Testimonial: An International Boat Purchase Project Carried Out with Serenity

Yves is French-American. Residing in the United States, he wanted to buy a 43-foot catamaran in Tahiti, French Polynesia. The Bateau-immatriculation.com team took care of assisting him before, during and after the completion of his project, particularly with pre-purchase checks and boat registration procedures.

In this article, discover how our team helped Yves avoid an administrative pitfall and set sail with complete confidence.

Yves purchased his 43-foot one-off catamaran in August 2025 in Tahiti.

“I was looking for information on the topic of boat VAT in the European Union. In the search engine results, I came across the Bateau-immatriculation.com website, and I contacted one of their agents: Raphael.

He helped me avoid buying a boat I was considering in France by uncovering an anomaly on the so-called VAT paid. This could have cost me 20% of the boat's price! When I found the catamaran I would eventually buy, Raphael meticulously validated the seller's documents. It was after this that I decided to entrust him with the boat's registration."

For Yves, this initial pre-verification step carried out by our teams was decisive. Future buyers, be aware: a mention of "VAT paid" is never enough! Only rigorous expertise can truly help you avoid unpleasant surprises.

Once the right boat was found, the question of the flag state remained. And in Yves' case, several options were immediately ruled out:

First, the American flag would have caused difficulties with insurance. Second, administrative registration in France was impossible, as the boat had not been built according to the ISO standard – a hindrance also for obtaining the DEF (Declaration of Conformity).

To register the boat, there were only a few options left:

· The Polish flag – "easy to obtain, but with an increasingly dubious reputation in certain regions," according to Yves

· An exotic flag – "which often gives the impression that one wants to hide something from the tax authorities"

· Or the "flag of our English friends," "which has a good reputation on all the seas of the world."

For Yves, the choice was obvious: a British flag, safe and recognized by insurance companies worldwide.

"For the boat's registration, Raphael managed to align the seller and broker to gather the various documents, then he obtained the identification plates and the boat's MMSI number," the owner testifies.

Thanks to the coordination between all parties, the registration went smoothly. And Zorba can now sail in full compliance, under a prestigious flag.

Handling the administrative procedures related to buying a boat, especially when it crosses multiple jurisdictions, is a real challenge:

"When it comes to pleasure boat procedures, the risk and complexity are such that it's better to be accompanied," explains Yves.

"Often, we're talking about significant amounts – especially in the context of VAT. Discovering a flawed or illegal registration can cause a lot of harm. The team at Bateau-immatriculation.com helps to "de-risk" the transaction. The purchase is then made with much more confidence and peace of mind. It's a luxury!

Then, accompanied by the team, the choice of flag and the boat registration are always done without a hitch, very quickly."

"For Europeans and non-Europeans who want to buy a new or used boat internationally, Bateau-immatriculation is truly the safe and comfortable solution," concludes the boater.

Whether you are based abroad or not, whether you buy within the European Union or on the other side of the world... you can count on the expertise of our specialists to secure your acquisition and sail with peace of mind.