this week. So hopefully it will be here on the 31st December.

Updates to come.

Edited January 18, 2011 by BillyD

[david88]

so what would be the aproximate total cost to import and legalise a 5m plate boat? incl. all fees and licenses needed to use it on sydney roads?

thanks if anyone can answer it.

Dave.

[olitay]

so what would be the aproximate total cost to import and legalise a 5m plate boat? incl. all fees and licenses needed to use it on sydney roads?

thanks if anyone can answer it.

Dave.

A rough guide would be:

If the boat is 10K US, by the time you import, taxes, duties, trailer conversion, gst, warf costs etc etc... Double the purchase price, maybe plus some.

A 10K boat will cost you 16-20 landed.

[wrxhoon1]

If the trailer is wider than 2.5 mts you can't even register it in Australia.

You need a permit to tow any load wider than 2.5 mts, no ifs no buts , if anyone has told you otherwise they are having you on..

Not many 21'+ boats that are under 2.5 in usa because the legal road width is 8'6" (2.59 mts) there.

Good idea not to put it in a container, ro-ro is much better for your boat.

david8,

Cost will depend on purchase price and CBM of the boat/trailer combo, how far she is from port etc...

As a guide it will cost you around the US$160 per CBM sea freight Ro-RO and when she gets to PK another AU$2000 for Q/T customs etc...and you will be up for 10% GST on all costs.No import duty as long as you have a statement of origin..

To comply the trailer it will depend on the trailer ATM and brakes she has, for a 5 mt boat she will be under 2000 ATM so you only need overide brakes , factor in at least $500 for the trailer though by the time you change the lights , wirring , weighbridge, blue slip and rego.

I don't think I would bother bringing in a 5 mt boat, especially one that no body knows here, when you want to sell you will have hard time. The saving is not worth the trouble mate . A larger boat is a different story.

[david88]

thanks for your help guys, i was just curious but you gave me all the answers.

cheers.

Dave

p.s. the boat looks amazing!

[olitay]

If the trailer is wider than 2.5 mts you can't even register it in Australia.

You need a permit to tow any load wider than 2.5 mts, no ifs no buts , if anyone has told you otherwise they are having you on..

Ive been told by numerous people that the restrictions apply to the trailer, not the boat hence the reason I have had a trailer custom built for AU specs. Time will tell, and ill ensure to keep you updated on this.

JohnV, RE importing smaller 5M boats, I disagree that it is not worth it. American brand boats are very well known for their build and ride and sell quite well in Australia. There are many small Scouts, Pioneers, Trophy's and Wellcraft vessels over there that can land here for half the price of what people are selling them for In AU.

I guess it all depends if you can bother with the whole process or not, its time consuming, frustration and risky not knowing exactly what your getting.

Worth the Savings?, well im a risk taker so bring it on!.

[gerg]

Ive been told by numerous people that the restrictions apply to the trailer, not the boat hence the reason I have had a trailer custom built for AU specs. Time will tell, and ill ensure to keep you updated on this.

JohnV, RE importing smaller 5M boats, I disagree that it is not worth it. American brand boats are very well known for their build and ride and sell quite well in Australia. There are many small Scouts, Pioneers, Trophy's and Wellcraft vessels over there that can land here for half the price of what people are selling them for In AU.

I guess it all depends if you can bother with the whole process or not, its time consuming, frustration and risky not knowing exactly what your getting.

Worth the Savings?, well im a risk taker so bring it on!.

BillyD, regulations re rego will relate to the trailer. I imported a 21 foot stratos earlier in the year. Blue slip guy measured outside guard to outside guard with the boat off the trailer (he also did the weighbridge certificate - so i killed 2 birds t the same time. If you've had a trailer built, double check the coupling specs. it needs to say 50mm NOT 2" as with most US couplings. It's only a minor difference, but it does matter.

Re quarantine - get friendly with your customs agent. Find out exactly what they want early in the piece to minimise the headache. For second hand boats, have the guy in the US clean the bilge area, kill tanks, livewells etc with bleach. Have them clean the inside of the boat just before it gets shrink wrapped. If the quarantine guys see leaves etc in the boat they will hold it back for cleaning. Doing all of this, I was lucky and had no problems with Quarantine. Boat arrived on Sunday night and I had the boat by 11am Monday.

I did have to have the boat towed on a truck from Port Kembla, because my trailer didn't comply with NSW regs (ie lights) and therefore I couldn't get a permit.

My biggest headache was actually getting it on the ship at the other end. That was the broker more than anything else. He was more interested in telling me what I wanted to hear, as opposed to the actual dates it would leave. i did have motor issues once here as well, but that's the same risk you take buying anything second hand. Remember too, motor warranty will not be valid here in Australia (except on a brand new Merc which you may get 1 year.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. The frustration and headaches soon disappeared once I got the boat on the water, I saved myself at least 50% on buying brand new here - even with the motor issues. Since I imported mine, a mate of mine has also brought in a 21 foot boat and had even less issues than me. If I was to do anything different, I'd either use a different broker, or manage all that small stuff myself. More work yes, but then I'd be in control (easy to say in hindsight and having the experience of already importing a boat).

Good luck!

Cheers, Greg

[framedtrash]

Hey Simon, where you been fella!

The boat is very similar, just newer and a better fuel injected motor which would probably be a little more fuel efficent. not sure which one ill keep yet. I guess ill wait till it gets here.

Lets fish soon aye!

since im such a nice guy if you want ill take one off your hands for a while

love your taste in boats that "little" Seaswirl looks like a sweet little boat and will be right at home throwing sluggos at the markers in the harbour

i take it your going to rip the bimini off this one as well?

hope all the import stuff goes nice and smooth for you im sure you have done all your homework

im always keen for a flick broken bay is starting to fire up and terrigal should be going off as well

Edited November 11, 2010 by Framedtrash

[olitay]

Well, it has nearly been 2 Months since my initial post and a lot has happened. Firstly I have chosed to ditch the container and send the boat via RORO (Roll on Roll Off) therefor I will only be bringing in the seaswirl.

Im very excited because the boat will be arriving on Sunday night so hopefully I will see it some time next week.

I have only Just received my trailer import approval today! This could have been a major drama as they will not release the trailer without it.

So far the whole process has gone really smooth (whilst a bit longer than anticipated).

I will keep you all posted on what the costs are when the boat lands and will be sending pics of her when she gets here.

Ciao for now.

[Guest]

Looking forward to seeing your new girl in all its finery really soon Bill

Cheers Stewy

[wrxhoon1]

Im very excited because the boat will be arriving on Sunday night so hopefully I will see it some time next week.

I have only Just received my trailer import approval today! This could have been a major drama as they will not release the trailer without it.

Lucky, if you didn't get it on time you would have been up for storage fees and they are not cheap. Worse still if they refused , you can't even get your boat!!!

Lesson, don't ship before you get the approval.

Good luck with it.

[framedtrash]

Great stuff mate looking forward to seeing some bloody decks

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[roosterman]

Well, it has nearly been 2 Months since my initial post and a lot has happened. Firstly I have chosed to ditch the container and send the boat via RORO (Roll on Roll Off) therefor I will only be bringing in the seaswirl.

Im very excited because the boat will be arriving on Sunday night so hopefully I will see it some time next week.

I have only Just received my trailer import approval today! This could have been a major drama as they will not release the trailer without it.

So far the whole process has gone really smooth (whilst a bit longer than anticipated).

I will keep you all posted on what the costs are when the boat lands and will be sending pics of her when she gets here.

Ciao for now.

i spotted this in the harbour yesterday morning...

first time i have seen one and there was some expensive gin palaces amongst a couple of proper boats...

good luck mate hope it all continues to goe smoothly...

cheers...steve....