Got Checked by the Coast Guard Today....

Redcobra · Jul 16, 2012

In Md, if your boat is Federally registered you can get a state sticker for $5 a year. You are required to have and display a state sticker, however you do not have the state numbers on the bow. You will pay MD DNR tax when you buy or register the boat for the first time in MD. After that $5/yr for the sticker.
Banks like to have the boat Fed registered as if you default, they can seize the boat with the help of the Coast Guard in any location. Much more difficult for them to seize say a MD boat, in South Carolina as the Coasties won't get involved and MD DNR has no juristiction in SC.

boatbod · Jul 16, 2012

uscoastiee said:
As goes the saying though, there's always a bad apple in the bunch, whether it be Coasties or NRP. I'd ask that you pay MNRP officers (or any other Marine Officer) with the same level of respect as the guys on the orange boats!

Oh believe me, I'm a model citizen when it comes to interacting with LEOs of any form. I'm a firm believer of the old saw that you may not be able to talk yourself out of a ticket, but you sure can talk yourself into one!

Hyper-W · Jul 16, 2012

uscoastiee said:
Though I don't know the state registration requirements for any of the states, some situations may require a vessel to be state registered, where the owner chooses to federally document said vessel. In this case, the owner is deciding to federally document their vessel, but they are also required by the state to be registered. So in this situation, this vessel would be dual registered. This is not seen often, at all. Again, make sure to do your homework, and make phone calls to the people who can answer your questions!

From what I know, DNR can stop you, if you’re engaged in fishing to conduct their version of a safety inspection and check your catch. But they need a reason to stop you if you are not fishing, as in violation of a law (extinguished navigation lights, failure to yield right of way, reckless/negligent operations, etc.).

In the case of federally documented boats, they are not state registered - but you have to have a MD use permit.

BlackBart said:
Cool and thanks, might have to take a ride tonight and see how some of the Bertram's are registered. I never really paid attention. I never even paid attention to my brothers Parker that would qualify.

PM me if you want some info. Where do you keep it?

Redcobra said:
In Md, if your boat is Federally registered you can get a state sticker for $5 a year. You are required to have and display a state sticker, however you do not have the state numbers on the bow. You will pay MD DNR tax when you buy or register the boat for the first time in MD. After that $5/yr for the sticker.
Banks like to have the boat Fed registered as if you default, they can seize the boat with the help of the Coast Guard in any location. Much more difficult for them to seize say a MD boat, in South Carolina as the Coasties won't get involved and MD DNR has no juristiction in SC.

What he said.

MD registered boats have numbers (e.g. MD 1234 AB) on the hull along with an expiration sticker with the expiration year and a picture of the State Capital.
Federally documented boats should not have MD numbers but are responsible for the MD use sticker for documented boats. This looks VERY similar to the registration sticker but it has an expiration year and a picture of the Thomas Point Light. These stickers are commonly placed in the window at the helm or on a mast.

The biggest differences are the cost. As of this year, registered vessels are $24 for a 2-year. Federally documented vessels are $10.
Source: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/registration/

There was a bill to increase these dramatically. Boats 16 to 32 feet would have gone to $125 per year for registration. MD use permits for federal documented vessels would still be $10. If that bill had passed, I'm sure MANY of us would be documenting....

CypherPunk · Jul 18, 2012

winch said:
I was anchored out by Poole's Island fishing with Ms. Winch. They (4 on the boat) pull up real slow in one of those orange boats with twin Honda outboards (only the best). They tell me 1. They are gonna board my boat and do a safety check and 2. DO I HAVE ANY WEAPONS???

Well, I 've been thinking about getting a marine shotgun but I have not yet so. So I said "no weapons". So they try to board but it's too rough so they tell me to show them my life jackets, etc.

All good except I can't find the Type 4 throwable....after about 10 minutes I find it.

So they write me up with a warning ticket that the Type 4 needs be readily accessible. They tell me have a nice day, do I have any questions. So, I asked them about having weapons on the boat. They respond that as long as they are legal and the serial numbers/paperwork checks out then it's no problem...they just wanna know.

I asked specifically about a handgun and they said they really don't care 'cuz they are enforcing Federal laws, not state.

I think they gave me bad scoop. I think long guns are ok, but carrying a handgun on the water is illegal unless you have a carry permit. I'm betting if you got stopped and told them you had a loaded handgun you would be in for a world of problems. Anyone else have any boating stories??

We're you really near Pooles Island, or we're you closer to Jelly Fish Joel's and had trouble with the inlet?

itsslow98 · Jul 18, 2012

I was stopped by DNR while out crabbing by hart miller last week, he checked my registration, boaters license, drivers license, fishing license, fire ext, life jackets, sound device and my basket of crabs. All was well and honestly he seemed suprised that I was 100% legit. He was very respectful and actually talked for a few minutes about where he was planning on crabbing on his RDO's.

uscoastiee · Jul 18, 2012

itsslow98 said:
I was stopped by DNR while out crabbing by hart miller last week, he checked my registration, boaters license, drivers license, fishing license, fire ext, life jackets, sound device and my basket of crabs. All was well and honestly he seemed suprised that I was 100% legit. He was very respectful and actually talked for a few minutes about where he was planning on crabbing on his RDO's.

I know and work with the officer who probably checked your gear. He works down in the city, too. He's a really good officer and level headed person.

Did he have a very clean "high and tight" (Marine Corp. style) hair cut?

Hyper-W · Jul 18, 2012

uscoastiee said:
I know and work with the officer who probably checked your gear. He works down in the city, too. He's a really good officer and level headed person.

Did he have a very clean "high and tight" (Marine Corp. style) hair cut?

I think I know the same guy. Friend of mine.

itsslow98 · Jul 18, 2012

uscoastiee said:
I know and work with the officer who probably checked your gear. He works down in the city, too. He's a really good officer and level headed person.

Did he have a very clean "high and tight" (Marine Corp. style) hair cut?

Younger guy with blonde hair, he was wearing a hat so cant confirm the haircut.

Hyper-W · Jul 19, 2012

itsslow98 said:
Younger guy with blonde hair, he was wearing a hat so cant confirm the haircut.

The guys in that district are great. Glad you had a good experience.

Doctor_M · Apr 6, 2013

Sorry to post to an old thread, but I'm getting ready to do my sea trial in the next few weeks... a firearm is a USCG approved signalling device is it not?

uscoastiee · Apr 6, 2013

It depends on your context.

A gun is not a "sound producing device", which is required, as part of the standard safety equipment.

If a gun if fired at an interval of one round a minute, it's considered a distress signal. See the attached graphic (if it actually uploads from this app), for other recognized distress signals.

If you are looking for a "lawful reason" to have a gun on your boat here in MD, this isn't a loophole that's going to work for you!

To clarify, this won't work for you if you are in a state's waters, that have laws against carrying a gun on a boat, like MD. However, if you are out of state waters, (more then 3 nautical miles off shore, from the low mean tide line, except in FL and TX where its 9 nautical miles), you are only subject to federal law. So as long as you are not a prohibited person, you can lawfully carry a gun.

Please understand, if you are in or out of state waters, and contacted by the CG to be boarded, you will be asked if you have any weapons onboard. Be truthful, the CG isn't there to take your guns, so long as you are legally allowed to possess said weapon.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

Mark75H · Apr 6, 2013

Doctor_M said:
Sorry to post to an old thread, but I'm getting ready to do my sea trial in the next few weeks... a firearm is a USCG approved signalling device is it not?

No, only dated flares that have not passed their expiration date

Doctor_M · Apr 6, 2013

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

uscoastiee · Apr 6, 2013

There are other items you can carry, rather then flares. The requirement is for day and night visual distress signals. Not for flares. There is an SOS flashlight you can carry for night time, and a specific distress flag you can carry for day time.

Flares are the easiest item to carry, due to the low maintenance they require.

Flares are not always required. But its a safe bet to have them, always. Be mindful of the date of they expire. Having expired flares onboard, is like having no flares at all.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

DaedalEVE · Apr 6, 2013

Sounds legit. I've dealt with the Coast Guard on a regular basis through work (Know Tim Walker over at the Coast Guard Yard, and a few members of the crew from the Rankin), and they are decent folks. They really are just out there to do their job and not trying to give you a hard time.
I honestly don't know much about boating, just bridge operations. All I can say is I've never had an issue with the guys in 13 years of doing what I do.

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