Connecticut Registration Nightmare

[david lewis]

I am finishing building a wooden sailing dinghy. I know I need a registration and a hull identification number since I intend to use a small outboard as an auxiliary power device. I went to the registry on friday. They do not assign a HIN as I was led to believe. I now have to send an application to "the department of environmental protection" in lyme connecticut. Then I have to wait 10 to 14 days. Then I have to call and set up an appointment. Then I have to bring the boat to lyme Ct. (I live in Mass.) where it will be inspected by the DEP, they will affix a HIN number on the transom, and they will also apply the HIN in a secret place on the boat. Then I still have to go to the registry and get a registration. WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!! This is an 11 foot boat that you can row, sail or putt around with a 2 horse outboard. Since when is the DEP in the boat registration business? Why are two state agencies involved in this? The coast guard requires a HIN on all vessels !!! so they are involved too!!! Why can't the DEP go look for raw sewage being dumped in the river? So this simple request will now take me probably a month or two, cost me a day off work, cost at least 40 dollars in gasoline to get to lyme and back, and a lot of aggravation.My next project I will build a car from scratch out of parts. Then I will see where the registry sends me for a VIN.What happened to "Get the government off the backs of the people"?Good luck to all future boat builders as they face this beaurocratic mess!Best regards,Dave

 

[John Visser]

Stupid question

Since you manufactured the boat, why didn't you simply assing a HIN? Like, David LEwis Boatbuilbers, Model 1, Serial Number 1?jv

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

David, check with the folks on rec.boats.building

Just about everyone there is a DYI home boat builder and many of 'em have had to deal with registration, HINs etc. It's subject that comes up several times a year. It's also one of the very few newsgroups in which there's almost none of the of usual garbage that clutters up most of 'em. Traffic is almost 100% on topic and is light enough that if you tell your software to download only the last 150 posts, you'll get most of a week's worth. I'm sure there's at least one person there who's in CT, or who knows someone who is.

 

[Paul Akers]

Why not Mass?

David, since you live in Mass, why not register it there? I'm quite sure that they will assign a number when you register it. Call them first. I was in the Worcester, MA. office one time registering my dinghy and there was someone there registering a homemade boat. As I recall, that's what they did.

 

[david lewis]

Mass vs. Ct.

The state of registration depends on where the boat is used not on where you live. I plan to keep the boat with my sailboat in the Mystic area. Two boats away from me at the dock is a local police boat. Since the boat will be there all summer it might draw a few questions. Thanks for the input.

 

[Bill]

REgistration

Register in Mass, get your numbers and then reregister in Conn.