Peter Schrappen
Northwest Marine Trade Association & Superyacht Northwest
206.661.7855
Peter@Nmta.net
Seattle, WA: With the stroke of his pen, Governor Inslee threw open Washington state’s doors to increased boating activity when he signed House Bill 1107 on May 3, 2021. Previously, chartering of superyachts (and boats of all shapes and sizes) when the owner provided the captain were not allowed to occur in the state. Now with the passage of HB 1107, out-of-state vessels can be put up for charter with an innovative permitting system.
“Flanked by coalition partners, Northwest Marine Trade Association demonstrated to lawmakers that boating means business, which led to this legislative win,” said Peter Schrappen, NMTA’s Vice President & Director of Government Affairs
Important provisions of this law include:
- Creates a framework to sell permits for skipper-provided charters for boats from out of state.
- Increases the size of all vessels eligible for these permits to include boats up to 200 feet.
- Keeps the current rule that boats can return each year, year after year for 60 days (and those days do not need to consecutive)
- Removes the language that boats have to stay away for two years after using days 61-180.
- Moves the expiration date of this so-called tax preference to 2031 (it was Jan. 1, 2026).
- The law takes effect on July 25, 2021.
“Superyacht Northwest continues to build a larger welcome mat for boats as they look at their cruising and repair options. Washington state and the entire Pacific Northwest are blessed to have the scenery and trades and this new law will make it even easier for boats to visit.” said Monique Webber, Superyacht Northwest (SYNW) chair.
About Superyacht Northwest: SYNW, which is the superyacht committee of NMTA, brings together businesses that specialize in the yacht services. For more information about bringing yachts to the Pacific Northwest, their website is www.SYNW.org.
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