Documented vessels and their dinghys

[Nicholson58]

In Michigan, it can be TT if only used to move crew & supplies. Problem is that the usual Sherriff patrols don't know this. It only costs about 15 boat bucks for a 3-year registration here for a dinghy. Hardly worth the discussion.

Also, I hesitate to lable my dinghy with my yacht name to let the nefarious know we are not aboard.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

It only costs about 15 boat bucks for a 3-year registration.

15 boat bucks to me means $15,000!!!

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

15 boat bucks to me means $15,000!!!

sorry - real bucks.

[jerry arrigoni]

It was the early '90s and I was preparing to head south. My boat was documented but the local sheriff's dept. kept harassing me about Calif. registration for my dingy. I went the whole route through the sheriff's dept, Coast Guard, and DMV. It was obvious that none of them had been speaking with the other. DMV said that if it were a powered vessel over 8 feet in length, it needed to be registered with the them. Coast Guard said that if it were a properly marked tender then no registration with the State was required. I then brought what I had found to the attention of the local Sheriff's Patrol Boat. They just smiled , winked and drove off. And shortly there-after I headed south. I never went back and through many years in the Pacific I never had another problem with my dingy registration.
Many international cargo ships have launch-able gigs or lite-boats to ferry the captain and crew from anchor to shore for customs and immigration clearance, and just plain crew changes. These tenders are marked appropriately as tenders to the documented mothership. Just how do the guys at the DMV handle something like that?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jerry.

[Kettlewell]

It's not worth the hassle not to state register your dinghy somewhere unless it is legal in your state and you never leave your state. In most states here on the East Coast registration is required if the dinghy is powered, but is not if there is no motor. Some states are more hyper about enforcing this than others, but better to be safe than sorry if you do any traveling.

[lannen]

Originally Posted by MasterMariner

Call it a life boat? No registration req.

Here in Florida if you do that, and you're riding your life boat to the dock for dinner and drinks- and your big boat is not sinking in the bay-

Be prepare to pay the fine.

(Unless your dink is human or wind powered and under 16')

[Vasco]

A bit off topic but once when I went through the NY State canal system the lock keeper told me to take the motor off the dink I was towing or he would have to charge me for another motor powered vessel. I took the motor off and stowed it in the dink. Other times I've gone through with the motor on the dink but technically the guy who told me to take it off was correct.

In Canada all dinks 10hp and over have to be licensed, hence the proliferation of 9.9 hp. powered dinks. AFAIK (haven't licensed one in a long time) there is no fee. All boats here seem to fall under Federal jurisdiction. No Provincial involvement at all.

[boatpoker]

Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations

Chapter 123-1201 An undocumented vessel with propulsion machinery of any kind shall have a number issued by the proper issuing authority in the State in which the vessel is principally operated.

Subpart B - Numbering 173.11 - This subpart applies to each vessel equipped with propulsion machinery of any type used on waters subject to jurisdiction of the United States and on the high seas beyond the territorial seas for vessels owned in the United States
a) except Ships lifeboats.

173.13 EXemptions - Where the Coast Guard issues numbers, the following classes of vessels are exempte, under section 19(a) of the Act from numbering provisions of the Act and this part :
a. Vessels used exclusively for racing
b. A vessel equipped with propulsion machinery of less than 10hp that :
1.) Is owned by the owner of a vessel for which a valid certificate of number has been issued.
2.) Displays the number of that numbered vessel followed by the suffix "1" in the manner prescribed in section 173.27.
3.) Is used as a tender for direct transportation between that vessel and the shore and for no other purpose.

I'd type more but it just gets confusing. As a Canadian who has accumulated years cruising in US waters I can tell you that I have never met a state or local police force, customs officer or border patrol officer that knew anything about US Federal law on boating matters.

[bobconnie]

If your dink is oar or wind powerd, it can be used without state lic.if your vessel is Fed. Doc. At least it's always been that way for us !! If ya are gonna use a engine even a electric one ya need to state reg. it !! Thats what Ive been told for many years and have never had a problem ! ( ours had it's name painted in it Lil Bnc) Never had a problem yet??

[Kettlewell]

3.) Is used as a tender for direct transportation between that vessel and the shore and for no other purpose.

I suppose you could try to fight it out in court, but it is not worth the hassle. Besides, how many dinghies strictly meet the letter of the law you cite? The "for no other purpose" part would rule out any dinghy I have ever owned.

[lannen]

In the United States of American there is federal law which was cited above concerning the use of a tender for direct transpiration and so forth.

Yes, under federal law that is the way it is done.

However, the States can make laws which are MORE restrictive than federal law.

All of the STATES that I know of, are more restrictive, and do require registration for the dinghy if powered by other than human/sail (and with a length restriction) to be legal.

So, although you are golden federally with calling it a tender, you are still subject to the laws of the STATE you are either registered in, or sailing in.

[daddle]

Seriously? If a state requires you to register a vessel in its waters either leave the state, don't use the vessel, get the law changed .... Or simply register it. Sheesh!

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by lannen

In the United States of American there is federal law which was cited above concerning the use of a tender for direct transpiration and so forth.

Yes, under federal law that is the way it is done.

However, the States can make laws which are MORE restrictive than federal law.

All of the STATES that I know of, are more restrictive, and do require registration for the dinghy if powered by other than human/sail (and with a length restriction) to be legal.

So, although you are golden federally with calling it a tender, you are still subject to the laws of the STATE you are either registered in, or sailing in.

I am not advocating one way or the other, just stating the law. I'd suggest if you're really interested you read Title 43 (Google is your friend)which places a number of restrictions, limitations and exemptions on what the States can do above and beyond Federal law. I carry the relevant codes of all the countries in whose waters I deliver vessels just to make sure I stay within the lines.

[zeehag]

in kalifornikatia, one must register with state all motorized dinks. sorry. t/t doesnt work--state is bankrupt, both morally and financially--and i left there sans motorized dink....for this exact reason.