Man reuniting Canadians with their boats stuck in U.S.

BLAINE, WA (CityNews) – A B.C. family was reunited with their yacht Wednesday morning thanks to an American man helping Canadians whose boats are stuck across the border.

After about seven months, the Pathuis family yacht was driven from Blaine, Washington to the White Rock Pier.

“I almost cried actually, I was so excited to see our boat,” yacht owner, Julie Pathuis, tells CityNews.

When borders closed in March, Canadians were barred from crossing to get their property unless it was an essential service.

For the Pathuis, the border closure meant paying thousands of dollars in maintenance and keeping it docked without being able to enjoy it.

“Part of this was that I thought COVID would blow over a lot quicker and we were just waiting for it to blow over and use our boat again but that’s not happening obviously, “Julie’s husband Hans Pathuis says.

But the Pathuis family are only one of hundreds trying to be reunited with their boats.

Philip Cragg runs a yacht sales company out of Richmond B.C. and Point Roberts Washington, where he lives. Since he is in a unique position he says he’s been able to expand his business to offer the delivery service.

“I can because I’m a dual citizen and I run an essential business in Canada and the U.S.,” Cragg says.

Within one day Cragg says he has had as many as five deliveries and has brought over 160 boats from the U.S. to Canadian shores in recent months.

“The day after the border closed the phone started ringing and it never stopped after that point”, Cragg says.

The only problem Cragg has is getting back home when he returns the boats to Canada.

As a solution, he brings his bike with him, rides across the border and hops into his car sitting in Blaine.