Fine for not having reg# on boat?

[markvan]

Had an interesting discussion on the weekend with some fellow boaters at the lake about the fine for not having your vessel registration numbers on your boat. <br /><br />Has anyone actually ever been fined for not having them.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

I didn't get fined, but I was stopped because ONE letter (The F at the beginning) was faded out, you could still make it out, but it was enough for the friendly local FWC to stop me and give a lecture. Glad I got no fine. I would not recommend cruising around without them.

 

[wildspeed]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

We have so much agency on the water around here that i will not even think about not to have the numbers, even a canoe with an electric motor need to be register.

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Interesting because my number was wrong from day one. The original registration has the wrong classification for my propulsion rating. The my number is for an inboard and I have an I/O. A real strict ranger might have a problem or think I pulled the numbers. I was thinking of having it corrected but probably not worth the trouble, unless it causes me some one day. Studly...your faded "F" gives me pause!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

It's like having a Tail Light Out on your Car,...........<br /><br />It's a Reason to be Pulled Over,... Or Boarded,....<br />And,..... That Usually results in a Bad Day of Boating.........<br /><br />For that matter,.... How Far would you drive your car Without Plates,..???....

 

[Realgun]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

It there for a reason. You have to be able to notify the ranger of the number on the boat if they do something stupid. Or if you do something stupid I hope you have your number displayed.

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Damn seem like you guys have it very tough there in the USA, some of the cars here doesn't even have windows never mind any tail lights ..... they are quite strict about boat licences here, but here you can easily fake them as the numbers the goverment supply looks like it was printed on these cheap home desktop printers ... never the less check up on the numbers if you are just taking a nice cruise, they are more strict with fishing boats etc. On the inland waters you don't need any licences ....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

just had to register a 10.5 ft inflatable, basically a toy because i have a 2.5 hp on it. it has to meet all the USCG regs. in the past i have also gotten a $50.00 ticket for not having the registration papers on board. was moving my deceased brothers sailboat from one marina to another, was running under power, 6hp honda oil injected, ran out of oil, as i was putting oil in motor, FWC pulls up. registration was 3 days out of date, result $150.00. no sypathy.

 

[markvan]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

well they are not very strick about it in Canada, or at least in Alberta. A few years back I had my old boat repainted and the numbers were never put back on, I was checked on the water a few times and never once was it brought up. I would guess about 25% of the boats I see here are either missing numbers, don't have them, or the numbers are so faded you can't see them anyways. <br /><br />Does anyone know what the actual fine is?

 

[markvan]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

I always have my papers on board - not sure if that makes a difference. When I buy a vehicle there is a place on it to put the license plate.

 

[McPhee]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

In Colorado, not only do we have to have the numbers on both sides of the bow but also we must have a copy of the CO Boat Registration certificate as owener or operator of the boat. I keep mine in my wallet, which I keep with me or in the glove box in the boat.<br /><br />McPhee

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

New York wrote the book on revenue generation by whatever means possible. You can bet you will get a ticket if you don't have your registration slip and numbers properly displayed in the proper location on the boat!

 

[markvan]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Someone told me the problem with the boat reg and having the numbers displayed is that it is enforced in canada by the RCMP and coast guard only and that the fish cops can't ticket you for it.....last time i saw the RCMP on the lake i fish at was when they were using their boat to fish themselves, the odds of seeing the coast guard on a lake in Alberta would be slim to none.

 

[anyfishlldo]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

I was let slide the first year I bought my current boat, I explained that I bought it used, with different reg #'s and had ordered new #'s for it and that the yearly tag was still being mailed to me (although I did have the temp paper tag in my pocket). Showed him the paper reg. and he was fine. I think the newer, larger and more apparently seaworthy the boat is the less they care though.<br />In previous years I was stopped by a ranger on the same lake regarding the (somewhat) faded #'s on my 12 ft aluminum boat twice.<br />Before that I was informed that I could not put a 8 ft inflatable on the lake without putting ownership info on the side either, and the jerk sat there and watched me inflate the whole damn boat by hand and waited to tell me to essentially go home until it was full and I was putting it in the water.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Hey Walleye<br /><br />Isn't Alberta landlocked? I guess you really are lost!<br /><br />I've heard rumours that federal fisheries will fine you for no registration numbers. But thats just a rumour and we all know how accurate they are!

 

[markvan]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Mike - yes it is landlocked thats why I said it would be "slim to none"...I guess more like none. Do you happen to know how much the fine is?

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Walleye, we fish in Canadian waters a lot in both the Niagara River and the St Lawrence. In Ontario the OPP ( Ontario Provincial Police) can and will board boats and check for safety equipment, alcohol, fishing licenses and so on. I was boarded last year in the St Lawrence and both Officers were most respectful and professional but they gave us a complete check right down to sniffing our coffee to see if it had booze in it! They checked my registration so I would certainly think if I would have been in violation they could have ticketed me.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Sorry Walleye, I was refering to your profile where it says you are "lost at sea".<br /><br />I don't know what the fine is but I have a friend who is a Fisheries Officer and I will try to remember to ask him a bout this the next time I see him.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Here is an excerpt from the MTC website in Canada<br />they were the first ones in Canada to be accredited by the Canadian Coast Guard for the operator card and here is a link to their site to read more. MTC <br /><br /> Licence numbers marked incorrectly; Unlicenced boat $55 Speeding $100 <br />When fuelling, failure to: use funnel, close doors or ports, switch off electricals $105 <br />Not enough flares, oars, paddles, anchor $155 <br />Competency requirements (license) $100-250 <br />Age/horsepower restrictions $250 <br />Missing bailer or manual pump (boat not over 5.5m) $200.00 <br />Not enough PFDs, lifejackets, bailer, manual pump, fire extinguishers $205 <br />Careless operation $200 <br />Failure to switch off electrical equipment when refuelling: $200.00<br /><br />For a complete list of fines, call the Canadian Coast Guard Hotline at 1-800-267-6687.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Fine for not having reg# on boat?

Originally posted by rottenray6402:<br /> New York wrote the book on revenue generation by whatever means possible. You can bet you will get a ticket if you don't have your registration slip and numbers properly displayed in the proper location on the boat!

I second that. Best to go by regulation, if they can make any money off you, they will.