Don't forget the paperwork

Advice for overseas passage making

June 2005

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The UK’s leading provider of marine finance, Bank of Scotland Marine Finance advises owners who have just bought a boat to ensure that they carefully check the documentation that they need to take if they are planning a passage overseas. Along with personal qualifications and licences showing their ability as skipper, owners are being reminded to take recognised documentation of ownership for their boat as well.

This is particularly important if the boat has been purchased using a Marine Mortgage because sufficient time must be allowed for documentation relating to the purchase to be completed.

Over recent years overseas authorities have become more vigilant in their checks and are more likely to ask UK boat owners to produce the internationally recognised ‘Certificate of Registry’ form. They have become more hard-hitting in their punishment, and in some cases have restricted a boat“s movements until legal ownership has been proven.

Peter Whitehead, Director Marine Finance, Bank of Scotland, explains the background to this potential problem. “When a mortgage is paid out to a customer for the purchase of their boat, documentation is sent off to the Registry of Shipping and Seamen in Cardiff. Traditionally these Registration and Title Documents are processed and returned to the new owner within four weeks. However, in some instances it may take much longer – in some cases up to six weeks, and some boat owners are sailing overseas without the relevant documents.”

Peter comments, “Overall we see the vigilance of overseas authorities as positive as it should discourage the illegal movement of boats by demanding proof of legal ownership. While our failsafe advice is for boat owners to always travel overseas with the Certificate of Registry, there are instances where the documentation has not been released from the Registry in Cardiff. In this instance, if the owner insists on travelling we will endeavour to help where we can. We will provide copies of Registration and Title documents, together with a letter from us as the mortgage provider confirming that registration is in process. We have been told that in the majority of instances to date, this has been accepted as proof of ownership.”

Based in Southampton, Bank of Scotland Marine Finance specialises in supplying finance for the purchase of boats, accessories and marine equipment, making the option of finance an affordable one. A team of twenty-three personnel supports client companies and individuals and is on-hand to assist if possible with all aspects of their customers’ boating needs.

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