Hailing port

kloudie1 · Jul 1, 2012

The notes in documentation require that the state name or abbreviation be part of the haling port.. The Coasties can get nasty about enforcement ... I have never seen them bother folks who had a port listed that is commonly known to be in the US.. but they can... your call if you want to give them a valid reason to board ya.

rardiH36 · Jul 1, 2012

Rick and Cathy:

Dig further on your own, but I believe that any city can be the hailing port. Doesn't need to be the actual port of domicile. My boat is registered San Francisco, because that was already on the transome from the PO. I'm in Sausalito now (just across the bay).

Across my slipway is a large power boat named the "Windego". It's hailing port is Nevada.

Stu Jackson · Jul 1, 2012

You might want to RTFM.

Really. It's all in the CG documentation website. What's on your paper should match what you write on your transom. It can be anywhere but they have to match, right?

rardiH36 · Jul 1, 2012

rardiH36 said:
Rick and Cathy:
... Across my slipway is a large power boat named the "Windego". It's hailing port is Nevada.

Re-reading my previous submission, I was not precise enough. I should have written "It's hailing port is a town in Nevada".
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p.s. For Stu: Re our mention of looking out for each other on the Bay a couple of Friday's ago. You might recall that the morning started out with drizzle and light rain (at least here in Marin) and a chance of T-storms later. So I canceled the outing with my friends. Looked like the early afternoon was going to be just drizzle with maybe zero wind. Turned out better than that -- but the decision had been made. - rardi

justsomeguy · Jul 1, 2012

What's the advantage of documentation?
Edit- Just googled it, and it seems that banks prefer a documented vessel when used as collateral, entry into foreign ports can be somewhat streamlined, so it may just boil down to money and politics...Sigh.

rardiH36 · Jul 1, 2012

justsomeguy said:
What's the advantage of documentation?
Edit- Just googled it, and it seems that banks prefer a documented vessel when used as collateral, entry into foreign ports can be somewhat streamlined, so it may just boil down to money and politics...Sigh.

A couple of other advantages:

- No annual fee compared to state registration fees. Just sign an affidavit once per year an return the documentation office that you still own the vessel. The you get a current documentation certificate in the mail.

- In California anyway, vessels state registered must put the registration number on the bow in pretty big letters and every year affix a new sticker to prove that the fees were paid. With Federal Documentation, nothing on the bow .... except your boat's name if you want it there.

Stu Jackson · Jul 1, 2012

rardiH36 said:
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p.s. For Stu: Re our mention of looking out for each other on the Bay a couple of Friday's ago. You might recall that the morning started out with drizzle and light rain (at least here in Marin) and a chance of T-storms later. So I canceled the outing with my friends. Looked like the early afternoon was going to be just drizzle with maybe zero wind. Turned out better than that -- but the decision had been made. - rardi

Gotcha. The weather on Friday was rotten. No wind, we motored all the way to Sausalito. Chilling, literally and figuratively. Huge fog/clouds over your docks. Of course, just as we entered the channel, it got nice! And sailing weather Saturday was superb. We had a nice run jib only home on Sunday afternoon. See ya next time.

Stu Jackson · Jul 1, 2012

Some states are now requiring registration fees be paid, even if you're documented. Maybe no stickers and letters, but they want yer $$.

xcyz · Jul 1, 2012

CA State Fee's much less the USCG

My preference is NOT to have it registered with the USCG (if you stay within US waters), but when one finances their boat, most banks require it if the vessel can go off-shore. USCG registration will also provide for easy recovery if the vessel ends up stolen and in foreign waters or so I have been told.:Liar:

The state boat tags in California are $10 every two years. This is much cheaper then the lifetime of $400+ the USCG wants..

justsomeguy · Jul 1, 2012

RGDavis said:
My preference is NOT to have it registered with the USCG (if you stay within US waters), but when one finances their boat, most banks require it if the vessel can go off-shore. USCG registration will also provide for easy recovery if the vessel ends up stolen and in foreign waters or so I have been told.:Liar:

The state boat tags in California are $10 every two years. This is much cheaper then the lifetime of $400+ the USCG wants..

I'm leaning towards your point of view(even outside U.S. waters), and your suspicion of easy recovery after theft. :neutral:

suds · Jul 2, 2012

Florida is one of those states that requires tags even if it's a documented vessel. They'll also collect sales taxes if you bring a boat into the state, unless you can prove you already paid a sales tax.

Steve Dion · Jul 2, 2012

WHAT ARE THE VESSEL NAME AND HAILING PORT MARKING REQUIREMENTS?

Documented vessels do not display their official numbers on the outside of the hull, but are identified by the name and hailing port. The application for documentation must include a name for the vessel composed of letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals and may not exceed 33 characters. The name may not be identical, actually or phonetically, to any word or words used to solicit assistance at sea; may not contain or be phonetically identical to obscene, indecent, or profane language, or to racial or ethnic epithets. Once established, a vessel's name may not be changed without application, fees, and the consent of the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center. There is no rule against duplication of names for documented vessels, so hailing ports are helpful in identifying vessels.

if you need to read more.... (http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/nvdcfaq.asp#11)

stephen Penny · Jul 3, 2012

To answer your first question, you need to have the boat's name and hailing port marked together on the exterior hull, clearly visible and minimum 4 inches in height. In addition, the hailing port must include city and state. I just did that to my second USCG documented vessel.

Merlin Clark · Jul 3, 2012

In FL, documented vessels have to be registered but not titled.
Also, notification of liens against a documented vessel must be submitted to the CG. This is helpful for buyers, check with the CG and avoid this nasty little surprise of an unknown lien after the purchase.
Not saying that all boaters aren't honest, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.........

Jim Legere · Jul 5, 2012

Good luck! (what color & type of paint?)

SailH37 · Jul 5, 2012

Yea, when I checked on re-documenting mine, I found that in Fla, they say that if you're in the state for longer than a total of 6 months out of the year, that you have to have state registration. so, you can have both, but if you're in the state 6 months or longer, you gotta have fla reg, so having it documented is of no use, because most everywhere within a 5 - 6 hundred mile radius of Miami, everyone is okay with state reg. Maybe when you get to Brazil, etc., that they are more comfortable with US documented boat, but they'll take state registration just the same. It is easier to get a stolen boat recovered with a us doc number, versus state reg, but ya gotta find it first, then hope the authorities will support your recovering your boat, or you gotta take matters into your own hands (dangerous)

Yep, it's all politics and money. After all, everyone does realize that we really don't OWN our boats, the Gov't does. Even with everything paid off, you gotta pay those taxes every year and if you don't, they take it from you. It's like 1960's communist Russia where no one actually owns anything, the father land does. We don't really own anything that's worth owning, neither houses, cars, boats, etc.

Time to go sit in the cockpit and drink heavily, and dream of a day when we can actually be free.

Kb

Stu Jackson · Jul 5, 2012

Taxes

SailH37 said:
Even with everything paid off, you gotta pay those taxes every year and if you don't, they take it from you.... We don't really own anything that's worth owning, neither houses, cars, boats, etc.

Somehow I'm missing the point here. Don't taxes pay for dredging of the waterways you sail on, the operating of bridges to let you go where you want to go, and Coast Guard who perform many important functions for boater safety? Your taxes also pay for the roads you use in your car to drive to your boat, the traffic lights and stop signs that make driving something less than a free-for-all on the roads (I've driven in third world nations!). And once you pay off your loans for whatever you buy, you DO own the property or boat or car or stereo...