Dink registration in the US...?

[CSY Man]

Just bought me a new dink, a Mercury 310 hypalon.

To put Florida numbers on it will cost me $166.00 in sales tax and registration fee's , etc.

The other option is T/T....As in "Tender To Boatname"

How far can you roam from the mother ship using the T/T option?
Is there any official rules on the T/T deal? Local or USCG?

Is the T/T thingy accepted in other countries..?
(Bahamas)

Paint or glue the letters on...?

Previous rubber dink was done by the book, official FL numbers and I paid some $10.00 every year in registration fees and glued the decal on the bracket and all that.
The T/T option would be simpler and cheaper, but perhaps the limitations are too much of a problem. (And what if the dink is stolen? Will the insurance company pay up if it ain't registred?)

[senormechanico]

I just used an idelible marker, and redid it when it faded.

Steve B.

[slomotion]

Yikes - I should know about this, but I have no clue. We bought our cruising boat (since sold) in FL 8 or 9 years ago and it came with an Avon rib with the boat's name stenciled on it. Never registered it or even thought about it. We replaced it in VZ and just stenciled the boat's name on the new Caribe. No one in the Bahamas or anywhere else ever questioned it - not even the extremely annoying 'marine police' in Ft. Lauderdale who seemed to want to question everything: registration, sales tax receipt, decals, bill of sale, documentation, fire extinguisher expiration date, propane storage, flotation devices, etc. Don't know what was wrong with these guys, but when one them asked me about the portable spot light, I blasted him between the eyes with 20,000 candle power and told him I had no idea how powerful it was but I wanted them off my boat. They left. We saw them the next day hassling other people and my wife thought they'd come back for us with reinforcements, but they never bothered us again.

[CSY Man]

Thanks for the comments.

Well, yes a marker is always an option, but uh, I am trying to do a long-lasting and elegant solution as I will probably keep this dink for a looong time: It came with a 10 year warranty, the last 5 pro-rated.

Hmm, so nobody caed about your dink registration or lack of..?
That is good news I guess, on the other hand, I am anal about doing everything right so as not to be caught with my pants down.
(I was different 20 years ago as a young live-abord in the Carribbean, I broke every rule in the book)

[hellosailor]

CSY-
"The other option is T" IN FLORIDA?

I haven't checked, but was sure Florida was one of the places where any boat with an engine on it, required a separate registration and "dinghy of" wasn't recognized by Florida law. I know their web sites are online...have you checked to make Real Damn Sure?

Other countries (and states<G>) check with noonsite.com. <G>

AFAIK most accept "dinghy of" and you may even find that's locally and informally accepted in Florida--until some newbie comes on patrol and decides not to.

Insurance? Well...ask your insurer, if this is considered a second vessel (not insured) or personal property on your vessel (covered subject to?) and in the meantime, you know. Big security cables, well attached, and some real prominent markings. I'd suggest real prominent markings that can be seen from overhead--not just on the water.

Long-lasting and elegant? Well... Check out Online Machine Shop - Instant Pricing. You can have them laser-cut or water-cut a heavy sheet of "rubber" or plastic any way that you want, and then use the right adhesives to bond that to the dink forever. Any local machine shop with the same equipment could do it...but try to find them.<G>

[ssullivan]

I think those days are gone by, unfortunately. Working on the megayachts, we had boats that were labeled as TT (boat name). However, the boats were properly registered vessels in their own right.

I'd err on the side of paying the state fees...

[Vasco]

Bahamas doesn't care what you have on the dink. I know many states require a license no matter what hp the engine. Some folks just put the numbers of the old dink on the new one. For insurance you should list it on your policy. Some insurers require a separate rider for the dink. Many use sharpies for the numbers. I use the paint WM sells in the kit with the stencils. Rough up the hypalon with sandpaper first. I would not put t/t on my dink....it tells the boat boys and others that you're ashore and nobody's on you boat.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by slomotion

. . . the extremely annoying 'marine police' in Ft. Lauderdale . . . Don't know what was wrong with these guys, but when one of them asked me about the portable spot light, I blasted him between the eyes with 20,000 candle power and told him I had no idea how powerful it was but I wanted them off my boat.

I love this, slomo - you de man!

[CSY Man]

I would not put t/t on my dink....it tells the boat boys and others that you're ashore and nobody's on you boat.

Yes, that has been a concern in my head, but where I cruise in the Bahamas, there ain't no boat-boys...

[GordMay]

Florida used to recognize “Tender To” when the dinghy is on ship’s business*.
Haven’t heard of any changes, but ...

* Ferrying passengers/crew & ship’s stores, etc. (going visiting or touring is NOT ship’s business)

[hellosailor]

"(going visiting or touring is NOT ship’s business)"
What scouting for provisions or large drunks to dragoon isn't ships' business? The hell they say! Next they'll be claiming that manatee-sweeping isn't proper business for the ship's boat, either.

[scallywag]

A boat does not need numbers if it is rowed. If possible just row the dink in Florida and use a motor elsewhere. Yes, an inflatable is difficult to impossible to row.

John

[Pblais]

A boat does not need numbers if it is rowed.

That is good almost every place. When it has a motor attached it's vessel that requires registration. It's a sytate by state thing. Of course when in the Bahamas they really don't care what state you come from.

My AB orginally purchased in Venezuala by the last owner has nothing on it now but I'm getting ready to deal with VA about it. No papers or anything. It just came with the boat. I'll probably be able to register it with a rubbing of the hull number. You can get the nice glue on letters that do last a very long time.

[colemj]

As for numbers, I slapped on some of those cheap stick-on vinyl numbers you get in your local hardware store with minimal cleaning on my inflatable three years ago and they still look brand new with no fading or peeling. While I do live in CT where the sun is not like the tropics, the dinghy stays outside uncovered 365 days/yr.

Just lucky I guess?

Mark

[CSY Man]

Thanks for the comments.

I bit the bullet yesterday and turned in the paperwork for proper FL registration.

After I get my numbers, will head to West and the hardware store to see about slapping on either paint or glue-on numbers.