USCG Documentation Renewal Fee

[dpddj]

I am shocked, shocked I tell you, that anyone here would dare question the US federal government of misuse/appropriation of funds! /sarc off
I have no problem what so ever tossing some $$ the USCG way - but as others have said, it ain't goin' there.

[oldragbaggers]

Even the increased fee is relatively insignificant. You probably pay much more to register your car (which is most likely worth a lot less) in any state, and if your boat was state registered as opposed to documented you would probably pay more as well. I pay more than that in tolls to get over the friggin' Bay Bridge on any given weekend just so I can get to my boat to work on it. We are getting ripped off by our government in a million different ways, but this one doesn't merit complaint. Every summer the Coast Guard Aux sets up an inspection station by the boat launch ramp by our house. Totally voluntary inspections and giving out the inspection stickers, free of charge. If you ever need their services in an emergency all the fees you've ever paid in your whole life wouldn't begin to cover what you'd owe them, but they won't send you a bill for it.

There's plenty of things we get ripped off for to bitch about, but IMHO this isn't one of them.

[Island Time O25]

Yeah, most of us would not mind these new fees if we knew they'll be going to USCG or related services. But if anyone thinks that the Feds will stop at $26 I've got a bridge to sell ya. Just like they started with 1% income tax for 1% of the rich in 1913. And how is that working out lately?

[MNLandLoc]

It is frustrating to pay more when it seems like we might end up with less. However, I doubt the registration and license fees collected are more than a drop or two in the USCG's $10B annual budget.

[Captain Bill]

This user fee is the dumbest thing I ever heard of. The documentation certificate is simply the state equivalent of a title. It is not the same as a registration. No state requires you to pay for a new title every year. Most states require state registration of documented vessels so you have to pay the state registration fee anyway. Even federal registration of aircraft is only required every 10 years. Why should the feds need to give you a new title every year. It could easily be made a one time certificate like state titles or a multiyear thing like aircraft registration. It seems to me that they need to charge for this because of federal budget cuts, but they only need the budget because of some archaic need to have a yearly renewed title. It looks to me like government waste avoiding by any means possible being dumped in the trash.

[donradcliffe]

The fact that the CG makes you renew the document every year is a much bigger PITA than the fee. I think that the Brits and Oz renew every 5 years. If you ever have to get your new document to you in the third world, you will spend more than the $26.

[bletso]

What it really amounts to is we don't rate high enough in the influence peddling schemes in Washington. The yearly doc never made sense, especially after they stopped issuing stickers and replaced the whole document each year! I wonder which paper supplier made out on that one?

You can be guaranteed that the fees will go into the general government slush fund and won't benefit either the USCG or boaters in general. Most states on the other hand seem to manage their boating, hunting and fishing licensing fees much better.

[a64pilot]

It's just another tax guys, insignificant? Maybe, until you add it all up, that is not insignificant

[jcapo]

Maybe the CG will move into the 21st century and develop an online renewal system.

[1affiah]

So go online, download the proper application, and mail the renewal before the fee comes into effect. That way you beat them out of almost 1 yr of fees.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by CLady

Caught in a full gale for a few days last month coming back from Hawaii I was comforted by the thought of our competent Coasties in case I needed them. I make my donation to their foundation every year and really look forward to their "Proceedings" publication in the mail. Border Protection of Homeland Security gets their annual sticker fee for customs. I've been really relieved to see the Coasties off Central and South America as well.

A Fantastic read... I highly recommend a looksie for all sailors...

Originally Posted by Old Snipe

Considering what the Coast Guard does for us, it is money well spent. I worked around many "coasties" that were injured helping boaters. They are also taking huge budget cuts while trying to keep the operational support going strong. Quite a few of my neighbors are "coasties". I golf with them, BBQ with them, and see what they have to deal with every day. They are at the bottom of the barrel when the goverment decides who gets what.

+1 Snipester...

Originally Posted by Old Snipe

It probably doesn't. You know how the Fed works. A owner operator trucker paying "heavy use" taxes ends up supporting EBT cards, instead of highways.

And the EBT cards are then used at the local liquor store...

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by JTSmith

Aside from the gnawing suspicion we all have that the fee doesn't go to the Coast Guard directly and likely gets funneled into the checking account of federal mismanagement, I tend to think that throwing even a fifty dollar bone to the organization that provides us the protection at sea we get from the Coast Guard would be a small price to pay.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Does that mean that owners of undocumented vessels should expect to receive different/lesser treatment?

If the Fed can use the CG as a tool to extract money for the general fund, whats to stop them from charging for EVERYTHING by way of every agency? Once you are ready to accept a fee as normal, why not 2X or 5X? Where is the accountability? Once an annual fee can be realized, what is the chance that the annual title renewal will ever be mitigated to every other year? Every 5 years? Once per boat ownership exchange? I only get one title EVER for my car or even my state registered boat. Why do we have to have the title renewed annually? - AND how much should it really cost to go on line and check "NO CHANGE"?

How about a little critical thinking folks. This is nothing but a pocket dip, especially at the rate contemplated, and especially considering that the CG will get NOTHING as the fee goes to the Gen Fund. Will this count on my schedule A deductions?

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Old Snipe

Considering what the Coast Guard does for us, it is money well spent. I worked around many "coasties" that were injured helping boaters. They are also taking huge budget cuts while trying to keep the operational support going strong. Quite a few of my neighbors are "coasties". I golf with them, BBQ with them, and see what they have to deal with every day. They are at the bottom of the barrel when the goverment decides who gets what.

Originally Posted by oldragbaggers

They could quadruple it and I wouldn't squawk. Worth every penny.

CG groupies?

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

This user fee is the dumbest thing I ever heard of. The documentation certificate is simply the state equivalent of a title. It is not the same as a registration. No state requires you to pay for a new title every year. Most states require state registration of documented vessels so you have to pay the state registration fee anyway. Even federal registration of aircraft is only required every 10 years. Why should the feds need to give you a new title every year. It could easily be made a one time certificate like state titles or a multiyear thing like aircraft registration. It seems to me that they need to charge for this because of federal budget cuts, but they only need the budget because of some archaic need to have a yearly renewed title. It looks to me like government waste avoiding by any means possible being dumped in the trash.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

It's just another tax guys, insignificant? Maybe, until you add it all up, that is not insignificant

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Lest we all forget. We paid a hefty one-time up front fee to document. For that consideration, they may commandeer our vessels into Federal service. Every tax payer pays for the CG. and every other federal agency. Why do you need to send in a paper sheet for some midshipman to punch? Why is this not a simple click on the data entry, "no changes"? Documentation is nothing but the equivalent of an auto TITLE. I only ever get one title for a car. Don't lightly accept another tax on services they require you have and for which you already pay. If the cost is 'too high' why do they insist we do it annually? I only renew my driver's license every four years; my car plates every 6; my various trailers only once-ever; my passport every 10. DO we pay a user fee to drive on the Federal Interstates? Do we get a personal bill from the army for defending us? Hold their feet to the fire and make them stay within their charter. Government is not a fee-for-service organization.

This.

Every citizen pays for the Coast Guard--not just those of us with documented vessels. We are taxed to death. And we don't need no steenking badges.

[moonsnail]

Captain Bill has it right. User fees were Reagan's biggest con of the ignorant public.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Old Snipe]

Terra Nova - No not a groupie, more like family. I've had CG families living all around me in my for the past 26 years. My cousin retired from the CG a few years ago. My brother spent 4 years back in the 90's. I still have 7-8 CG families close by. We have all watched each other kids grow up. I have been a guest at most of the stations, and have been on board many of the patrol craft. About 65% of my neighborhood is military (CG NAVY USMC)..... active and retired.

If any service deserves credit for stretching funding to meet their commitments, it is certainly the CG. I get a up close view of what they do every day. They have to beg, borrow, and steal to get by. The USMC would be a close 2nd. My career was a joy ride compared to what they go through.

I hate excessive taxation as much as the next guy, don't we all?