Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 10-11-2018, 04:20   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 6
Question City, State Under Boat Name?

Relative newbie here, just put an offer in on my first ever personally owned boat. If it goes through, I want to rename her.

Now, I did search for this in the forums, and did not find any threads, so here goes...

Typically under the vessel name, there is a City, State displayed. I have often noted that these are sometimes places one would not think would have larger boats hanging out, unless perhaps a river runs through them.

So my question is - are the any rules or norms as to what city/state appears below the name? Is it supposed to be where it is registered?

For example, I was thinking of using the City/State where I grew up, a kind of "tip o' the hat" to my home town. But this is not where the vessel would be registered or spend much, if any time.
tkcas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 04:34   #2
Registered User
 
Hartleyg's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Boat: Tayana 48DS 48'
Posts: 326
Images: 8
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

Hi tkcas,


The city & (sometimes) state shown are called the vessel's "hailing port" - in days of yore, it indicated where the vessel considered "home" - nowadays, for big ships, it's where the ship is registered (a big deal for both regulatory compliance and taxes).
If your vessel is USCG Documented, you will have an official hailing port (which you can change) - if you are just state-registered, you can put whatever you want on there, it's just a label without legal meaning. You don't ever have to bring your vessel there, either -- ours says "Phoenix, AZ", and rest assured it's never been there



Hartley
S/V Atsa
Hartleyg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 04:52   #3
Senior Cruiser
 
GordMay's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,082
Images: 241
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hartleyg View Post
... If your vessel is USCG Documented, you will have an official hailing port (which you can change) - if you are just state-registered, you can put whatever you want on there, it's just a label without legal meaning ...
Documented vessels must display the name and the hailing port on the transom or on both hull sides. The name and the hailing port must be displayed externally on the vessel, either on both sides of the hull or on the transom. The hailing port must include the place and a state, territory, or possession of the United States. The state may be abbreviated.
The hailing port is a choice. It does not have to be the place where the boat is stored, where you live nor does it have to have any actual significance or relevance to your life. To determine if a location is a valid hailing port, click the “Query” tab (see link*), fill in the “feature name” and the “state” and then hit the “Send Query” tab.
* ➥ https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:1:0:::::

Registered boats may have names and hailing ports, but these boat names are decoration, an expression of individuality, and can be changed at any time as they are not legally significant, and you have the ability to be as creative with your hailing port as with your vessel’s name.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"



GordMay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 05:22   #4
Registered User
 
Island Time O25's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,027
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

I seem to recall a thread on CF about state of California going after out of state documented boats with CA in their port names under "state" for excise taxes or some such.
Island Time O25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 06:01   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Kemah TX
Boat: Cruisers Yacht, 3870 - 43 LOA
Posts: 176
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Island Time O25 View Post
I seem to recall a thread on CF about state of California going after out of state documented boats with CA in their port names under "state" for excise taxes or some such.
As a former Californian, I wouldn’t be surprised.
ShellBack89 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 06:06   #6
S/V rubber ducky
 
sailorboy1's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

When I got my current boat I renamed it, because really your boat should reflect you somehow in the name, but left the home port on the boat the same. It didn't matter to me where the boat said it was from and it was a lot less trouble to just leave it as it was.
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
sailorboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 07:04   #7
cruiser

Join Date: May 2011
Boat: Hitchhiker, Catamaran, 40'
Posts: 1,827
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

Quote:
Documented vessels must display the name and the hailing port on the transom or on both hull sides.
I only marked mine on one side!
There is no requirement to display name and hailing port of a USCG documented recreational vessel on both sides. The requirement is as follows:

"The name and hailing port of a recreational vessel must be marked together on some clearly visible exterior part of the hull"

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organiz...-FAQ/#anchor12
Thumbs Up is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 08:44   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 474
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

I think it is prudent to choose a hailing port that you know something about (for example, I have heard the story about California reported in some other post as well, so choosing randomly may lead to surprises), or leave the original hailing port unchanged.

Also, I think it is customary to choose a hailing port that you have some connection with. If nothing else, when you travel to some remote destinations, people looking at your boat will ask "oh, are you from *your hailing port*? We are too...", and expect to strike some sort of conversation... it is somewhat anti climatic to answer "no, I have never been there..."
FabioC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 08:57   #9
Registered User
 
Cheechako's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,453
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

No rules if it's documented. One boat I used the location/name of a pioneer town that no longer exists.
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard











Cheechako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 09:28   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: PNW
Boat: Bruce Roberts Ketch 40
Posts: 477
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

My boat is USCG Documented. I changed name and hailing port to reflect my preference for both after I bought the boat.
My hailing port is in Hawaii, where I am from. Another consideration for this choice was that not everyone in the world connects Hawaii with the USA.
I am a proud and patriotic veteran. But do not want to attract unwanted attention in some places in the world where the US may not necessarily be their favorite country.
My beloved Stars and Stripes finds a safe berth in my flag locker while I Fly my Hawaiian Flag, of which I am equally proud.
Maka is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 10:45   #11
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Panama City, FL (for now)
Boat: Morgan Out Island 28
Posts: 44
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

My
USCG documented boat Tashina has Santa Fe, NM, as its hailing port and everyone knows there's not a drop of water in that place. But it is the place I spent the last 35 years living and so I am happy to carry that name on the boat's transom.
CMO Tashina is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 12:18   #12
Registered User
 
Comix Bay's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Comox, BC
Boat: Lazy-Boy, fold out
Posts: 116
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

Quote:
Originally Posted by CMO Tashina View Post
My
USCG documented boat Tashina has Santa Fe, NM, as its hailing port and everyone knows there's not a drop of water in that place. But it is the place I spent the last 35 years living and so I am happy to carry that name on the boat's transom.
Wonder what looks a person would get if they put "ALCATRAZ", CA as a hailing port??
Comix Bay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 12:18   #13
Registered User
 
Sailshabby's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Oriental, NC
Boat: Baba 40
Posts: 501
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

Quote:
Originally Posted by CMO Tashina View Post
My
USCG documented boat Tashina has Santa Fe, NM, as its hailing port and everyone knows there's not a drop of water in that place. But it is the place I spent the last 35 years living and so I am happy to carry that name on the boat's transom.
Right on, Tashina! Flying “Roswell, NM” on Buddha Moon!
Sailshabby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 12:24   #14
Registered User
 
Woodland Hills's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Aboard
Boat: Hatteras CPMY 63’
Posts: 900
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheechako View Post
No rules if it's documented. One boat I used the location/name of a pioneer town that no longer exists.
According to the regulations, your hailing port must have a US Post Office if you are to be legally documented.
Woodland Hills is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2018, 14:16   #15
֍֎֍֎֍֎֍֎֍֎

Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 15,136
Re: City, State Under Boat Name?

"I seem to recall a thread on CF about state of California going after out of state documented boats with CA in their port names under "state" for excise taxes or some such."
Yes, and pretty much all the tax men who deal with boats, will apply the presumption that the hailing port is the home port and you owe taxes based on that. US state and federal tax law say they can do that, and you have to pay the demand letter and THEN file your protest asking for the money back, typically. As in high-stakes poker, never try to play unless you know who else is at the table.

Last time I checked (long ago) the USCG documentation rules were also specific about the size and style of the letting that could be used, as well. If the OP plans to sail out of the country or has other reasons to document the vessel, that all needs to be looked into. If they're just sailing locally, the only benefit to documentation would be establishing and maintaining chain of title, but many states do that equally well.
hellosailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
boat

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Any benefit to painting the city name on your boat? TomLewis Rules of the Road, Regulations & Red Tape 2 07-12-2016 14:24
Washington State purchase with out-of-state residence cyclepro Dollars & Cents 7 06-06-2011 08:55
Name of City and State, or Name of Country ? Tori Flotsam & Sailing Miscellany 11 15-05-2011 13:44
Sailing in Europe Under a State Registration? macgluin Rules of the Road, Regulations & Red Tape 15 02-04-2011 07:44
State by State Nonresdient Regs Stoney Rules of the Road, Regulations & Red Tape 2 10-06-2008 08:52

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 22:59.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.