North Carolina Boater's Be Aware

[Hank Kivett]

I found this in the Oriental town paper and if you own a boat in NC then it will affect your pocket book or wallet. "Up at the legislature, the move is on to charge boat owners another fee/tax to finance dredging of NC’s ocean inlets. You may recall that 2 yrs ago, lawmakers passed a big spike in boat registration to pay for that ocean inlet dredging. As was the case with that tax hike 2 years ago on the thousands of boats in Pamlico County, it appears that none of this new tax’s money will come back to dredge anything here.
The Coastal Waterways User Identification Number is what this one’s called. It’ll mean a second line of numbers on boats 24 feet and longer. Got a 24-foot boat? This new fee will set you back $70 or so. A 40-foot boat? $200. Every year. This in addition to that registration tax hike of 2 year ago.
This is now in the Appropriations Bill as the lawmakers draw up the state budget. Boat US says that if passed, this will mean NC charges the most in the country for owning a recreational boat. It’s boat owners to contact their legislators to vote against it. In addition to the 300% increase two years ago the President signed a "waterways" bill last year to increase the dredging. So where is our money going.

[Boatguy30]

I think the reality is, in the current policy climate, maintaining all these inlets is not going to be possible. Time to get a shallow draft boat and play the tides!

[Hank Kivett]

It will make no difference if it's a shallow draft or not if it's 24 feet and over you are going to pay

[Boatguy30]

My point is there isn't going to be enough funds to keep the inlet dredged long term unless federal taxes are raised to pay for it. I doubt the folks voting in the Iowa caucus will care much about the depth of the inlets or the cost of your boat registration.

I agree, it sucks they are raising fees but it's just a last grasp. What do they do for money the next time?

[Hank Kivett]

Oh I know ...its the fact that we were sold a bill of but goods two years ago...the question is where did that money go...how about the poor sucker sitting on some lake with a 26 footer and even all boater in every lake...the ideal thing would be for everyone to move there boats to either Va or SC that just not likely or even realistic...but it would sure send a good message...

[Hudson Force]

I just entered the Oriental Harbor Marina yesterday and found that this was being debated by several people in the marina office. The interpretation of those present reading a copy of the Senate Bill 160 "to enhance safety & commerce for ports/inlets" was that this fee would be imposed upon all recreational vessels entering North Carolina waters despite their payment of registration fees in their home states.

They implied no period for transit through the state such as 60 days or 90 days as seen among some other states requiring registration fees.

[FSMike]

That policy would last until the first time they tried to collect from a congressman's yacht traversing N.C. waters lol.

[Jolly Roger]

I am thinking, (and thinking twice since reading this), of bringing my British registered and British owned 45 foot schooner into Pamlico Sound, from August until about December.
Question please: How long can I stay without being liable to pay any registration, etc., and how much?
FSMike’s reply sounds about right.

[Boatguy30]

So it's like a toll? That seems like a good idea. Whenever I see all those Canadian boats traversing the ICW I (seriously) wish some revenue was being captured. Can't cruise the Trent Severn for free.

[Hank Kivett]

Jolly Roger I really don't know...I think 90 days but i would not swear to that...I cant see them putting up a toll gate at each border but hey with this bunch who knows...this fee or tax is to be a yearly things so the idea it being applied to only rec veh really sucks. To give you some idea of what they did two years ago...I have a rubber dinghy (that i can fold up and put in my trunk) they want the same amount of money as a person with a 25' runabout. So you see there is no justice

[Jolly Roger]

Of course, we also have a 10 foot dinghy. Will we have to pay for that as well?
The poster says, "the move is on". Is this now law, or is it still being debated?
I should add, we might also claim NC residence if it was beneficial. We have a rental cabin in the Blue Ridge.

[Jon Eisberg]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

So it's like a toll? That seems like a good idea. Whenever I see all those Canadian boats traversing the ICW I (seriously) wish some revenue was being captured. Can't cruise the Trent Severn for free.

Sorry, that's a poor analogy... You actually can cruise virtually anywhere in Canada "for free"...

Canadians can't transit the NYS Barge Canal "for free", either...

:-)

[Hank Kivett]

Oh yes if your dinghy has a motor on it ...yes you will have too...

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by Hank Kivett

Oh yes if your dinghy has a motor on it ...yes you will have too...

Okay, but is this extra fee the law yet, or just a proposal?
Where can I find the answers?

[Captain Bill]

I just read NC senate bill 160 and it doesn't look quite as bad as people here seem to fear. One must read the associated statutes 74 and 113 to see what it really means. It looks to me like as long as you don't fish in NC waters and you are registered in another state you have a 90 day exemption. If you are a foreign vessel you are exempt. If you are a NC boater and are over 24 feet you are screwed. It looks like states that do not register Federally documented vessels might be screwed. For those of us passing through, registered in another state, and not fishing, we are good. If I want to fish off of my boat on NC waters the fee would be $220. I used to buy an out of state fishing license when visiting my kids in NC. I guess I won't be doing that any more. If I was a NC resident boater I would have to pay the $220 annual fee even if I wasn't fishing. This is on top of the registration fee and personal property tax. It's going to be very expensive to boat in NC.