BUYING A BOAT IN THE US FOR A CANADIAN CITIZEN OR BUYING A CAMPER IN CANADA FOR A US CITIZEN

[Sharphooks]

Anybody researched buying a boat in the US Since March 2020? How did you go about doing it if you were able to close on the purchase? I have my eye on a camper for sale in Vancouver but not sure how I can get my hands on it

The US border says they’ll let me back in if the Canadian border waves me across to get the camper

Anybody with any experience doing that type of cross-border commerce since last March?

thanks!

 

[kaelc]

I couldn’t see CBSS letting you through unless you have a commercial drivers license and business, but that was based on my original look at it last year when the boarder closed. I’d call the vancouver Canadian four wheel camper dealer or the lance/Arctic fox dealer and ask if they have a delivery coming in with an empty transport heading south and get them to do an inspection/load your camper for you and bring it back.

 

[Ringo]

@Skins88 did you recently buy your Grady from the US? If so, would you be able to share some experience with Sharphooks?

 

[RiverBoy]

Buddy of mine just bought a boat from the USa few weeks ago. he had to hire a US skipper and the skipper was going to transport it all the way to his marina slip in CR

i don’t know how the skip was getting home ?! never thought to ask.

 

[Skins88]

@BCRingo I sure did. @Sharphooks I pulled a Grady out of Gig Harbour back in September. The thing about it was I basically bought the boat site unseen. Only had pics from the seller. I hired a towing company to bring it across the border for me. They are authorized to do this. Go figure. I didn't want to go through the hassle of quarantining. Not sure if that helps as it sounds like you want to pick the camper up yourself. If you have more questions about the process feel free to PM me.

 

[Sharphooks]

Thanks for the comments, Gents...ya, commercial guys can come and go no problem...I regularly ship bait up to Vancouver and Pt Hardy via truck....I’m thinking of maybe contacting a guy who delivers boats to Vancouver, then see if he can bring the camper back on the return trip...in the meantime, what a PITA...buying sight unseen is part of the drill...you’d better know exactly what you want and get lots of pictures from Seller

 

[bigbruce]

Thanks for the comments, Gents...ya, commercial guys can come and go no problem...I regularly ship bait up to Vancouver and Pt Hardy via truck....I’m thinking of maybe contacting a guy who delivers boats to Vancouver, then see if he can bring the camper back on the return trip...in the meantime, what a PITA...buying sight unseen is part of the drill...you’d better know exactly what you want and get lots of pictures from Seller

Where is the camper? Maybe someone here could have a look at it for you.

 

[Sharphooks]

Thanks for that suggestion, BBruce....the seller so far has been responsive with detailed pictures...it’s just how to get it across the border and how much it’ll add to the cost to get it done

 

[jack112286]

@BCRingo I sure did. @Sharphooks I pulled a Grady out of Gig Harbour back in September. The thing about it was I basically bought the boat site unseen. Only had pics from the seller. I hired a towing company to bring it across the border for me. They are authorized to do this. Go figure. I didn't want to go through the hassle of quarantining. Not sure if that helps as it sounds like you want to pick the camper up yourself. If you have more questions about the process feel free to PM me.

Just wondering, what towing company you used?

 

[Skins88]

Just wondering, what towing company you used?

Bayview towing. They are right by the truck crossing. Canuck towing was suggested to me. They were cheaper but had a longer wait.

 

[jack112286]

Thanks for the info. I got one more question, I need the boat towed to blaine first, does anyone know of a place that can park boats while I wait for Bayview to tow it out?

 

[kaelc]

Just look up rv storage Blaine I think the Google had a place if I remember correctly

 

[jack112286]

I ended finding someone to tow the boat from the states directly to here, So didnt needed the storage.

On a side note, the previous boat had a wyoming licence. do we keep that licence number or do we apply for a bc licence for the boat?

thanks for all your help, trying to keep it in an open forum so people in future can see too.

 

[Skins88]

I had Bayview tow from Tacoma to this side of the border. I applied for a new registration number for my boat.