Troy Gattis
Junior Member
Can anybody clairify what a Coast Guard Registration is and the benefits of such.
Coast Guard Registration
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u079721
Contributing Partner
Most people feel that if you are headed offshore, it's a nice idea to have some document that shows your boat is registered with the US Government, and not just your local state. To do that, you can register your boat with the US Coast Guard, after which you receive a fairly impressive looking document. The idea being that a local offical in Belize will be more impressed with a US document than he will be with a Michigan state registration certificate. The downside is that the registration process involves some forms that are quite difficult to fill out correctly - so much so that many people (like me) end up paying retired coasties to document their boats for them.
In my case I documented my boat because the bank required it as a condition of the loan, since having the boat documented allows the Coast Guard to trace a lein on the boat. The only other benefit is that, in most states, if your boat is documented you do not have to place those ugly state registration numbers on the bow.
There is a persistant rumor, especially here in Michigan, that if you document your boat you do NOT have to register it with the state. If you buy your boat out of state, and haven't paid sales tax on it, not having to register it with the state can save you 6% of the value. But this is NOT true, and though people still do this, the practice is not legal.
Is it worth it? I sure wouldn't have bothered if the bank hadn't made me, since I haven't gone offshore with this boat. But if I were going offshore I definitely would.
In my case I documented my boat because the bank required it as a condition of the loan, since having the boat documented allows the Coast Guard to trace a lein on the boat. The only other benefit is that, in most states, if your boat is documented you do not have to place those ugly state registration numbers on the bow.
There is a persistant rumor, especially here in Michigan, that if you document your boat you do NOT have to register it with the state. If you buy your boat out of state, and haven't paid sales tax on it, not having to register it with the state can save you 6% of the value. But this is NOT true, and though people still do this, the practice is not legal.
Is it worth it? I sure wouldn't have bothered if the bank hadn't made me, since I haven't gone offshore with this boat. But if I were going offshore I definitely would.
Do our terms need defining?
Just to clarify things, are we talking about USCG "registration" (like they do in the state of Washington) or Documentation?
In my state, Oregon, we have state registration. Federally Documented vessels do not have to have Oregon Marine Board bow numbers, but do have to have a current Oregon Marine Board sticker displayed on the hull.
Loren in PDX
Olson 34
<OR 753 VJ>
Just to clarify things, are we talking about USCG "registration" (like they do in the state of Washington) or Documentation?
In my state, Oregon, we have state registration. Federally Documented vessels do not have to have Oregon Marine Board bow numbers, but do have to have a current Oregon Marine Board sticker displayed on the hull.
Loren in PDX
Olson 34
<OR 753 VJ>
Geoff Johnson
Fellow Ericson Owner
Everything you wanted to know (and more) can be found here: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/faq.htm
I have always thought of it as a national registration system like the one for aircraft (and some might say "people"), as opposed the the state registration system for automobiles.
I have always thought of it as a national registration system like the one for aircraft (and some might say "people"), as opposed the the state registration system for automobiles.
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More CG Regis. info...
I copied this from the Washington State boating information URL. It appears that I (once again...) am behind the times. They now issue their own "WA" numbers, except for documented vessels that still must display their sticker. THis is like Oregon. However, they also allow boaters to keep their prior-issued CG bow numbers at the owner's disgression. I still wonder if the original question for this thread was about "documentation"?
[start of quote]
VESSEL REGISTRATION AND DISPLAY
All boat owners originally registering or renewing registration with this state must display a registration number and current decals on the forward half of the vessels bow as illustrated in the examples.
Registration numbers, when issued, will remain with the vessel permanently. Washington Coast Guard issued numbers may be retained by request when making original application for state registration or when renewing registration.
DOCUMENTED VESSELS
Federal regulations prohibit the display of the WN registration number upon documented vessels. However, the annual state registration decals are required and must be affixed to the forward half of the vessel so it is easily visible for law enforcement.
VESSELS WITH COAST GUARD REGISTRATION
Coast Guard registration numbers may be retained. When making application for Washington registration you must request continued use of your old Coast Guard registration number. If you do not make this request, a new state number will be issued.
[end of quote from their web site]
FWIW, I have it on good authority that if going to Canada a state registration and bow numbers is just fine, but that all other countries (including Mexico) want to see your federal documentation. Ditto for anywhere in the Carrabean. We will probably document before we do any blue water stuff, just to be safe.
Loren
Olson 34, Portland, OR
I copied this from the Washington State boating information URL. It appears that I (once again...) am behind the times. They now issue their own "WA" numbers, except for documented vessels that still must display their sticker. THis is like Oregon. However, they also allow boaters to keep their prior-issued CG bow numbers at the owner's disgression. I still wonder if the original question for this thread was about "documentation"?
[start of quote]
VESSEL REGISTRATION AND DISPLAY
All boat owners originally registering or renewing registration with this state must display a registration number and current decals on the forward half of the vessels bow as illustrated in the examples.
Registration numbers, when issued, will remain with the vessel permanently. Washington Coast Guard issued numbers may be retained by request when making original application for state registration or when renewing registration.
DOCUMENTED VESSELS
Federal regulations prohibit the display of the WN registration number upon documented vessels. However, the annual state registration decals are required and must be affixed to the forward half of the vessel so it is easily visible for law enforcement.
VESSELS WITH COAST GUARD REGISTRATION
Coast Guard registration numbers may be retained. When making application for Washington registration you must request continued use of your old Coast Guard registration number. If you do not make this request, a new state number will be issued.
[end of quote from their web site]
FWIW, I have it on good authority that if going to Canada a state registration and bow numbers is just fine, but that all other countries (including Mexico) want to see your federal documentation. Ditto for anywhere in the Carrabean. We will probably document before we do any blue water stuff, just to be safe.
Loren
Olson 34, Portland, OR
Troy Gattis
Junior Member
Documentation
Loren, I was asking about "documentation" . I should have spent a little more time looking around in the links section I found the answers also.It looks as if it really doesn't apply to me as my boat is only 25' and is landlocked. But if you aren't landlocked or have a larger vessel it could be beneficial if for nothing more than to make the bank happy. I appreciate all the response anyway as I am an information junkie on stuff like that and hope to get my captains license as soon as I can.
Loren, I was asking about "documentation" . I should have spent a little more time looking around in the links section I found the answers also.It looks as if it really doesn't apply to me as my boat is only 25' and is landlocked. But if you aren't landlocked or have a larger vessel it could be beneficial if for nothing more than to make the bank happy. I appreciate all the response anyway as I am an information junkie on stuff like that and hope to get my captains license as soon as I can.