USCG Documented VS State Registered

[theway]

I will be traveling abroad for the next year, any thoughts on which is better.

I ask because I've read that the USCG doc is better, plus it was the first thing the Port of Honolulu asked for when I inquired about departure clearance. They later said my California Title will do, but for some reason the CA title has the first registration expiration date on it so he thought/thinks the title expires and could possibly give me trouble entering another port. I have the current California Registration, but it expires December 2017...

So should I get USCG documented?
If so how long does it take?

Thanks

[Island Time O25]

There are a few threads on this very topic already, You may want to search for them.

On a personal note FWIW. This February I crewed on a FL registered boat sailing from FL to Panama Canal. The owner had some issues getting Panamian cruising permit in Colon. Don't know if this was just run of the mill bribe scheme on the part of the local port authorities but the main sticking points, at least officially were a) the fact that the boat lacked a name, b) was state registered and c) state registration was not accessible for a check by the port people. We spent a full day running around various offices because of this. There were other US based sailors with similar issues there. But asking other US based cruisers at the marina who were documented they said they were processed without any issues (other than the customary small bribes) as the port authorities instantly checked their boats online through USCG vessel check.

[theway]

Hmmm, I did a search and didn't find anything. I'll check again.

Thanks for your experience, sounds like another situation in favor of the USCG docs.

I'm gonna call boat us tomorrow and see what they can tell me.

[Jim Cate]

I've posted this here quite a few times..

We have been cruising since 1986, in two different boats, have visited 13 nations with no difficulties related to our being only state registered in Illinois. These have all been south Pacific countries. Other areas may differ.

Jim

[theway]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I've posted this here quite a few times..

We have been cruising since 1986, in two different boats, have visited 13 nations with no difficulties related to our being only state registered in Illinois. These have all been south Pacific countries. Other areas may differ.

Jim

Right on Jim, thanks. That's nice to hear.

[oldsalt_1942]

Granted it was a LONG time ago, but I traveled to Mexico, Belize and Guatemala with a boat simply registered in Florida and had ZERO problems, and NO ONE asked for a bribe.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by theway

I will be traveling abroad for the next year, any thoughts on which is better.

I ask because I've read that the USCG doc is better, plus it was the first thing the Port of Honolulu asked for when I inquired about departure clearance. They later said my California Title will do, but for some reason the CA title has the first registration expiration date on it so he thought/thinks the title expires and could possibly give me trouble entering another port. I have the current California Registration, but it expires December 2017...

So should I get USCG documented?
If so how long does it take?

Thanks

A title does not expire. It is like the title to your home or vehicle. Your registration expires unless you renew it.

USCG Documentation is proof of ownership and takes the place of a title. USCG Documentation must also be renewed or it will expire.

Which is better? Most folks favor documentation, especially if you'll be traveling in foreign countries. Some lenders require one or the other.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by oldsalt_1942

Granted it was a LONG time ago, but I traveled to Mexico, Belize and Guatemala with a boat simply registered in Florida and had ZERO problems, and NO ONE asked for a bribe.

Well, they did not flatly asked for a bribe but it is called "overtime charges". And all the cruising guides confirm that "overtime" is the official extra charge for off hours processing - after end of their workday or on weekends and holidays. The scam works like this. They pretend that for one reason or another they can't process your particular boat right now at 10AM. With us it was allegedly lack of name on the hull plus two other reasons I posted earlier. For another set of sailors it was the fact that they were bringing their boat to Panama from US on a trailer and allegedly the trailer had to be registered to the boat or some such (I forget the details). Still others had some other issue clearly made up on the whim. So they drag everything past 3 or 4 PM and point to the fact that now it is "overtime" and everyone involved had to be paid that overtime. So if you got 3-4 people working in that office that overtime is paid to each. So in fact were we to complain to anyone higher up, there were no "bribes" paid just official overtime charges. Another scam was to misdirect us to an adjacent office where we waited for hours only to find out that this was not the official to see or that he is not coming back today or on vacation until a week later. That was another sailor had to endure a few days prior.

Same scam was accomplished at the "immigracion" office which our skipper and all the guides (2011 and 2014) said was in the same area near the Port Authority building. We went there only to find out that yes there was an immigration post there but they did not stamp the passports with seaman's visas and that had to be done at the Port itself. So finally we get there at 5:05PM and guess what? That's right - another round of "overtime". But luckily we only stayed there until 7PM and the "overtime" was not too grabby as there was only one lady of any authority there.

I'm sure that the problem was compounded by our lack of Spanish, although we did brush up well in advance on all the procedures both from the official Panama gov't websites and cruising guides. But what do you do when official site says check in and all paperwork can be done at the Shelter Bay marina but the marina staff, after a wait of 2-3 hours, tells you "oh, btw, the Port Captain is on vacation until after the next week and you have to check in downtown". So we went there around 2PM to find out that whoever was in charge of that procedure will not be back until tomorrow. So day 1 wasted right there, incl. R/T cab rides, etc. Next day we get there early in the AM and left after we got visas stamped around 7PM. I would've gladly paid $50 or more extra to spend that day by the marina pool suntanning and drinking frosty ones.

Now, one of the reasons we decided to get stamped visas instead of relying on visa free "mariner's 72 hours transit" allowance was the fact that out flight home was at 3AM and if we had any issues exiting we would have either a) had to take another and very inconvenient flight (not to mention paying much more than any "overtime" we paid) or b) take the same flight but a week later. Under these circumstances we felt we could not risk misjudging their "official rules" again so we opted for the lesser of two evils and got the visa stamps at that Port office.

The boat's owner is a very experienced mariner with 45 years of every kind of ship position behind him. He transited the Canal 2 or 3 times before in his own personal vessel and many times as a large ship's captain. But even he was floored by the audacity of the port officials and by our inability, due to time and language constrains, to deal with it. Perhaps it was bad luck or whatever but we met at least 3 other sets of crew with similar problems so it couldn't have been just luckless us.

So my advice to anyone dealing with Colon office (unless the guy in the SB marina is back from "vacation" which I doubt) - be prepared for all kinds of issues leading to "overtime". My chief frustration was not the "overtime" payment itself but the waste of 2 full days of great weather which we could've spent doing R&R after a 1,000 mile rolly Caribbean crossing.

[Hoodsail]

Documented my boat through the US coast guard about this time last yr. Their site is very helpful and straightforward regarding the documents needed. Fee was less the $100 if memory serves me right. It took about 2-2.5 months to receive my documents. I sent an email about 1 month after sending in my paperwork and the CG did note that they were unusually busy.
thnks

[theway]

Originally Posted by rwidman

A title does not expire. It is like the title to your home or vehicle. Your registration expires unless you renew it.

USCG Documentation is proof of ownership and takes the place of a title. USCG Documentation must also be renewed or it will expire.

Which is better? Most folks favor documentation, especially if you'll be traveling in foreign countries. Some lenders require one or the other.

Right, but for some reason California thought it would be cute to put the expiration date of the first registration cycle on the title (2013). It was enough for the Port here in Honolulu to mention it to me and the gentlemen thought it was associated with the title.

So with USCG docs ones still needs to have registration papers with the/a state?

Thanks for the added clarification.

[theway]

Originally Posted by Hoodsail

Documented my boat through the US coast guard about this time last yr. Their site is very helpful and straightforward regarding the documents needed. Fee was less the $100 if memory serves me right. It took about 2-2.5 months to receive my documents. I sent an email about 1 month after sending in my paperwork and the CG did note that they were unusually busy.
thnks

Thanks, I'd like to do it for the sense of added official documentation, but 2 months is too long. I'll give them a call on Monday and see how quick it can be done currently.

[theway]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Well, they did not flatly asked for a bribe but it is called "overtime charges". And all the cruising guides confirm that "overtime" is the official extra charge for off hours processing - after end of their workday or on weekends and holidays. The scam works like this...

I'm not to excited about situations like this is an example of what I'm trying to avoid with potential "problems" with my paperwork because of a misinterpretation of a date printed on my title

I don't speak Spanish either, but I do have brown skin. I'm under the impression that having at least one thing in common with people helps a hell of a lot... sports, language, or even hair styles. But from stories I've heard having a US passport will automatically increase the price of admission and doing business. I haven't personally felt this in the countries I've been to, but I tend to overlook (stay naive about) such things so I probably wouldn't have noticed even if it did happen.

Thanks for the stories. When I make it to the canal, I'll try to remember to post my experience.

[Xthewater]

I just got our USCG documentation transferred with the purchase of our Dana 24 and it took about 4 mo. Beware there is a bogus site that looks legit re CG docs!! Almost got sucked into that. Reason took so long as explained to me, they are badly understaffed and hiring freeze. Now with the further defunding and hiring freeze by POTUS likely problem will just get worse.

[theway]

Originally Posted by Xthewater

I just got our USCG documentation transferred with the purchase of our Dana 24 and it took about 4 mo. Beware there is a bogus site that looks legit re CG docs!! Almost got sucked into that. Reason took so long as explained to me, they are badly understaffed and hiring freeze. Now with the further defunding and hiring freeze by POTUS likely problem will just get worse.

4 months!!!
(Yeah, I read about the fake sites, thanks)

It looks like I'll just have to renew my California registration in December (or the allowed 60 days before) when I'm god knows where... hopefully somewhere I can obtain/print a copy.

[ericson35]

Yes CG documentation the way to go and under $100. Currently waiting for mine to arrive. Just make sure you go through the USCG and not an agency!
John
E35-2
SV DIJAN