Affixing boat name decal on Cat 30

Brad on Vashon · Feb 22, 2012

No, a documented vessel involves certification of the ownership as a us flagged vessel, albeit a recreational one, and you become, in effect, floating piece of the united states when you float across the line into international waters. It costs some money to have your vessel documented and is not necessary or warranted unless you plan to cruise REGULARLY or extensively in foreign water. I go to the Canadian gulf islands and barkley sound on a semi annual basis and being documented is no real advantage-- I still have to submit to the surely looks from the customs guys who clear you in.

In Puget sound the USCG could careless where you name and hailing port are as long as you have one-- they are very interested in how close you get to the ferry and once you've raised their interest you damn well better be ship shape and in compliance when they board you, as board you they will.

Brad on Vashon · Feb 22, 2012

Bad O -- in Washington state, you have to have a state registration. You can be documented or not, neither the state of the USCG care about that-- but both the County Sherrif and the USCG WILL cite you for no registration. So maybe this is a state by state issue? In your state you maybe can choose your poison-- other states there is no choice. No judgements needed on what's better-- it is what it is.

LuzSD · Feb 22, 2012

maybe this will help

Undocumented vessels must display their CF numbers in a specifc way on each side of the boat..... documented do not.
This is from the California motor vehicles site:
An undocumented vessel is registered by the DMV and does not have a marine certificate issued by the U.S. Coast Guard.
A documented vessel is registered and issued a marine certificate by the U.S. Coast Guard. It does not require DMV registration.

You are required to register your undocumented vessel and pay applicable fees before it is placed in California waters.

Johnnie Walker Black · Feb 22, 2012

Dear Bad O.

Unpowered vessels, including all sailboats with no motor, are not required to be registered or documented. That would include those thousands of sunfish and lasers you mentioned.
Documenting is for commercial vessels and those that do a lot of international travel.

The only other main reason people attempt to document, rather than register their boat, is to avoid sales taxes and registration fees. As some of the other members have noted, many states are catching on and making documented boats also pay to register and pay the fees.

Yes, the vast majority of recreational sailboats are as un-documented as a California fruit picker!

Please get it together.

T

rbmcintire · Feb 22, 2012

Bob,
Tradition holds that you remove all traces of the boat's former name from the vessel before launching or renaming it. There's respect and karma at stake, so don't botch it. You should really consider doing a naming ceremony.

All my PO's were good record keepers and I found out at one point our boat had been documented. Since we're not anticipating leaving the US, there wasn't any point in going through the USCG rigamarole. All those records are now kept at our home. As long as I have the MD registration numbers and the sticker on both sides of the bow, nobody cares if there's even a name on it at all.

However, I care, and I "feel" the boat cares, so we've chosen to place the boat's name and homeport on the stern per tradition, but don't have requirements on size or font. This year, I'm also working out a celtic knot graphic to put on the side quarters which will give some additional recognition on the water (check the .pdf below the photo). Also, the hull #, "3518" is our sail number, displayed on the mainsail just below the C-30 diamond.

Rob

LuzSD · Feb 22, 2012

JAB, everything you say may be completely on point but your attitude is so unnecessary, especially to Bad Obsession! Come on!
Lose that and I'm interested in what you have to say?

Bad Obsession · Feb 23, 2012

Some states MAY require registering boats that don't have motors to register. In Virginia they do not require that. My experiences speak for my region and my area. I know that MOST of the cruisers that I come across are documented. This is evident by the lack of registration decals on the front of the boat. Maybe in your region it is different.

I am not surprised that some states attempt to require you to have both because the state wants to get their money too. Since this is not the case in my region and renewing the documentation is free after the up front cost, it is cost effective to document if you intend to keep the boat for a few years. Since I have had my Catalina 30 since 2005 I believe that I have ended up saving money since I haven't had to pay state registration.

It is true that documentation can help you avoid taxes. That being said, I get a really wonderful tax bill every year on my Virginia Personal Property Taxes. As long as I intend to keep my boat I am sure that I will end up paying more in taxes than I paid for my boat!

As with anything else, there are pros and cons to documenting a boat or registering it. I am by no means an expert on this matter but I can tell you what I have learned from talking to other cruisers (Oh yeah....I have been on this board for a few years too and spent most of my live sailing, racing, and cruising).

It is also easier to put your letters on the boat when it is on the hard. If it is on a trailer just make the right measurements to make sure it is straight and bingo! I did mine when I was out of the water but that was minor because I only changed my hailing port, not the name after I bought her. Others are right, you should remove the old name completely. Call us superstitious but it is better to have good luck at sea than to not be superstitious and have bad luck.

rbmcintire · Feb 23, 2012

OK, I understand your seriousness on supertitions... I, uh, just um, maybe only heard, sort of, that Ol' King Neptune had some cousins and some Wind bro's down on a Tennesse lake that enjoyed sharing of some champagne in celebrating a new hull....

No harm in spillin' a little...

Rob

rbmcintire · Feb 24, 2012

LT, now you're getting me worried. Don't throw off sailing traditions without some serious contemplation of the ramifications. Maybe throwing down some brews and throwing off your socks (on the Equinox) might help you get things into the right perspective:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuvwBNNzjQY

"Good Luck"

Everything still on for 28th delivery?

fox islander · Feb 24, 2012

In the State of WA it's my understanding that documented vessels still must pay the state annual registration fee, they just don't have to display the registration numbers.

Brad on Vashon · Feb 24, 2012

LT- I put my letters on my old Cal 34 in the water. I don't know what your timing situation is, but you don't wan to rush it. You will wan to make sure you get things on straight, etc. the drive may be anxious to get to his next load. It's not a huge deal.

Brad on Vashon · Feb 24, 2012

Espresso! How big is this thing?!? I just got my C30. And I have to say I have been excited as you.

Remember o bring plenty of making tape. Position the letters then stand back and get a look. Mine were rely pretty easy.

Affixing boat name decal on Cat 30

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