Dinghy for USCG reg vessel - out of country

[ohthetrees]

I've seen many times some variation of the following:

USCG Documentation of your vessel does not cover the vessel's tender or dinghy. These craft fall within the jurisdiction of the motorboat numbering laws of the state of principal use. Please contact your state agency that handles the registration or numbering of motorboats for further information

I just bought a new dinghy and engine for my USCG documented boat, but the catch is I'm in Mexico, and don't have a "state of principal use". I am cruising internationally for the foreseeable future. I will probably touch USA territories in the Caribbean next season.

Thoughts or advice?

Thanks!

[Chotu]

Where is your driver’s license from? Register it there and have them send the paperwork to the place your mail goes.

That’s the best way.

[stormalong]

Don't register it anywhere. Just put the boat's name on it. Nobody outside of the US cares and that includes USVI and Puerto Rico.

As a Washington state resident you have additional advantage because WA DNR says you don't have to register it unless you visit national parks with it. That is probably written that way due to federal regs.

I have been to 62 countries and many states and the dinghy non registration has never been questioned.


PS. From Washington DNR website:

Vessels that are less than 16 feet in length and have a motor of 10 horsepower or less and are used on non-federal waters only. All motorboats of any size or horsepower that are used on waters under federal jurisdiction must be registered.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Don't register it anywhere. Just put the boat's name on it. Nobody outside of the US cares and that includes USVI and Puerto Rico.

As a Washington state resident you have additional advantage because WA DNR says you don't have to register it unless you visit national parks with it. That is probably written that way due to federal regs.

I have been to 62 countries and many states and the dinghy non registration has never been questioned.


PS. From Washington DNR website:

Vessels that are less than 16 feet in length and have a motor of 10 horsepower or less and are used on non-federal waters only. All motorboats of any size or horsepower that are used on waters under federal jurisdiction must be registered.

PPS. Corrected based on DNR statement. Use on Federal waters requires registration. I stand by my comment that no one really cares.

[ohthetrees]

@stormalong if you managed to do that much international cruising without any trouble, I guess I'll just roll with it. Thanks guys!

[HeywoodJ]

+1 with stormalong, the only place we have needed dinghy registration is the US. It is technically required in many places, but as a tender to a foreign vessel seems to be largely ignored (YMMV).

In the whole rest of the world we've been stopped once by the water police (NZ) while in our dinghy, and all they wanted was to confirm that we had PFDs in the dinghy since we weren't wearing them (wouldn't have stopped us at had they seen us with them on).

[CarinaPDX]

When you buy the dinghy get a title from your home state but don't pay for registration. I bought my RIB in Venezuela and titled it in Oregon. Then when returning to the states all I had to do was pay for registration and put on the numbers and stickers. I would recommend putting on the registration numbers when new so only the bi-annual stickers are needed - that makes it identifiable and less attractive for thieves (who usually are only after the outboard anyway). Do not be tempted to put "Tender to XXXXX" on the dinghy: it is an advertisement for the crew being ashore.

Greg

[waterman46]

In all Central American countries customs and harbor masters don't require any paperwork relating to dinghies. Your dinghy is considered a part of your documented vessel. At least that was our experience and we visited all of them.
Prior to departing CA, we of course had the dinghy registered in CA. But we let the CA registration lapse since we were keeping the boat out of country for several years. When we re-entered the US in Florida, nobody asked anything about the dinghy. If were to use the dinghy in FL we would of course had to register it there.

[jmschmidt]

It is my understanding that the inscription "Tender to" followed by the name and USCG Documentation numbers of a US flagged Mothership will suffice anywhere in the world. I've done this for years and never had any hassle from local water cops in the US or in foreign waters. If your mothership is not USCG Documented, then local registration may be enforceable in US waters by some states, but it probably won't be a problem in foreign waters. They like your business.

[Moontide]

The "Tender To" does not work in many US states, especially California and Florida where they love to write tickets. Many other states don't care.


Legally the Tender To is not a safe haven. State regs apply for US boats, whether USCG or state registered.