On 9 Mar 2007 08:47:17 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

On Mar 9, 7:55?am, Tom Francis wrote:
On 9 Mar 2007 07:49:20 -0800, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
In effect, issuing a warning - a misdemeanor - for potentially
violating a law is not accepted law enforcement practice. / put it
another way, the officer in question is issuing warnings for
potentially violating a law when he has no knowledge that the law will
be broken. He can only issue a warning at his discretion if the law
HAS been broken.

And if a boat is operating in Florida without a registration from
either Florida or some other state, a law has been broken.

Well, we ain't gonna change each other's minds on this. :)

Let's agree to disagree.

And to disagree without being disagreeable. I'm all for that.

Out of curiosity, what states don't require registration for boats?

Have any idea?

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
ups.com...

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Florida requires all watercraft on the waters of its state to be
registered. So does Washington (unless it's an unpowered skiff or
sailing dinghy) for that matter, and so do a probable majority of
states. You are considered to be in compliance in Florida if your boat
has a current registration from any state, and it will be honored. If
you come from a state that doesn't require boats to be registered, you
get a warning ticket to (as you precisely stated) "inform you about
the law".
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It gets more confusing when considering a federally documented boat. Many
states, like Florida, require you to "register"a boat with the state even if
it is documented. You are not required to display the state registration
numbers however.

Other states, like MA (mine) does not require state registration of a
documented boat, so there is no reciprocal agreement to be had. I was
advised that after 90 days of being in Florida I would be required to
register my documented boat there. I chose to ignore it .... kept a low
profile ... and had the boat there for almost 2 years.

Eisboch