Hi Folks,

Up here in Canada (at least in Ontario) boats powered under 10hp are not
required to be registered. This is the case with my 10 foot RIB and 9.9
outboard motor, which I use as a tender when sailing my big boat. No
name on the dinghy, no registration numbers.

In a trip through the eastern USA to Florida, am I likely to encounter
problems with local police or coat guard because the dinghy is
unregistered, unlicensed, etc.?

Anyone experience problems with the local authorities?

Warning and tips appreciated.

Jimmy

I bought a boat from a Canadian owner who used the same vessel ID on his
dink as was assigned to the mother ship. Don't know if it's kosher but
worked for him.


"Jimmy" wrote in message
. ..
Hi Folks,

Up here in Canada (at least in Ontario) boats powered under 10hp are not
required to be registered. This is the case with my 10 foot RIB and 9.9
outboard motor, which I use as a tender when sailing my big boat. No
name on the dinghy, no registration numbers.

In a trip through the eastern USA to Florida, am I likely to encounter
problems with local police or coat guard because the dinghy is
unregistered, unlicensed, etc.?

Anyone experience problems with the local authorities?

Warning and tips appreciated.

Jimmy

In the US, if your boat is USCG documented and the dinghy engine is 10
HP or less, you can put your documentation number plus "-1", ie
123456-1. You can only use the dinghy as a "tender", joy riding is
out. I did that for a couple years with no problems, even doing a bit
of joy riding. This in LA, MS, AL and FL. Last year I state registered
the dinghy becase I started throwing it in the pickup and exploring
some lakes and bayous.

Rick


On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 13:04:55 -0700, "jps" wrote:

I bought a boat from a Canadian owner who used the same vessel ID on his
dink as was assigned to the mother ship. Don't know if it's kosher but
worked for him.



In a trip through the eastern USA to Florida, am I likely to encounter
problems with local police or coat guard because the dinghy is
unregistered, unlicensed, etc.?

Anyone experience problems with the local authorities?

Warning and tips appreciated.

Jimmy





S/V Final Step
http://www.morelr.com/coronado/

Hi Jimmy,
I am a canuck who had his sailboat in Seattle and took a trip in my
dinghy up through the locks into Lake
Union. I was accosted by two incredibly rude Harbour cops who hassled
me big time over no registration
numbers on my boat and the fact I was a foreigner didn't make any
difference to them in the slightest.
You can't go anywhere other that from your boat to shore by the shortest
possible route in an unregistered
dinghy. That was about 10 years ago and I haven't been back and have
no plans to ever go again.
That country is simply not worth the hassle between the border guards,
coasties and harbour police. If you
really want a treat.... go to San Diego and try anchoring. Harbour
Nazi's decend on you in droves.
Good luck going south but myself and many others won't ever go south
again. Hope this helps.
cheers John

Jimmy wrote:

Hi Folks,

Up here in Canada (at least in Ontario) boats powered under 10hp are
not required to be registered. This is the case with my 10 foot RIB
and 9.9 outboard motor, which I use as a tender when sailing my big
boat. No name on the dinghy, no registration numbers.

In a trip through the eastern USA to Florida, am I likely to encounter
problems with local police or coat guard because the dinghy is
unregistered, unlicensed, etc.?

Anyone experience problems with the local authorities?

Warning and tips appreciated.

Jimmy

Well John, truth be told my experience in the USA has been markedly
simliar to yours, and many of the folks I know report similarly. I
intend to get through the USA as quickly as I possibly can and move on.
Cheerful banana republics are FAR more hospitable than most places in
the USA, thanks to the egocentric gestapo like tactics we (and a lot of
my friends and neighbours) have encountered in America.

Local bubba cops who believe that they are the "utlimate authority" when
in reality they are too ignorant to even know that they are ignorant.
I've been ORDERED to do stupid things by these anal orifices (like
extinguish an anchor light while anchored so that I don't confuse
people!!) once too often. Hence the reason for my post. It may be a
futile effort but attempting to avoid the dickheads is my aim. Fat
chance..too many of them. SO different to cruising in Canada.

Gotta wonder where the "Land of the Free" idea came from...or where it
went huh? And now the "patriot act". Nothing beats taking away freedom
and calling it patriotic! ~laughing and if you argue, you're (gasp)
unpatriotic. Man, they have the whole country by the balls.

Now watch all the antics as Americans attempt to defend their fictious
belief in their non-existing freedom. Folks, before you react foolishly,
recognise a couple of things:

1) It's true and you know it.
2) It's YOUR country and YOUR government. Only YOU can do something
about it.

Bitching at me will have no impact on YOUR mess. It'll just make you
feel vaguely better.

So don't worry, this Canuck will race through your country so fast you
won't even know (or care) that I was there. Suits me to a tee too.


John wrote:

Hi Jimmy,
I am a canuck who had his sailboat in Seattle and took a trip in my
dinghy up through the locks into Lake
Union. I was accosted by two incredibly rude Harbour cops who hassled
me big time over no registration
numbers on my boat and the fact I was a foreigner didn't make any
difference to them in the slightest.
You can't go anywhere other that from your boat to shore by the shortest
possible route in an unregistered
dinghy. That was about 10 years ago and I haven't been back and have
no plans to ever go again.
That country is simply not worth the hassle between the border guards,
coasties and harbour police. If you
really want a treat.... go to San Diego and try anchoring. Harbour
Nazi's decend on you in droves.
Good luck going south but myself and many others won't ever go south
again. Hope this helps.
cheers John

Jimmy wrote:

Hi Folks,

Up here in Canada (at least in Ontario) boats powered under 10hp are
not required to be registered. This is the case with my 10 foot RIB
and 9.9 outboard motor, which I use as a tender when sailing my big
boat. No name on the dinghy, no registration numbers.

In a trip through the eastern USA to Florida, am I likely to encounter
problems with local police or coat guard because the dinghy is
unregistered, unlicensed, etc.?

Anyone experience problems with the local authorities?

Warning and tips appreciated.

Jimmy

Jimmy wrote:
Hi Folks,

Up here in Canada (at least in Ontario) boats powered under 10hp are not
required to be registered. This is the case with my 10 foot RIB and 9.9
outboard motor, which I use as a tender when sailing my big boat. No
name on the dinghy, no registration numbers.

In a trip through the eastern USA to Florida, am I likely to encounter
problems with local police or coat guard because the dinghy is
unregistered, unlicensed, etc.?

Anyone experience problems with the local authorities?

Warning and tips appreciated.

Jimmy

In Washington State, a small boat with a low-powered engine which is used
exclusively as a tender for a yacht is allowed without separate registration. In
this state, the name of the yacht is used as, or included in, a name painted on
the dinghy where it is visible when the dinghy is in the water.

We are "Vala" and that's the name on the dinghy. Another guy's boat is "Zia"
and he labeled his dinghy "Zia's". An old guy some time ago had a boat named
"Nimbus" and he called his dinghy "Squally" and I guess got away with it.

But I stress that this is only good going from the boat to shore (officially).
I've not heard of anyone being hassled putting out crab pots or providing diver
service or exploring a harbor. But if you get caught taking your boat through
the locks (see below - what was he thinking?) then it is a separate motorcraft
and needs to be licensed separately.

John I've got to reply to a few points, which I hope you'll accept in the spirit
offered.

John wrote:

Hi Jimmy,
I am a canuck who had his sailboat in Seattle and took a trip in my
dinghy up through the locks into Lake
Union. I was accosted by two incredibly rude Harbour cops

Sorry about those guys. Prickly as Hell.

who hassled
me big time over no registration
numbers on my boat and the fact I was a foreigner didn't make any
difference to them in the slightest.

As it shouldn't, right? Putting aside the interpersonal difficulties, you
*were* driving an unregistered boat through the locks. No case could be made
that the boat was performing as a tender. Can't agree with you on that one - it
was pretty blatant.

I can't imagine some American being smiled at and given a 'tsk tsk' for being a
mile into WG when it's active, can you? OK, not completely comparable, but
rules and laws about these things in the US aren't created to hassle Canadians,
of all people.

You can't go anywhere other that from your boat to shore by the shortest
possible route in an unregistered
dinghy.

Not strictly true, at least here in WA. We can do the odd setting of crab pots
and exploring a harbor. I suppose that the law may be as you state it, but I've
never heard of being hassled for that 'near boat' stuff.

That was about 10 years ago and I haven't been back and have
no plans to ever go again.
That country is simply not worth the hassle between the border guards,
coasties and harbour police.

If you
really want a treat.... go to San Diego and try anchoring. Harbour
Nazi's decend on you in droves.

Large cities tend to be that way. San Diego has had a horrible problem with
anchored boats and they have been aggressive in trying to keep it under control.
One can't anchor 'just anywhere', for a variety of very good reasons. But
San Diego doesn't have exclusive hold on 'harbor nazi-ism'.

Two years ago a friend who spends a lot of time anchored in French Creek
(Vancouver, CA for your easterners) was busted big time, hassled for hours, made
him report here and there, and fined in the hundreds for "Trespassing", which is
the charge they laid when he overstayed an hour or so at a moorage on Granville
Island. He admitted his error, but felt the reaction and treatment were out of
line. Frankly I couldn't believe he was talking about Canada. But cities are
strange animals.

But did you check any source, whatever, to determine where you might anchor? If
not, why not? You certainly can't drop into Vancouver Harbour or Victoria and
anchor anywhere. Or Esquimault, which begins to compare to San Diego with its
huge and varied Navy presence, right?

One of the most valid criticisms of Americans I hear from my Canadian friends is
that some of them, sometimes, act as though 'Canada were just another state' and
fail to recognize that it is a sovereign nation. That's a fair judgement and
embarrassing to us who do know and respect the distinction.

But, reading your message, I wonder if perhaps you didn't act a little bit that
way even if, on reflection, you knew better.



Good luck going south but myself and many others won't ever go south
again. Hope this helps.
cheers John

Subject: Dinghy registration
From: Jimmy



So don't worry, this Canuck will race through your country so fast you
won't even know (or care) that I was there. Suits me to a tee too.


While I may agree with some of what you have said, my reply is this:

Your money ain't worth squat and you're loosy tippers, "and many of the folks I
know report similarly", took the words right out of my mouth.
So please race on through to the "banana republics" that have yet to fugure out
your money ain't worth squat.

Not to mention the fact that you sound like an arrogant, condescending,
asshole.
And, as you have point out, we have plenty of those of our own. :-)

"Bitching at me will have no impact on YOUR mess. It'll just make you
feel vaguely better."

Much, actually.

Capt. Bill

Hi Chuck,
You make some very good points. I agree that one should know the
laws of a country you are visiting as
a foreign yacht. I come from a country where I am not required to
register any vessel under 10 horsepower.
Even if I have a 40 foot boat, as long as it has under 10 hp..........
no registration or licensing of any kind is
required. I saw nothing wrong taking my dinghy through the locks and
was having a great day until
two bully's came along and were so incredibly rude that I could not
believe they were real "peace officers".
I was abiding by all the rules of my foreign country and it didn't even
cross my mind that what I was doing
was illegal. You know, there are just too many laws. My huge
complaint was the attitude of the officers.
I am smart enough not to antagonize most officers but these two were so
bad I asked them to take me to
their leader. I also requested that I speak to the Canadian Consulate
office in Seattle to get this matter
settled. They let me go. Just as well.... I was really
drunk...(kidding....)

Your law enforcement system in the U.S. needs some serious attention
before it is too late to stop it.
I have seen the U.S. coasties board pretty much every vessel in
Bellingham Bay on a Sunday afternoon.
I have also seen them board almost every boat that left Friday Harbour
Wa. on a Sunday afternoon.
This is well before 9/11 so I can't even imagine what life is like down
there now for boaters. I'll never know
personally. I have been boarded by the US coast guard numerous times
and the black marks they left on
my deck are still visible. I mentioned to them at the time that I
would never let anyone on board my vessel
with boots like that. I wasn't rude but just stating a fact. It is a
subtle form of bullying but........

Chuck.... I have to ask you... do you think American boaters who
violate WG are treated differently
from Canadians who stray..... Most of the active WG time is American
generated it seems so maybe
they do nail you harder for that reason. I have only heard of a few
Canadians who have gone to court in that area but one of them jumped on
a U.S. submarine......... he got his photo in the papers.

I wish I could remember the VHF channel but I have read somewhere that
the U.S. authorities monitor
some channel that is restricted in the States but used in Canada for
nothing special. If they hear you using
this channel even way up in Canada, you can get charged even though
Canadians use the channel for BS.

Your very right about Granville Island being hard on boaters who
overstay the 4 hour daily limit. There used
to be a night watchman there many years ago who would let out of town
boaters overnight one time at that
dock but those days are long over. It is the attitude of many law
enforcement officers that is running amok.
Being woken up from a sound sleep after anchoring with a bull horn and
50 billion candlepower of spotlight
with an angry guy at the controls is totally unreasonable and you get
written up in newsgroups.

Thanks for getting me all straightened out.. I enjoyed your writing
style too. You come across effectively
without being condescending.

If fact, I think I'll go down to the boat tomorrow and head off to
Friday Harbour for the weekend......not.

cheers j

Hell, I'm an American and agree completely. That's why I'm getting my boat
ready and leaving the country ASAP! Society has gotten too friggin' crazy
for me.

I saw a good cartoon yesterday. A witch was trick-or-treating and got some
candy from the lady of the house. In the next frame, the witch says "and if
I end up with a weight problem, you'll be hearing from my lawyer." Sad but
true.

"Jimmy" wrote in message
.. .
Well John, truth be told my experience in the USA has been markedly
simliar to yours, and many of the folks I know report similarly. I
intend to get through the USA as quickly as I possibly can and move on.
Cheerful banana republics are FAR more hospitable than most places in
the USA, thanks to the egocentric gestapo like tactics we (and a lot of
my friends and neighbours) have encountered in America.

Local bubba cops who believe that they are the "utlimate authority" when
in reality they are too ignorant to even know that they are ignorant.
I've been ORDERED to do stupid things by these anal orifices (like
extinguish an anchor light while anchored so that I don't confuse
people!!) once too often. Hence the reason for my post. It may be a
futile effort but attempting to avoid the dickheads is my aim. Fat
chance..too many of them. SO different to cruising in Canada.

Gotta wonder where the "Land of the Free" idea came from...or where it
went huh? And now the "patriot act". Nothing beats taking away freedom
and calling it patriotic! ~laughing and if you argue, you're (gasp)
unpatriotic. Man, they have the whole country by the balls.

Now watch all the antics as Americans attempt to defend their fictious
belief in their non-existing freedom. Folks, before you react foolishly,
recognise a couple of things:

1) It's true and you know it.
2) It's YOUR country and YOUR government. Only YOU can do something
about it.

Bitching at me will have no impact on YOUR mess. It'll just make you
feel vaguely better.

So don't worry, this Canuck will race through your country so fast you
won't even know (or care) that I was there. Suits me to a tee too.


John wrote:

Hi Jimmy,
I am a canuck who had his sailboat in Seattle and took a trip in my
dinghy up through the locks into Lake
Union. I was accosted by two incredibly rude Harbour cops who hassled
me big time over no registration
numbers on my boat and the fact I was a foreigner didn't make any
difference to them in the slightest.
You can't go anywhere other that from your boat to shore by the shortest
possible route in an unregistered
dinghy. That was about 10 years ago and I haven't been back and have
no plans to ever go again.
That country is simply not worth the hassle between the border guards,
coasties and harbour police. If you
really want a treat.... go to San Diego and try anchoring. Harbour
Nazi's decend on you in droves.
Good luck going south but myself and many others won't ever go south
again. Hope this helps.
cheers John

Jimmy wrote:

Hi Folks,

Up here in Canada (at least in Ontario) boats powered under 10hp are
not required to be registered. This is the case with my 10 foot RIB
and 9.9 outboard motor, which I use as a tender when sailing my big
boat. No name on the dinghy, no registration numbers.

In a trip through the eastern USA to Florida, am I likely to encounter
problems with local police or coat guard because the dinghy is
unregistered, unlicensed, etc.?

Anyone experience problems with the local authorities?

Warning and tips appreciated.

Jimmy