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| Leaving the Boat in B.C. During the Cruising Season
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We received this e-mail from Burl Romick:
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January 3, 2002
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We are thinking of leaving our boat in Canada for several weeks to return
home and then to continue our boating trip. Are there any regulations or
restrictions regarding this?
Burl Romick
Portland, Oregon
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Response
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Canada Customs says there would be no problem leaving the boat in Canada during the cruising season. Simply let them know your planned final departure date when you clear Customs going in.
We also checked with Tom Taylor, the owner of Greenway Sound Marine Resort in the Broughtons, for any practical advice. His reply is extremely informative. It's also a good infomercial for Greenway Sound. As Tom notes, many marinas in B.C. offer boatsitting service.
Here is what Tom Taylor wrote:
We get a lot of boats left with us in a season. It is completely practical and desirable to do. There are a few considerations when doing so:
1. Canada Customs upon explanation will grant sufficient time on the cruise permit to accommodate if they know in advance. Campbell River Customs is a good contact if one needs to extend their clearance. Unless they have recently changed it, the last digits of the clearance number tell the expiry. G15 is July 15, H20 is Aug 20.etc. If the border Customs won't grant enough time, call Campbell River and have it extended. Customs likes to hear from people every 60 days or so.
2. A safe place to leave the boat. Outback marinas like ours offer superior protection for the boat, because we know who comes and goes. Marinas in towns are cheaper, but there is not much security.
3. Continuous power and power surveillance are pluses, if one wants to keep refrigeration running. We try to board boats in our care every day to check systems and temperatures. You would be amazed what we find. Most boats, but not all, behave themselves.
4. Transportation home is another factor. The choice of a marina could hinge on how practical it is to get home and back. We have extensive air service, and we work hard to maintain it. See website www.greenwaysound.com. However, sometimes flying is not practical, as in owning a large dog, or a massive fear of flying. In those cases, a land-based marina would have to be the choice.
5. Costs vary considerably, but like most things, you get what you pay for. Some of us have incentive programs similar to airline mileage programs, which reward the longer stay with progressively lower rates. Our website explains that, too.
6. Provisioning upon return. If the owners are away for very long, they will need all new perishable groceries when they come back. We offer a custom provisioning service, with an order sheet that is left with us to have on board on a set date. Others take it home, and fax it back to us a few days before their return. We have grocery flights twice a week, and can bring in most things with lead time. Our store covers the rest.
This should get you started, Burl. Contact us if you have more questions.
--Bob Hale
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