I have a 17 ft sailboat (Thistle) with no motor that I would like to
launch in the Barnaget bay, NJ. The boat was never registered
anywhere. Do I need any kind of permit,etc. to launch and sail it
there?

Jim Trinisewski wrote:
I have a 17 ft sailboat (Thistle) with no motor that I would like to
launch in the Barnaget bay, NJ. The boat was never registered
anywhere. Do I need any kind of permit,etc. to launch and sail it
there?

This link should help

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/boat/boat.htm

If New Jersey is your home state, they insist every boat over 12' be
titled & registered, apparently whether it has a motor or not. Sounds
like BS to me but it's their state, they make the rules.

If you're from out of state, and it's obvious that you're not a
troublemaker, you should just go sailing and not worry about it. I've
been to numerous regattas in NJ with unregistered unpowered sailboats
and never gotten as much as a second glance. You're more likely to get a
ticket for having a trailer light out on your way to launch.

Hope this helps.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King