USCG Annual Documentation Delayed

[jeremiason]

FYI to people renewing or initiating USCG Documentation.

One of the members of the Yahoo Group covering the Caribbean just reported that they attempted to do their Annual USCG Documentation Renewal.

Because of the US Government shutdown, the USCG Documentation Center reports being up to 4 months behind on Annual Renewals as of last week.

In the interim they will be issuing "Traveling Letters" until you renewal is processed.

I don't know how this will effect boats traveling outside the USA, since each individual country will have to make a determination of they accept these letters as evidence of documentation....

[scoobert]

wow, scary. thanks for the post. we mailed ours in last week. i guess we may be undocumented for this trip. maybe they will not bother to inspect me if i keep the sails up....

[scoobert]

i found this on the USCG website...

National Vessel Documentation Center

Case Processing Dates as of 10/11/13


Fish Initial: 09/27/13
Fish Reissue: 09/26/13
Commercial Initial: 09/27/13
Commercial Reissue: 09/26/13
Recreational Initial: 06/28/13
Recreational Reissue: 06/28/13
Mortgage: 11/13/12
Notices of Claim of Lien: 04/20/12
Satisfactions: 06/18/12
Deletion with fees: 09/26/13
Certificates of Ownership: 10/04/13
Research (Including Complex): 10/09/13
Abstract Processing (Including Abstract Pending Review): 09/27/13


****Updated Weekly****

[xeon_tsd]

They where behind BEFORE the shutdown... can't imagine it helped at all.... Bought my new tome boat May 31st, still don't have the paperwork.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by xeon_tsd

They where behind BEFORE the shutdown... can't imagine it helped at all.... Bought my new tome boat May 31st, still don't have the paperwork.

i wonder how the USCG on the water is handling this?
i made a copy of everything before we sent it in. i hope if i get inspected, they are cool with this.

[ShaktiGurl]

Ask if their documents are up to date. We just called our local USCG office because the documentation phone lines still will not answer. Local commander stated they agreed it is ridiculous because they can't get their own boats documented. And we wait... They won't even accept new commercial documentation requests at this time.

[jeremiason]

Here is an explanation of the "Temporary Certificate of Documentation". It looks like it should cover the boats traveling internationally, if the locals read English and are experienced with this type of paperwork.

http://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/instr/tempcod.pdf

[Therapy]

Sure, 17% of the Govt shuts down for three weeks (or so) and the docs dept are now 4 months behind. Sure.

[Paul Elliott]

I doubt that the shutdown has helped, but I had to wait over six months for a documentation change. It finally arrived about a month ago. They've been running slow for a long time.

[bbowers2004]

I got a message during the shut down explaining for I forgot one document with my submitted documents 4 months ago, and would need to resubmit the document and I would be put at the end of the que..... Great news since I sail in a month with no address....

They were operating/working most of the time during the shut down. It was the same in the bases. Most people were only off work for a week.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

I doubt that the shutdown has helped, but I had to wait over six months for a documentation change. It finally arrived about a month ago. They've been running slow for a long time.

Same for us we bought in May, got the US Documentation through finally last month. Also just went to the Auxiliary CG HQ locally to ask aboutgetting a free vessel check, big note on door saying due to Gov. shutdown, they are 'closed for the forseeeable future' and 'all abs classes are cancelled - oh and no contact number found to call to request a free vessel check, fortunately the marina office had a number to call.

[svmariane]

Seems like a solid case could be made for having five year vessel registration.

1- reduces number of times documents need handling/processing

2- reduces workload for processing agency

3- above two items combined would reduce agency expenses
......(man hours, for example)

4- some savings to agency could be passed to boaters
.....(example: a 5 year registration could be equal in fee to 3.5 times the
.....current annual fee. Or pick some other number.)


Austria, for example, mandates a 5 year registration period the first time around, and renewals are mandatory 10 years. But our recent 10 year renewal only cost euro 79 {approx USD 108}.

[Captain Bill]

Since USCG documentaion is the equivalent of a title as opposed to a state issued title, what is the point of any kind of renewal? I know of no state that requires you to renew your title annually, only your registration. Why should should the feds require you to renew. I used to own an airplane and you did not even need a title, only a registration. It used to be permanent, but when the govenment found out that 9/11 could be a cash cow they started requiring a renewal every 5 years. It seems stupid that 5 years is good enough for airplanes even post 9/11, but boats every year? Notice that the registration center is in WV and old Robert Byrd never saw a barrel of pork he didn't love.

[zeehag]

initial document took me 3 months or so my renewals take 2 weeks or so.

[rebel heart]

We got our renewal letter on time (pre-shutdown). It was signed and sent back during the shutdown.

I've heard vicious rumors of people photoshopping the 2013 to 2014 and printing double sided color.