Benefits of Vessel Documentation?

[Ralph]

Some times I gripe because I am stuck on inland

waters. However, the cost of owning a boat is much less here and is part of the reason why I can afford a boat over 40 ft. I couldn't do that in FL or MA. However, getting my boat here from Savannah, GA significantly adds to my cost of buying a boat that I want versus one of the few that are available in my area. Maybe it is all a wash.A special thanks to MoonSailor for answering my question concerning AL law. MoonSailor, since you you don't display registration numbers on the bow, do you ever get stopped by the Marine police? Can you legally display the registration sticker on the mast?

 

[BobM]

It is more because...

...the lender makes you use their agent to do the equivalent of a "title search" on the boat. In one case the fee was $600. This is not an initial fee...every time a documented vessel changes hands and a lender is involved this is likely to re-occur.BobM

 

[MoonSailer]

Ralph Many if not most display on Mast

I am not absolutely sure but I think that documented boats are not supposed to display state registration numbers. The boat's name and home port are the identification. Also you must have a permanent documentation number. I have sailed this boat for 5 years and have never been stopped by the marine police. My only interaction so far has been getting them to inspect my MSD. They did require seeing the boat's state registration in order to get the MSD inspection.  Ralph it sounds like a good trip to bring a sailboat around Florida and up the Tenn-tom to Athens. It might take a month depending upon the weather. It is about 450 miles from Mobile to Iuka ,MS on Pickwick lake and about another 60 to Bay hill Marina. The marina in Decatuer requires several miles of motoring to get to a good place to sail. http://www.outdooralabama.com/boating/registration/ http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/nvdcfaq.asp#15