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Old 29-04-2015, 13:31   #1
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Hailing Port

I understand my hailing port can be anywhere in the US. If this is not correct please let me know.
going on the belief it can be any us city, I want a hailing port that goes with the boat name "Baby".
Any good suggestions?
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Old 29-04-2015, 13:38   #2
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Re: Hailing Port

Choose any US city/town.


Rethink "Baby." It's much to common.

Search the NOAA/USCG boat documentation name list for "Baby."
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Old 30-04-2015, 04:44   #3
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Re: Hailing Port

Name will be Baby unless something else hits me before registering. Are there tax implications if using a hailing port not in your home state?
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Old 30-04-2015, 05:38   #4
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Re: Hailing Port

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Name will be Baby unless something else hits me before registering. Are there tax implications if using a hailing port not in your home state?

I've seen people post problems with that before, they report getting a tax bill, and then it's up to them to prove to the assessors satisfaction that they do not owe tax. Your guilty, it's up to you to prove innocence, and your proof has to satisfy the assessor.
I kept a Center Console on the Navy Base in Panama City, didn't know any better so I registered it in Ga, being a Ga. resident. Ga. law says you owe taxes based on where the boat spent 181 days last year, I got a property tax bill from my local tax agency, I went down to them with an affidavit from the Navy saying the boat was in their facility the entire year with a copy of my lease. Tax authority said and I quote "You got's to pay your taxes". Yes I assume I could have hired a Lawyer and won, after taking days off of work and paying the Lawyer, it would cost more than the taxes, plus I feel real sure had I fought them, my property tax on my house and land would be re-evaluated.
I think but am not sure that if you buy a boat in FL like you did, get it out of FL withing 90 days and it stays out of State for some time interval, it can come back to FL with no tax due? Fl does not tax boats yearly, just sales tax.
Since yours isn't going to be sailing for some time, is there a reason to document it now? I don't know what I'm doing, but I think I would wait that time interval to where no sales tax is due, and then document the boat with a hailing port in FL.
Your smart for asking, I wish I had asked.
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Old 30-04-2015, 07:21   #5
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Hailing Port

A lot of people choose hailing ports in states that don't require registration, solely for the purpose of avoiding state fees or taxes from another state where they might spend more than 90 days. Those states are becoming fewer and fewer. Technically, the hailing port is supposed to be your primary area of use, but a lot of owners just want their home town displayed as a conversation starter. The documentation process with the USCG won't (or shouldn't) generate a "lead" to state tax collection agencies...to quote the USCG when we were selecting a home port "We aren't in the business of collecting state taxes or doing the state tax collectors jobs for them". Now, if a diligent state assessor walks the docks where you are and can show you've been in the state for 90 consecutive days you will probably get a notice to register your boat and pay property taxes. We have spoken to the Florida tax offices and they will register a boat in Florida, if you prefer, no matter where your hailing port is located. Florida is one of those states where if you spend more than 90 days you are supposed to register your boat anyway. I've never seen, or heard of, a transient cruiser being tracked down for those tax purposes, not to say it hasn't ever happened. If you register in a state...you can probably expect a tax bill every year until you transfer the registration to another state or sell the boat. An upside to an "antique" status boat is the registration fee/tax is usually under $30.

If you're boat isn't already documented, you don't plan to travel internationally or your lender doesn't require it, I'd save the expense and only state register.

There is a place called "Cat's Cradle, Virginia" (not on a waterway though) or Montgomery, AL is historically called the "cradle" of the confederacy if you're looking for something subtle that people would have to think about or be a history buff to make the connection.....no law against adding a graphic that would say that under your hailing port I don't think.....I'm at a loss for other "baby" related names other than "cradle" ...I doubt there's a "rattle", "crib" or other baby related named city.....maybe Tyson's Corner, VA near the north end of the Chesapeake off the Potomac River, if you're a Dirty Dancing fan?.....as in "nobody puts Baby in the corner". Haha...I have heard stories that Virginia is particularly aggressive about collecting boat taxes, but if you never planned to be there it may not matter. Good luck.....


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Old 30-04-2015, 08:59   #6
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Re: Hailing Port

Thanks for the info. I probably won't register it until it's ready to hit the water as a64 suggests. Found "Sweet Lips" Tennessee that might be an interesting place to register it but will probably try to find a good city name in Alabama so I don't have to worry about out of state issues.
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Old 30-04-2015, 10:46   #7
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Re: Hailing Port

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The documentation process with the USCG won't (or shouldn't) generate a "lead" to state tax collection agencies
I can assure you that Maine does indeed troll the documentation database looking for "leads". They even say so in the collection letter they sent me. I did (after two attempts) finally get through to them (certified mail, signature required) that I already paid all my taxes at the town hall.

My recommendation would be that, if you're asked to pay taxes you don't owe, send a letter to the state official in charge of such things. Don't deal with locals, especially grammatically challenged locals. Include whatever proof you have that shows you shouldn't owe. And make sure you have proof of delivery. Then sit back and wait. The ball is in their court to prove you're a tax cheat. Once they realize you don't owe, it seems unlikely they'll waste any money on you.
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Old 30-04-2015, 10:46   #8
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Re: Hailing Port

List of cities and towns in Alabama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Allgood comes to mind.
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Old 30-04-2015, 11:05   #9
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Re: Hailing Port

In my case it wasn't State, but County property tax.
They review registration databases, even the FAA database looking for "luxury" items like boats and airplanes. They decide the value and how much tax you owe, you can contest it of course, assuming you can spend several days during working hours to do so, or can hire a Lawyer.
Best to avoid the situation if possible.
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Old 30-04-2015, 11:17   #10
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Re: Hailing Port

There was a loooooong thread about a guy who bought a boat, moved it to WA but CA came after him anyway cuz the hailing port was somewhere in CA. Not worth the hassle.

Lousy boat name, though.
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Old 30-04-2015, 11:29   #11
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Re: Hailing Port

You want your name of the boat, "Baby" to have a matching or clever name for the Homeport too?

And the boat is in Alabama?

Here is a possibility that would cause a few chuckles, and perhaps some fun too.

Homeport = Babbie, Alabama

Boat Name = Baby

So, "Baby, Babbie"

Babbie, Alabama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old 30-04-2015, 11:44   #12
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Re: Hailing Port

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Lousy boat name, though.
Thank you Stu for your opinion, though I think it's the perfect name for my boat. I've yet to see it and already I love it just like I did my kids before they were even born. This will be my baby for the next few years until we get the forever boat. I realize there are probably a bunch of boats out there named Baby but the boat I will be buddy boating with sometimes is looking forward to hailing "Baby, Baby oh Baby" and that's good enough for me.
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Old 30-04-2015, 11:54   #13
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Re: Hailing Port

the hailing port can be fictional .. does not need to be a real city actually.
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Old 30-04-2015, 14:10   #14
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Re: Hailing Port

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the hailing port can be fictional .. does not need to be a real city actually.
REALLY???? Well, now that's interesting! going to have to look into that.
I thought it had to be a city in the US. Seems like that would be a little weird but that would fit right along with me......and how can they tax me for a place that doesn't exist?
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Old 30-04-2015, 14:28   #15
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Re: Hailing Port

Curious .... as to why, particularly, someone wouldn't want their hailing port not be the port at which they generally operate out of?
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