Multi-year USCG documentation renewals being considered

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Ron,

As long as they leave it with the CG it will probably happen. If the parent co. Home land Insecurity gets ahold of it you're looking at quarterly.

Not only that but all the illegal boats will get to the front of the line AND will be given fee waivers.

[gjordan]

Island Time, in almost every state you pay a yearly registration fee for a car. I pay about 10 times the $26 for my car, that the feds want for boats. Please dont let the feds figure out how much states charge for vehicles, or we will all be paying more. _____Grant.

[CaptTom]

I submitted some comments. Here are two things I said, that others who comment may wish to consider.

1) The fees should reflect reasonable processing costs. Not become an excuse for the organization processing them to become inefficient and bloated. (Worded a little more tactfully.)

2) The cost of sending out a reminder, and processing the renewal, does not increase with the elapsed time between them. By my reckoning, and based on the laws they cited as their reason for implementing the fees, the cost should be the same whether it's a one-year, two-year or three-year renewal cycle.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I submitted some comments. Here are two things I said, that others who comment may wish to consider.

1) The fees should reflect reasonable processing costs. Not become an excuse for the organization processing them to become inefficient and bloated. (Worded a little more tactfully.)

2) The cost of sending out a reminder, and processing the renewal, does not increase with the elapsed time between them. By my reckoning, and based on the laws they cited as their reason for implementing the fees, the cost should be the same whether it's a one-year, two-year or three-year renewal cycle.

Or lifetime.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I submitted some comments. Here are two things I said, that others who comment may wish to consider.

1) The fees should reflect reasonable processing costs. Not become an excuse for the organization processing them to become inefficient and bloated. (Worded a little more tactfully.)

2) The cost of sending out a reminder, and processing the renewal, does not increase with the elapsed time between them. By my reckoning, and based on the laws they cited as their reason for implementing the fees, the cost should be the same whether it's a one-year, two-year or three-year renewal cycle.

You know that won't be the way with the gov.. In all honesty there may be a good reason in this day and age for the renewals? If it is a rubber stamp probably not. If the money is kept within the CG good. If it makes it to the General Fund it is a tax not a fee.

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by jaybird1111

I'm not sure I understand why documentation, which is permanently assigned to the boat, is renewed at all except if a change in ownership happens? Like a title, that is to say.

Which is the gist of my comment to the USCG, thanks for putting that up

Jay,

the primary reason we have to do it every year is that recreational documentation grew out of commercial documentation. We are more of an after effect that anything else. There are also a lot of privlages that come with being documented, though some of them may not really apply in today's world all that much (at least for recreational vessels).

Prefered maritime leins, protection of the flag, right to ports, ect used to be real advantages of being documented, but today... Well they just don't apply in the same way. In the commercial world however these things still play a large part of coastwise trade, fishing, navigation areas and the like.

That being said I am all in favor of long term registration. And commented appropriately.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by gjordan

Island Time, in almost every state you pay a yearly registration fee for a car. I pay about 10 times the $26 for my car, that the feds want for boats. Please dont let the feds figure out how much states charge for vehicles, or we will all be paying more. _____Grant.

In Florida, you have to pay a yearly registration fee in addition to what you pay the Coast Guard.

[Group9]

I don't mind the cost of keeping a vessel documented. It's a bargain in the first place, and a real bargain for renewal. But, it would be nice to have an option for a three or five year renewal instead of the one year. That would be worth paying for, I think.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Group9

I don't mind the cost of keeping a vessel documented. It's a bargain in the first place, and a real bargain for renewal. But, it would be nice to have an option for a three or five year renewal instead of the one year. That would be worth paying for, I think.

I hope so. I'm just glad to hear position remarks on the turn around time.

[RainDog]

I submitted my renewal in November. Just called in late February to check on the status since I am leaving the country soon. They asked why I did not submit and expedited doc request. I take that as their expectation is at least four months for a normal request.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Not only that but all the illegal boats will get to the front of the line AND will be given fee waivers.

You sound like my e-mail mailing list, singing to the choir?

[Evenstar]

Originally Posted by Group9

I don't mind the cost of keeping a vessel documented. It's a bargain in the first place, and a real bargain for renewal. But, it would be nice to have an option for a three or five year renewal instead of the one year. That would be worth paying for, I think.

Annual renewal is a pain in the rear when you aren't in the U.S. especially.

My USCG documentation renewal was handled quickly by SBI mail services and my documentation came back quickly. Now I have to ship it to New Zealand from Florida...a nuisance, since it missed my last batch of mail by only a week or so.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by gjordan

Island Time, in almost every state you pay a yearly registration fee for a car. I pay about 10 times the $26 for my car, that the feds want for boats. Please dont let the feds figure out how much states charge for vehicles, or we will all be paying more. _____Grant.

Not exactly. You're mixing up two different issues. Documentation is tantamount to a title with or without state registration (and some (many?) states don't require state reg. of documented vessels and treat Cert of Documentation as title, I know MA is one) while state registration is not the same as title although yes, some states don't issue titles but use registration for titling purposes while requiring state registration (I think NH and ME for example).

The very purpose of Federal documentation law was to have a boat with capability of far and away travel to have internationally recognizable title and/or registration instead of having 50 different and thus unfamiliar to foreign jurisdictions versions.

I also am of the belief that states' usurping Federal registration scheme by insisting on add'l state registration (such as FL is doing) is not only improper but is in fact contrary to the very idea of Fed. documentation idea. It is obviously done to milk boat owners for add'l $$.

[wesevans]

USCG documentation should be like your deed to real property good for as long as you own the boat or at least 10 years.

[Nicholson58]

I'd still like to know what the rationale is for renewal at all, unless change of ownership? Can anyone tell me?[/QUOTE]

Because that's the Grand-pappy did it. Never mind that the internet makes it possible to do all of this paperlessly and provide instant USCG record of ownership to any 3rd party. The need for the pretty blue paper is nuts. By the time we are done cruising, we'll have enough to paper the bathroom.

Surprised the state hasn't figured out how to make us buy a new car & house title every year. SHhhhhhhhhhhhh!

What is doubly dumb is that you need a new title to your boat even if you own it outright, to affirm that your home belongs to you.

BTW, I visited the site and lobbied for extended times as well as suggesting they modernize the process to reduce the paper & overhead rather than exact a fee to carry on as usual.