A Richmond-based company has been helping Canadians reunite with their boats that were left stranded in the U.S. since the border closed in March.
Philip Cragg, owner of Pacific Coast Yacht Sales, started receiving a “wildfire” of phone calls from B.C. residents the day after the federal government announced the border closure.
After the first phone call, people kept referring others to him, Cragg said.
“The calls went through like a wildfire in the marinas at Point Roberts, Semiahmoo and Birchway to just to name a few – the phone just kept ringing,” said Cragg.
He added that he is able to travel across the border easily because he is a dual-citizen of Canada and the U.S. as well as having a business that is considered an essential service in the marine industry.
So far, he’s moved more than 160 boats with up to four boats transported in a single day.
Most boats, said Cragg, are brought back into Canada by water, but some have been towed back using his truck.
Cragg told the Richmond News that while he’s been in the industry for more than two decades, the biggest issue is navigating through the Canada-U.S. customs.
“There is often a lot of alcohol on the boats and (owners) can’t recall exactly how much they have on their boats,” said Cragg, adding that because some boats were big, he would have to try and find them all to declare it.
Even though there were some challenges, Cragg had no other problems bringing the boats through the border.
While the business has been good for him during COVID-19, the best part of the job is helping others, he said.
“It’s been hard for them to find somebody to help them … and people have been more than grateful when they get their boats back.”
