Dinghy registration???

[hellosailor]

billy-
As others have said, in the US, IT ALL DEPENDS ON STATE LAW. Documentation and documentation laws have nothing to do with state registration requirements and state motor vehicle laws. Anything you've got with a motor on it, is a motor vehicle and subject to state motor vehicle laws in almost all states.

In Florida, your dink would require registration. In some other states--it would not. Overseas, again, everything changes with where you are but as long as you are a transient and visitor, you will only be expected to meet the laws of your home flag.

Check your home state laws--and comply with them. And remember that if you are in some other state for as little as 30 days--the laws of THAT state may take precedence. (i.e. if your home state doesn't require dink registration, but you summer in Florida--you'll have to register the dink regardless.)

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by jgeissinger

In California every vessel with a motor, regardless of length, and every sailboat over 8 feet has to be registered. Boats only using oars or paddles are exempted, as are boats used for racing only.

DMV has to know about the vessel in California, but if it is a USCG Documented vessel it will not be issued a state tag or be charged state registration fees, but will pay a yearly fee to the USCG. I know this to be true, because my boat is a USCG Documented vessel...but I think a dingy would be a state issue.

[JiffyLube]

This is just a side question regarding California registration. Registration numbers start with the letters CF...what does the CF stand for?

[billyruffn]

Valiente wrote:
"I do know one thing: putting "T/T Your Boat's Name" on the bow of the inflatable or dinghy might help you identify it in a row of beached tenders, but it also tells potential thieves that you are not currently aboard the main boat."
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We started our our Caribbean sojourn w/ the dinghy marked as t/t Billy Ruff'n, but we quickly changed it to t/t 1088416 for the reasons you outlined.

Based on the input above, I guess I should add a "1" to the number.

[billyruffn]

Jiffy, I think CF stands for CaliFornia.

[kjango]

Do you suppose , in this country founded out of a tax revolt , that there will soon be a tax on the wake your dingy makes ????

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by billyruffn

Jiffy, I think CF stands for CaliFornia.

That makes as much sence as anything else we've thought of! We figured the C stood for California, but couldn't figure out the F....thanks!

[capttb]

Yeah, first two letters for all states designate the state, California is CF, Washington WA, Arizona AZ.

[hellosailor]

I wonder who they reserved "CA" for. The newly re-united State of Carolina, perhaps?[g]

[speciald]

Agree that it is state dependent. As an aside, the St. Maarten Coast Guard has Begun stopping dinghys and checking for lights, anchors, life jackets in Simpson Bay Lagoon and a number of cruisers have been fined this Winter.