boat registration

Andy,
To make this easier you can call me at 340-774-3944 from 9 AM - 4 PM Monday - Thursday. It dpends on what you mean by up side and down side. If you have a mortgage on the boat, the down side is you must have permission from the lender. The process is simple. Go to DPNR (Department of Planning and Natural Resources) in the Port Authority building near the airport. They may or may not want to take a look at the boat. Best bet is to have it out in the harbor so they can look out the window 🙂 You need identification, boat title and details on the boat. Call me if you need more information

A boat title? As in a current registration with our local (NY) DMV?

I'm giving some serious thought to coming down there - I have a very portable job (English teacher) and a sailboat. My brother works in BVI and I have a cousin who works on Vieques (there goes the neighborhood!).

So I can get a mooring relatively easily it seems like, from the conversation on these boards, but i'll have to pay taxes and other "importing and registration fees" for the boat when I get here.

Do many people sail over from the states?

Here is a link I found a while back gives the basics. It less expensive than most states.
http://www.boat-ed.com/vi/handbook/register.htm
It also appears that if it is a federally documented vessel you won't have to re-register the boat just pay the mooring fee.
Good luck