Documentation question?

D

Dive1

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2009
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31856
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So I bought a boat that has been documented for the last two owners. Problem...I cannot find (and no one else has)the documented numbers that are supposed to be attached to the hull. We live in an area where the Coast Guard has a training issue and loves to board boats on a regular basis.(My friend has been boarded 4 times in 8 months on the way to San Francisco.) What is the cheapest way to comply with the reg's? I was going to get 3" wood letters, paint them black and glass them to the hull, any other ideas?
Dave
Discovery Bay, Ca
 
From the USCG site:

The official number assigned to documented vessels, preceded by the abbreviation "NO." must be marked in block-type Arabic numerals at least three inches high on some clearly visible interior structural part of the hull. The number must be permanently affixed so that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious and cause some scarring or damage to the surrounding hull area.

The name and hailing port of a recreational vessel must be marked together on some clearly visible exterior part of the hull. The vessel name of a commercial vessel must also be marked on the port and starboard bow and the vessel name and the hailing port must also be marked on the stern. All markings may be made by any means and materials that result in durable markings and must be at least four inches in height, made in clearly legible letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals. The "hailing port" must include both a place and a State, Territory, or possession of in the United States. The state may be abbreviated.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/nvdcfaq.asp#15
 
I used black vinyl numbers and covered with clear resin. Cheapest thing would be to paint them on with a stencil. Maybe the prior owners never placed the numbers?
 
Many boats have the numbers somewhere in the bilge. Anyway you can get in touch with the previous owner to ask?
You don't even need wood letters. You can use cheap vinyl numbers and epoxy over them.
 
I have checked every possible place, bildge's,etc. to no luck. The previous owner said he had never seen them and didn't worry about them.( The boat was in the Seattle area) Right now I have black letters on a board screwed to the hull. Maybe I will just cover with resin and glass the edges. The CC training and boarding (as one boarder said "nothing better to do") is out here is out of hand but I want to comply with the regs.
Dave
 
mines are in the anchor locker... vinyl numbers with a layer of glass on top. if you already have the number on a board screwed to the hull, just put a layer of mat with resin over the board extending on the hull which will also make it permanent and legal.

5 minute job...
 
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