Well, we get dredged waterways, breakwalls, navigation aids, boat ramps, cheap pumpout stations, some municipal marinas, USCG, local marine LEOs, do I need to go on?
Coast Guard or Nationally Registered
- Thread starter Plymouth Sailor
- Start date
It seems like a good time to mention and re-plug the new mooring field at Jensen Beach. I have complained that it has been so underutilized. But now there are 10 - 15 boats there almost everyday - with moor room. People seen to be enjoying the venue. So if you have plans to go by consider a stop. Shopping and restaurants nearby. Nice facilities. I don't know the fees but they are prolly reasonable. Restaurants: Cajun, German, Sushi/Thai, A high end French, Seafood, a couple breakfast places, a Mulligan's and a vegetable stand. Thursdays are Jamin' Jensen nights with music and flea market. Quirky shopping. All easy walking from the dingy dock. Sorry about the hijack.
We're near Smyrna Beach today, will be passing by Jensen Beach soon. Tell me more (moor?). Contact info for the marina?
The marinas and mooring fields along the Florida coast are pretty full. The weather and the Covid restrictions for going to the Bahamas have kept a lot of boats in Florida instead of crossing over to the Bahamas. Good to hear that at least one place might have some room.
Just to add.........."federal law under 46 U.S.C. § 12106 actually prohibits a USCG Documented vessel from being state titled, and a state cannot require a USCG Documented vessel to display numbers" Do USCG Documented Vessels Need State Registration or Decals? (yachtdocsonline.com) .
@dlochner the comment was directed to the statement "Here in NY as well as in most (all) states as has been said you have to register the boat." The need to register a boat in any particular State is most definitly a "state by state issue." It is true, as you state that a documented vessel MUST display its name and hailing port (in particular size or above letters) and may not display a state registration number. As I read you post you were stating that "most (all) states" require a documented vessel to also be registered in the state. That is simply not true in SC.
@dlochner - I wonder if we (you and I and others too) are using the word register in different ways. I am using the term "Register" as in "title and register" your boat in a particular state, like used in the SCDNR registration requirements and as is commonly used when "registering" a vehicle. Others, and possibly you, may be referring to the requirement to register that your boat is in the state for the extra taxes some states levy on boats that are just visiting for an extended period. I know Maryland does that and probably other. @sail sfbay posted the term register is very much a state by state requirement. Titling is not.
In Indiana ( we have a shore on Lake Michigan), documented boats still have to pay the state registration fee, but do not display their sticker.
My boat is not documented, but a sailing buddy’s boat is, and he does not display a state sticker or registration number, but he said he still has to pay the state fees.
Greg
My boat is not documented, but a sailing buddy’s boat is, and he does not display a state sticker or registration number, but he said he still has to pay the state fees.
Greg
@dlochner the comment was directed to the statement "Here in NY as well as in most (all) states as has been said you have to register the boat." The need to register a boat in any particular State is most definitly a "state by state issue." It is true, as you state that a documented vessel MUST display its name and hailing port (in particular size or above letters) and may not display a state registration number. As I read you post you were stating that "most (all) states" require a documented vessel to also be registered in the state. That is simply not true in SC.
In regards to registering boats, I am referring a registration process that is similar to registering cars. As far as I know all states require cars to be registered. There are some variations in how long the car can legally be maintained in a state that without being registered in that state.
Some states may not required documented boats to be registered, based on the discussion here, MA and SC appear to be two that do not. I believe DL and maybe MD also don't require state registration, but I'm not certain. Regardless, if 4 states out of 50 do not require registration, that leaves 46 that may, I'm pretty sure that more than half the states require some sort of registration for boats in there jurisdiction.
I believe SC does not charge a registration fee, however, I believe they tax cars and boats are personal property in much the same way they tax real property like homes.
Titling is a different matter. Of the 2 documented boats I have owned, neither was titled by NY or any other state.
The state by state issue is whether the boat is registered by that state in addition to being documented. Hull numbers are not issued by the states requiring dual registration, rather a sticker would be issued to be displayed on the hull, and renewed each year to show compliance. Such was the case when my boat was berthed in FL. I put the new sticker on the side of the cabin each year, and displayed my homeport and boat name on the stern. Now, in MA, I don't have a state sticker, but the town issues me a sticker to show I paid the excise tax and may moor my boat there. See, not confusing at all!
Exactly. My documented boat was not titled by either MA or FL. The Coast Guard documentation is considered title. When my boat loan was paid off, ownership was transferred to me and the title referenced the CG documentation.
You can add another reason to be documented.
State game wardens do not have jurisdiction to stop and search your boat. Only the coast guard can.
At least thats in NC
That seems surprising to me. I’m not sure I’d count on that without a reference to the laws or regulations that specifically say so.
That is not so. Rhode Island requires registration of even documented vessels, but has no sales tax on boats.
The states that allow you to document your boat and NOT register your boat are AK, AZ, CA, CO, DE, HI, ID, KY, MA, ME, MN, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, SC, VA, VT.
Don't forget to register your dingy if you have one, and it has a motor, even electric. IIRC, even a canoe with a trolling motor needs to be registered in MA.
All states have that it's called the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and it protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures. What is "reasonable" may be debated but without probable cause your person, home, car, boat cannot be searched.
Regardless of what they say, we cruised for over 40 years in RI/MA/NH/ME/NY with my unregistered outboard dinghy marked as "Tender to" and I was never stopped, not once. We would tie up to dinghy docks and I would glance at dinghys with numbers and stickers, and those without. The count generally ran about 50% at the most.Don't forget to register your dingy if you have one, and it has a motor, even electric. IIRC, even a canoe with a trolling motor needs to be registered in MA.
Just sayin'