This is an area where the law as written is not helpful.  The average
cruising boat crossing from the United States to Canada will have more
wine/beer/liquor than is duty free when entering Canada.  The limit is
something like 1.4 liters per person.

The practice, however, has been reasonable in the past.  An explanation to
customs that you have 4 or 5 open bottles of liquor, less than a case of
beer, and 4 or 5 bottles of wine, and that you are a cruising boat living
aboard will normally pass right through. What Canada is looking for is
someone bringing liquor to Canadians. Would suggest against lying.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

We were boarded as a training exercise in trenton in 2009. We readily told them we had more than the allowed 40 z. per person, as we had been cruising for a month at that point and had no idea how much we would have consumed by that point. They were extremely courteous and friendly, calculated what they thought the overage was, picked the liquour that carried the smallest tax (I think it was rum) and charged us for it. I believe we paid a total of $50US. No big deal. They didn't look through everything-we had the liquor sitting right out on the counter and we told them out some beer in the refrigerator. I suppose we could have hidden it from them but tend to believe the truth is the best policy. On that note, I have always been somewhat surprised by how many marinas are shocked when we check in and they find we have given them our ACTUUAL length, including bow pulpit, swim platform and dinghy. In some cases they charge us only for the stated length of
the boat and in others, for the LOA-but we always have all the room we need for docking!
 
Sally Miller
ONE OLIVER II
Port Washington, WI

Honesty is indeed the best policy. Having said that, it is equally important
as to selection of words and phrases you use to tell the truth. Look at the
intention of the communication first, then select your words and spin from
that. You want to communicate that you are not there to deprive them of
revenue and that you are not there to sell or distribute.

For example, "ships stores" for "personal consumption" work well in the
Bahamas as well as when returning to the US.

For Canada we entered at a place where you used a phone to call Canadian
customs late in the afternoon.

I called the 800 number on the instruction board in the park. When the phone
answered, I introduced myself and announced proudly, "we're on the
great-loop."

He asked where are you now? I gave our location as, "I can't say for
certain, we're in the old Welland Canal in St. Katherine's." He retorted,
"there are only three places you can be in the old Welland Canal, the yacht
club, the old marina or the city dock on the wall of the canal." "Ah," I
said, "when we first got here we tied up at the yacht club but their
electrical power was too weak and so we moved across the canal to the city
side and the power is great. We're in the park and next to downtown. Great
location." "What is your slip number," he asked. "There aren't any slip
numbers," I replied, "but we're right in the park where the beach and the
old canal wall meet."

Silence .... And then he asked, "how much wine do you have on board?" I
responded, "about a case." He then asked, "how many bottles is that?" I
replied, "about a dozen." "What do you plan to do with that wine?" he asked.
"Drink it?" I replied hesitantly as an "is that okay" type of question. He
said, "fine," and then inquired about how much beer we had onboard and I
replied, "about the same, about a case." He then asked, "how many bottles or
cans is that?" I replied, "I think there is a full 18 pack and a 12 pack up
on the fly bridge." And, here it comes... "what do you plan to do with
that?" "Drink it!" I replied with greater confidence. Silence. "Oops," I
thought. Maybe I was a little too strong in my answer.

"Hold the line" he finally said. When he came back on the line, he said,
"Here is your report number, ..." "Welcome to Canada." I said, "thank you."
We said our goodbyes, I breathed a deep sigh of relief and opened one of
those cans of beer.

Did you note, he never asked who else was onboard, for passport numbers, or
how many bottles of hard stuff we had onboard.

Enjoy Canada. They're people with a job and each approaches it a little
differently. Be sincere, be honest but don't forget your sense of humor.

Best,
Bob

Bob & Kemba DeGroot
Aboard M/V Spirit Dancer, DeFever 49 CMY
MTOA # 1896; DFCruisers # 857; AGLCA # 427; Lakewood Yacht Club
www.BoaterSites.com, Cell :713-876-8787, Skype: 1-281-506-2676 or
dr.bob.degroot
www.SalesHelp.com, www.MarinaCustomerServiceTraining.com

-----Original Message-----
From: great-loop-bounces@lists.trawlering.com
[mailto:great-loop-bounces@lists.trawlering.com] On Behalf Of Martin
Campanella
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 2:31 AM
To: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com
Subject: GL: Wine/spirits to Canada

This is an area where the law as written is not helpful.  The average
cruising boat crossing from the United States to Canada will have more
wine/beer/liquor than is duty free when entering Canada.  The limit is
something like 1.4 liters per person.

The practice, however, has been reasonable in the past.  An explanation to
customs that you have 4 or 5 open bottles of liquor, less than a case of
beer, and 4 or 5 bottles of wine, and that you are a cruising boat living
aboard will normally pass right through. What Canada is looking for is
someone bringing liquor to Canadians. Would suggest against lying.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

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