CG Documented Hailing Port Question

[Sparx]

Muadibb,

Allow me to suggest Arrakis as your hailing port.

[Muaddib1116]

Haha, I was considering that for the new name of the boat.

[Tayana42]

The most interesting hailing port I’ve seen was “ A Galaxy Far Far Away”. Don’t think the Coast Guard would accept that as I couldn’t find a zip code for it.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I thought RI was already tax free for recreational boats?

It is. Rye, NH was to save on lettering costs.

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

It is. Rye, NH was to save on lettering costs.

Ha, okay, just making sure. I'm assuming you're being humorous, but how much does lettering cost?

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Ha, okay, just making sure. I'm assuming you're being humorous, but how much does lettering cost?

Not that much if you order the lettering and DIY. My set, 7 6" name letters and 7 4" hailing port letters cost me $35 incl shipping.

It's not as much the cost as the aesthetics. Too many letters on the stern complicate things. Plus you want the name as easy to pronounce and be understood as possible in an emergency.

[Muaddib1116]

Ok, that sounds pretty reasonable.

[hlev00]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Haha, yeah, of course.

Thank you, this is really helpful, it is very close to what I am planning on trying to do. I think I'll have enough room for "Jamestown" if I stick to 4" lettering Was that attempt by the MA DoR a one time thing? Or do you have to clear it up with them every year/few years?

It was a one-time occurrence. It was a bit nerve wracking going through it all. I knew I was right but "fighting city hall" is never fun experience. Remember too that Mass has a six-month test. If you bring the boat into Mass within six months Mass will claim it was always intended to be use Mass. Whether that includes a weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard, you'll have to decide for yourself.



You do still pay a small fee to register the boat in RI. They send you stickers but few people put them on larger boats, I assume when they are also USCG documented. We also registered the dinghy in RI and applied the stickers to it.


One interesting thing about the dinghy registration was that we bought our dinghy used from someone in MA so it already had MS numbers on the side. When we took our paperwork to the RI registrar they asked if we'd like to try to keep the numbers as close as possible. Of course! So they were able to give us the same number only having to change the MS for RI.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

Since you can't register a boat in two different states, the law as you describe it would make it impossible for a Florida resident to keep a boat in another state that requires registration of all boats in their waters.

If this is true, what would you do if you kept the boat in two different states, each for half the year?

Say both of those states require you to register with them if it's in their state for more than 90 days. For simplicity, let's assume it's a documented boat, so there are no letters on the forward half, just the tax/registration stickers, with name and hailing port on the transom.

Wouldn't you have to register in both states?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

Since you can't register a boat in two different states, the law as you describe it would make it impossible for a Florida resident to keep a boat in another state that requires registration of all boats in their waters.

I forget what they call it but Florida used to have a special tax that was identical to registration and looked just like a registration card with all the same info...but they just didn't call it registration.

If it walks like a duck...

Some other options:
- Climax Michigan
- Hell Michigan

[altinr]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I'm trying to get a handle on what the implications of your hailing port are, in regards to a CG Documented vessel.

I live in Boston, but I am planning on mooring my future boat in RI, at least for the first season. Does that mean that I need to Document it with the hailing port as the town where it is moored? Or should I use Boston? After a season or two, I will probably keep the boat in MA, somewhere near Boston, for a while. Does that mean that if I had Documented it with a RI hailing port, I will have to update the Documentation with the new location?

Do you pay the taxes of the state of the hailing port? or just where the boat is kept?

Thanks.

Hailing port is meaningless ... owner’s choice.
It’s just a way to distinguish different boats with the same name.
Your hailng port can be Aspen CO if you like!

[guyrj33]

I suggest documenting in RI.
we purchased, paid sales tax and documented in Massachusetts.
3 years later the state DOR demanded sales tax and penalties from us.
They would not accept the non carbon copy of their own receipt as proof of payment only the original, lucky the dealer had the original.
3 years just happened to be as the statute of limitations for collecting the tax was running out.
I'm convinced the state of Massachusetts scanned all vessels documented to new owners 3 years previous and sent demand letters. Did not check their own records first.

[Waveguide]

My CG-documented hailing port is Omaha, Nebraska (that's where I'm from - plus I get a few laughs).

My boat is in a California port. My California county has had no trouble finding me for tax bills. They get their lists from the harbors. I don't have to pay California state taxes on a documented vessel.

[ScottWest]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

It is. Rye, NH was to save on lettering costs.

Shame it ain’t Rhode Island though. I’d already pictured a boat name; Wry of Rye RI

[guyrj33]

Thank you, this is really helpful, it is very close to what I am planning on trying to do. I think I'll have enough room for "Jamestown" if I stick to 4" lettering Was that attempt by the MA DoR a one time thing? Or do you have to clear it up with them every year/few years?

One time thing.