Re: Register Dinghy
MOST states require a separate registration for any boat with a motor even if it's an auxilliary motor. Many states exempt any boat that does not have any means of mechanical propulsion such as row boats or sailboats with no aux engine.
The federal "tender" rule only applies to "documented vessels" I would guess that not many of us on this board own a vessel that would qualify for "documentation" under federal law. Most states DO recognize the federal documentation but do not recognize the tender exemption unless it's already exempt under state law. All foreign contries that I ever visited afloat are bound by treaty to recongnize it...
State's rights don't cha know! The right to get their fair share of your money in taxes......errrr I mean "fees" LOL
This I understand. But if it's a tender to a documented vessel, is it OK to run with no numbers at all? I know that in NY, if the dink isn't motorized, I don't need NY numbers. However, I was told that I could get by, by adding a "T" after the mother vessel's number on the tender if it has an under-10 hp aux.
I think the original federal law called for a suffix of "1" after the numbers. Another good question would be that if it needs a suffix, would you use the Documentation number, or the NY number? In NY, you don't have to display the state number on the mother vessel if it's documented, though you do need to pay the 3-year registration fee (the state getting its pound of tax) and they give you a card with the NY numbers on it -- even though you are not forced to display them on the mother vessel.
Maybe something like NY 7251 BX -T would be appropriate for the dink...
Asking the NYS DMV is a problem, since the clerks are geared toward land vehicles. They just assume that any "boat" registration is for a 30-foot ski boat that needs numbers. The clerks really don't know their own rules, and certainly don't understand federal maritime law.
