Documentation Number Location

T

Type-A

Member
exMember
Joined
Nov 14, 2006
RO Number
24241
Messages
363
My boat HAD to be documented so I need to put the Documentation numbers somewhere on the "inside" of my boat. Anyone that has had to do this, can you tell me where you put yours and how?

BTW, I think that it's a bunch of BS that I had to do this on a boat that has a LOA of 29' and was purchased from my boss (who bought it new). [:-headache]

Thanks,
Russ
 
Most boat I have seen had the numbers on a stringer in the bildge
 
Traditionally the numbers "permanently affixed" somewhere in the engine room. Have the numbers engraved on a brass plate, attach the plate to the inside bulkhead; then epoxy about 15 layers over the plate and overlapping to the wall's surface. That will satisfy the requirement.
 
If you want to spend a lot of money, you can engrave your number on a brass plate, just to have it hidden in the engine room.
Or, you can get some stick on numbers and put them on a stringer or bulkhead and then put several coats of clear epoxy on them.
Mine are etched into a piece of wood that is epoxied on a stringer.
 
I bought the black letters/numbers you can use for your hull id #'s and I found a flat verticle spot in the engine room, applied them and then painted over area with some West epoxy to seal them onto the boat. Stringers are a good place, so are the firewalls or any other plywood spot.

Jonathan
 
Most lenders today require the boat to be documented, if they feel the loan amount to be significant. Our precut vinyl numbers are applied to the hull's gelcoat, inside the bow chain locker. The numbers were then sealed with several coats of clear epoxy (West System) - making it permanent.
 
Mine are stenciled on with black paint and clear-epoxied over and are on a dry area inside the shower drain compartment under the cabin sole. They are supposed to be hidden from view and not be removable.
 
mine isnt in the ER but in the anchor locker, agaisnt the hull. it's a piece of wood, with the numbers cut with a jigsaw and epoxied to the hull...

what's the big deal about documentation ? cheap, doesn't cost a dime to renew, no need to display state nr, just the sticker.
 
I'm same as Ron stenciled and epoxied. If someone is to remove them, there should be noticable damage!! We are on one of the stringers in engine rm.
 
In WI it's kind of a PITA because there aren't many here. Infact last year when I got my boat inspected by the Power Squadron, I was the first boat that they had to do. I had talked to the guy ahead of time so he had to do some research before doing the inspection.

Needless to say, the "local" boat patrols and Power Squadron aren't familiar so you have to "educate" them if you get pulled over for a random inspection. In WI, if your boat is documented you can have the WS (WI DNR numbers) and the registration sticker on the bow just like an undocumented boat OR you can go without the WS numbers and just have the 2 registration stickers on the Transom. Because of the lack of knowledge by the "local authorities", I have our boat set up with the WS numbers and the Registration stickers on the bow. I've got nothing to hide so it isn't a big deal to get inspected. My buddy runs the boat patrol so any time I learn something, I get a hard copy to prove it and then he passes it onto his boat guys.

True it doesn't cost a dime to renew but when I purchased the boat, it was an addtional $400 to the closing cost of the loan that we weren't expecting, BUT if we were able to pay cash, we wouldn't need it.

quote:
Originally posted by PascalG

what's the big deal about documentation ? cheap, doesn't cost a dime to renew, no need to display state nr, just the sticker.

Thanks for the tips guys!

Click to expand...
 
You are not permitted to have state registration #s displayed on your hull if your vessel is documented. It is permisable to display the state registration sticker if (may be mandatory in your state) your state requires state registration of documented vessels. You should remove the #s to be in compliance with federal regulations. By the way, you could have documented the boat yourself and saved yourself about $250.
Greg
 
yep, federal regs specifically prohibit displaying state nrs, only the sticker.

you also must have the name and port on the transom and make sure no dinghy is in the way...
 
Here lies the confusion to this mess.....here's a quote from the 2006 WI DNR Boating Regulations:

"Federally documented boats must be registered in the State of Wisconsin unless they are exempted by law. They shall also display the registration year decal buy shall not display a Wisconsin registration number unless the decal is not displayed by the documented name. Then the number and decal shall be displayed as shown on page 12."

Page 12 describes how and where to put the registration number and sticker on the bow.

Now if I could find out if my boat would be "exempted by law." Then I could remove the numbers and stickers off of the bow and put the stickers on the transom next to my boat name.
 
Not sure about WI, but here is the deal in CT. Once you get the documentation certificate you have to go to the DMV. They issue a new CT registration with the US documentation number in place of the old CT number. They also give you a different colored state sticker. In CT the sticker must be somewhere on the forward half of the boat. Most people put them on the side windows, some put them on the bow pulpit. Again, WI may be different, but it's worth a call to the right department.
 
I was wondering if there was an exception, because most documented boats I know of in Michigan display registation numbers on their bows. Canadian Customs uses our state registration numbers as a point of reference, so having no numbers displayed on the hull can be an "inconvenience."

The other thing I've noticed is that a documented boat w/o registration numbers usually has the name on both sides AND the stern.
 
You need to bring the federal regulations to someones attention in your state. You are violating the federal regulations. Federal law always trumps state law (I think)! Read your documentation instructions, it's spelled out clearly. From what I read above, if you display the state decal only and are documented, you are in compliance with both state and federal regulations. I don't know where that other confusing instruction to display the #s came from.

SLW as above, not permitted to display state registration #s on any documented vessel even if more convenient to do so. The only requirement for name is the size of the letters. This can be on the topsides or transom, up to you. I believe the hailing port can only be located on the transom though.
Greg
Greg
 
Here's what I got from the Power Squadron (unfortunately, there isn't any header or footer to the page to say what original document it came from):

" - Documented vessels must measure at least five net tons. The documentation of vessels is a function of the Coast Guard. A vessel of five net tons or more, used exclusively for pleasure, may be documented by the Coast Guard or registered with the state of principal operation, at the option of the owner. Some states require documented vessels to also display a state registration decal."

So you can see that between the USCG info and the State of WI there is conflicting information - leaving the boat owner not knowing what to do.

BTW, my cruiser has a dry weight of 6800 #s so I don't know how they say that I need to be documented - based on the "5 net tons" that they stated.

If nothing else, this gives us something to do while the lakes are iced over in the upper part of the US. LOL
 
The 5 net ton measure for documentation is not weight, it's displacement. It is the length X width X depth (usually gunwhale to keel) X a constant = net tonnage. Most 25 ft cruisers will measure out at least 5 net tons. It's a common misconception that it's weight. The Coast Guard didn't say you neededd to be documented, probably your lender did. Marine lenders often require documentation of a vessel as a condition of securing the loan. As said above, it's your option but if the lender requires it, you have no option.
Greg
 
The net tons is VOLUME not dry weight. I have a 26' catamaran that is mostly air between the hulls and still qualified because of the floatation design. And believe me I tried to get out of it.
 
Greg,

This is from the Coast Guard's website:

"...all documented vessels must comply with the laws of the state in which they are operated. The vessel's document must be shown to state law enforcement personnel upon their demand. States may require documented vessels to be registered (but not numbered) and to display state decals showing that they have complied with state requirements."

That implies that Fed law doesn't trump state law, but the registration reference is still a little ambiguous. It could be argued that they're saying that states cannot REQUIRE their registration numbers to be displayed. I couldn't find a reference to the prohibition of them. (but I'm not saying it isn't out there somewhere)

so I'm still confused...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top