Last week was a pretty good one as far as entertaining interactions with our public went. But who would have known that the best would be awaiting us in the dying minutes of my shift on Friday...
Two of our agents received a call on the very same topic, one from a Service Canada rep in Brockville, ON and one from a broker in Toronto. The Service Canada representative related how she had a caller on the line who was a secretary for a certain gentleman.
This 'certain gentleman' had taken a trip to Florida, where he then decided to purchase a boat. So far, no problem... right? Right! Now this gentleman did not bother to either license or register this boat with the State of Florida, as one would be required to do by law if one intended to use the boat in Florida waters. So, first error in this long list of errors.
Next, Einstein here gets the idea in his head that he's going to take a trip to the Bahamas. These are located some 50 nautical miles East-Southeast from Miami. Cuba is some 90 nautical miles South-Southeast from Key West.
I have no information on the size of boat that this lad bought, or what navigational gear it might or might not have had onboard. What I can tell you is that our would-be sailor here wound up being ordered to heave to, by a Cuban naval gunboat. According to the secretary on the line with the Service Canada rep, they asked this lad for papers and proof that he owned the boat (this American boat, no less...) and of course, he could produce neither.
So... our "Marco-Polo-come-lately" ended up cooling his heels in a Cuban jail over the weekend, while his secretary AND broker are scurrying around here in Canada, trying to find out what can be done from our side. Needless to say, if the boat is still an American boat, Service Canada cannot/will not issue a license for it. It's a foreign vessel and Service Canada/Transport Canada do not license foreign vessels. Once it's cleared customs and is here in Canada, that's another story...
The vessel could have been registered through Transport Canada (Vessel Registration program) while remaining in Florida, if the new owner had any inklling of what he was doing, or was required to do by law. It can't be done in Cuba, with no proof of ownership for the boat in question. What can be done at this stage of the game, is pretty much up to the Cuban authorities. Fortunately, Canada has an embassy in Havana. They may be able to serve as intermediaries in this case and plead stupidity on our matelot's behalf...
Doubtless as this lad is from Toronto (I'd wager my pay on it...), if one were to question his knowledge of things nautical, he would probably bristle and inform you in no uncertain terms that he "has been doing this for the past whatever-some-odd years" and didn't need to hear squat from anyone. It's an all too familiar refrain from people who in reality, don't know what they're doing out there...
So... whenever the Cubans decide to let him go (and if he can find his way back to the US...), he might license the boat in Florida or if he has half a brain, he'll register it as a Canadian vessel. That way he can cruise foreign international waters legally... no matter where he accidentally turns up.
Friday was truly the best day of the week...
Two of our agents received a call on the very same topic, one from a Service Canada rep in Brockville, ON and one from a broker in Toronto. The Service Canada representative related how she had a caller on the line who was a secretary for a certain gentleman.
This 'certain gentleman' had taken a trip to Florida, where he then decided to purchase a boat. So far, no problem... right? Right! Now this gentleman did not bother to either license or register this boat with the State of Florida, as one would be required to do by law if one intended to use the boat in Florida waters. So, first error in this long list of errors.
Next, Einstein here gets the idea in his head that he's going to take a trip to the Bahamas. These are located some 50 nautical miles East-Southeast from Miami. Cuba is some 90 nautical miles South-Southeast from Key West.
I have no information on the size of boat that this lad bought, or what navigational gear it might or might not have had onboard. What I can tell you is that our would-be sailor here wound up being ordered to heave to, by a Cuban naval gunboat. According to the secretary on the line with the Service Canada rep, they asked this lad for papers and proof that he owned the boat (this American boat, no less...) and of course, he could produce neither.
So... our "Marco-Polo-come-lately" ended up cooling his heels in a Cuban jail over the weekend, while his secretary AND broker are scurrying around here in Canada, trying to find out what can be done from our side. Needless to say, if the boat is still an American boat, Service Canada cannot/will not issue a license for it. It's a foreign vessel and Service Canada/Transport Canada do not license foreign vessels. Once it's cleared customs and is here in Canada, that's another story...
The vessel could have been registered through Transport Canada (Vessel Registration program) while remaining in Florida, if the new owner had any inklling of what he was doing, or was required to do by law. It can't be done in Cuba, with no proof of ownership for the boat in question. What can be done at this stage of the game, is pretty much up to the Cuban authorities. Fortunately, Canada has an embassy in Havana. They may be able to serve as intermediaries in this case and plead stupidity on our matelot's behalf...
Doubtless as this lad is from Toronto (I'd wager my pay on it...), if one were to question his knowledge of things nautical, he would probably bristle and inform you in no uncertain terms that he "has been doing this for the past whatever-some-odd years" and didn't need to hear squat from anyone. It's an all too familiar refrain from people who in reality, don't know what they're doing out there...
So... whenever the Cubans decide to let him go (and if he can find his way back to the US...), he might license the boat in Florida or if he has half a brain, he'll register it as a Canadian vessel. That way he can cruise foreign international waters legally... no matter where he accidentally turns up.
Friday was truly the best day of the week...
1 comment:
This piece was linked to me a while back and I was late in getting to it. I'm sorry I didn't read it sooner, as I got a real kick out of it. You, Sir, are a very good writer. Cheers!
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