Yacht Import to Australia — plan first, then deliver under Master command
Bought overseas (or about to)? We manage the import pathway and clearance sequencing across departure ports, stopovers, and Australia — then execute a Master‑led offshore delivery to bring her home safely and compliantly.
30+ international clearances (last 5 years) • 40,525 nautical miles delivered • AUD $12M client vessels managed (aggregate)
What you get:
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A clear import pathway recommendation (ship vs sail, and why)
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A sequenced plan for clearance + timing gates across the route
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A conservative offshore delivery run by experienced Masters (not improvised)
Takes ~2 minutes. If you don’t know something yet (e.g., exact dates), estimate — we’ll refine it with you. To build your plan and quote, we’ll ask for:
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Your vessel details
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Where she is now + where she needs to arrive
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Your target timeframe (even a rough window)
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Whether you want hands-off delivery or owner‑onboard mentoring
Australia-based support from enquiry to arrival. Owners welcome. Standards unchanged.
Managed import pathway + offshore delivery (end-to-end One‑stop shop)
Multi-jurisdiction routing (including intermediate clear-in/clear-out planning)
Master-led delivery with conservative go/no-go thresholds
Clearance sequencing + timing gates built into the passage plan -- We handle the complexities
Proven corridors, stopovers and local relationships along common routes
Why Australians buy sailing yachts overseas
Because the right yacht rarely lives in the nearest market.
Australians go offshore for sailing yachts when they need choice, model access, and value-per-spec — then they need a plan to bring it home without procedural blow-ups.
What overseas gives you (advantages):
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More inventory = a better match (layout, draft, rig, construction, cruising spec)
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Access to global “proven” models and established owner ecosystems
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Sharper value-per-spec when you can compare more like-for-like boats
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Momentum: buy what exists now, not what might appear locally later
Then comes the reality: importing isn’t hard because of the ocean — it’s hard because of the clearance chain.
Start with the plan.
This isn’t freight forwarding. It’s managed yacht import + offshore yacht delivery program.
Importing under your own power isn’t “just a passage” — it’s a clearance chain with working‑day gates, prerequisites, and multi‑agency sequencing. We run it as one managed program: plan the pathway, control the risk, and deliver the yacht under professional command.
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Sequencing first: prerequisites, reporting windows, stopover clear‑in/clear‑out, and arrival readiness
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Delivery competence: self‑reliant offshore execution when conditions change (not theory, not luck)
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One accountable program: fewer handoffs, clearer control, cleaner outcomes
We make importing boring and correct.​
​We don’t publish the full playbook — we bring it to your project.
THE REALITY
Where imports usually go wrong
Most owners plan for weather, fuel and distance. The blowouts usually come from a different place: small compliance details that trigger big consequences at the border — delays, rework, extra costs, missed windows, and sometimes multi-agency escalation.
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We don’t publish the full “gotcha list” online because it’s earned operational know-how. But we build it into your plan so you don’t learn it the hard way.
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What this protects you from (high-level):​​
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Clearance delays that compound into marina days + crew days + missed seasonal windows
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Rework because prerequisites weren’t met in sequence
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Cost double-ups caused by early decisions (weeks earlier)
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Arrivals that escalate into multi‑agency events instead of clean handover
If you want to import without surprises, start with the plan.
We handle the complexities… smooth and hassle‑free
Ship it or sail it? The right answer depends on price gap and risk — not opinion.
We treat this as a decision model. The best pathway is the one that protects your timeline, budget, and exposure — before you commit to irreversible steps.
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We’ll recommend ship vs sail based on:
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The Australia price gap for that model (what you’re actually arbitraging)
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Route complexity: stopovers + multi‑jurisdiction clearances
Readiness for offshore self‑reliance (safety, systems, spares, crew) -
Working‑day gates and timing risk (inspections, reporting windows, port constraints)
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Your tolerance for uncertainty, delay, and operational load
If you already have a purchase in motion, we’ll work from your constraints — not a blank sheet.
Collaborative and iterative — because facts change
Import decisions evolve. A survey reveals something. A market listing changes the local benchmark. A port becomes impractical. A season shifts.
We work with you in short loops: update inputs → update the model → update the plan — until the pathway is clear and defensible.
Work out my best pathway (Ship vs Sail)
THE DECISION ISN’T “SHIP VS SAIL.” IT’S ARBITRAGE.
If the numbers don’t stack up, don’t do it. If they do, do it properly.
We model your pathway using: yacht value, route constraints, intermediate jurisdictions, readiness cost, and real timing gates — then recommend the lowest-regret option.
Output: a clear pathway, a sequenced calendar, and conservative execution.
What you receive with a Sailor.com.au import + delivery program
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Import pathway recommendation: broker-led (often cleanest) or DIY-supported (possible, but error-intolerant)​
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Multi-jurisdiction clearance map: departure, arrival, and any realistic intermediate stopovers​
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Sequenced checklist + calendar: prerequisites, submissions, lead times and timing gates​
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Passage plan aligned to real constraints: weather, fuel/range, plus agency hours and working days​
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Delivery readiness plan: priorities, show-stoppers, spares strategy, and risk controls​
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Master-led delivery execution: conservative decision thresholds and clear comms cadence​
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Arrival coordination + tidy hand-back pack (logs/track archive + key notes)
How it works — import + offshore delivery as one managed program
STEP 2 - CONFIRM THE IMPORT PATHWAY + ROUTE MAP (INCLUDING INTERMEDIATE JURISDICTIONS)
We confirm whether broker-led clearance is the cleanest path or whether DIY is viable — then map the likely clearance jurisdictions, not just “A to B”.
STEP 3 - DOCUMENTATION PACK + CLEARANCE CALENDAR (SEQUENCE + DEADLINES)
We help assemble what’s needed and build a calendar that prevents procedural dead-ends — without publishing sensitive playbooks to the internet.
STEP 4 - DELIVERY READINESS + PASSAGE PROGRAM (RISK CONTROLS)
Readiness checks, spares strategy, conservative watch systems, and documented decisions — run like a program. Passage planning is constrained by weather and clearance realities (office hours, lead times, weekends/holidays, inspection sequencing).
STEP 5 - SKIPPER-LED DELIVERY + ARRIVAL COORDINATION + HANDOVER
We execute the program, coordinate arrival sequencing, and hand over cleanly with next steps.
MULTI-JURISDICTION REALITY
Some routes require more than one “clear in / clear out”
Many practical corridors require intermediate stops. Each stop can introduce a new clearance sequence, new prerequisites, and new timing gates.
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Examples:
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French Polynesia → Australia may require intermediate stops (e.g., Fiji / New Caledonia / Vanuatu depending on the corridor, season, and constraints).
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Vietnam → Australia commonly requires Indonesian stopovers — each with its own clearance sequencing. ​
We plan those gates before departure so you don’t discover them under pressure.
Tested corridors + local relationships (this matters offshore)
Over time, we’ve developed routes that work — practical stopovers, proven corridors, and relationship networks across marinas, service providers and agencies along common paths.
That’s invaluable when:
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a clearance requirement changes,
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a port becomes impractical,
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you need a rapid plan adjustment, or
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you need shore-side coordination without starting from zero.
We don’t publish the full playbook. We bring it to your project.
It means faster re-planning when a port becomes impractical, clearer expectations at stopovers, and fewer surprises when conditions change.
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Aitutaki - A tested layover for the Polynesia to Australia
Here is a video we made on "How to enter Aitutaki" for other sailors. Aitutaki is an alternative stop over from French Polynesia to Australia.
Recent yacht imports & yacht deliveries
40,525 nautical miles of recent international clearances and offshore deliveries —
AUD $12M of client vessels managed (aggregate) — all completed in the last 5 years.
Custom Catamaran (Catamaran)
Cairns → Sorong (Indonesia) — 1,570 nm
Export (Australia) + import (Indonesia). International repositioning for sale. Successful outcome.
Lagoon 42 (Catamaran)
Papeete → Mackay via Raiatea / Aitutaki / Fiji / Vanuatu — 3,870 nm
Multi-jurisdiction South Pacific corridor. Owner-onboard mentored passage.
Seawind 1600 (Catamaran, New Build)
Pattaya → Gold Coast via Darwin — 4,922 nm
Owner’s Representative role: commissioning, acceptance testing, and managed build rectifications prior to/alongside delivery program. Successful outcome.
Leopard 403 (Catamaran)
Raiatea → Shute Harbour — 3,660 nm
Import delivery for Australian charter operations (Whitsundays). Chartered / commercial intent drove tight sequencing and readiness discipline. Successful outcome.
Lagoon 380 (Catamaran)
Sorong (Indonesia) → Port Douglas — 1,560 nm
Recovery / repatriation delivery with mechanical complications and schedule pressure. Master delivery skipper added to stabilise crew capability and decision-making. Hong Kong-registered vessel. Successful outcome.
Leopard 40 (Catamaran)
Papeete → Coffs Harbour via Raiatea / Niue / Fiji — 3,545 nm
Crew-only professional delivery. Vessel had prior European registration and was destined for Australian charter operations. Successful outcome.
Beneteau 41.5 (Monohull)
Vuda (Fiji) → Port Moresby (PNG) via Port Vila — 1,890 nm
Multi-jurisdiction delivery with owner participation and structured mentoring. Successful outcome.
Outremer 45 (Catamaran)
Darwin → Mauritius — 4,500 nm
Export (Australia) + import (Mauritius). Two-handed professional offshore delivery. Executed through COVID disruption with special permissions and managed crew repatriation logistics during shutdown conditions. Successful outcome.
Fit check (so we don’t waste your time)
This program is ideal if:
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You’ve bought (or are close to buying) a yacht overseas and want a compliant path home
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You want Master-led offshore delivery with documented standards and calm decision-making
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You value clear sequencing, predictable communication, and a written plan
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Typical fit:
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Sailing monohulls & catamarans
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Offshore routes (often 1,500nm+)
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Owners who want hands-off delivery or an owner-onboard mentored first passage
Not a fit:
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If price is the only decision variable (cheapest-per-mile), we’re unlikely to be the right operator.
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If you want freight-forwarding/container shipping only (we can coordinate advice, but this service is for managed import + delivery under sail)​
Transparent, safety-aligned commercial model
High seas. High values. We align incentives to safe seamanship and predictable outcomes:
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Clear plan-first quoting
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Time-based pricing logic (not miles-chasing incentives)
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Pass-through expenses estimated up front and reconciled with receipts
​Our model is built to avoid miles-chasing incentives and reward conservative decision-making.​​
Bring her home — with a plan you can trust
If you’re importing a yacht to Australia, the cheapest mistake is the one you never make.
Get a Master-led import + delivery plan that accounts for multi-jurisdiction formalities, offshore realities, and the procedural gates that cause delays.​
We don’t publish sensitive route-specific “gotcha” playbooks online. We apply them to your project.