Understanding Documentation of Your Vessel

Congratulations! You finally have found the boat of your dreams and you are ready to make your purchase. Your next course of action should be centered on ensuring you have the proper documentation moving forward. It’s not enough to hand over the money and call the boat yours. It can be a confusing, long and…

Why Your USCG Documentation Can Help You Avoid Pollution

As a boat owner, you understand the importance of clean waterways. It can affect the water, the wildlife and how your own well being. Having USCG documentation means you are a responsible owner. It can also mean that you care about your environment because you keep your vessel in good, clean repair. If you are…

Boat Registration Renewal Any Time of the Year

As of this writing, it’s late November. That means Thanksgiving dinner, the leaves completely off the trees, and snow falling all across North America. Sure, there are many hardy souls who take their vessels out on the waterways in the winter, but for many of us, it’s more of an off-season until the world warms…

The Role of the MARAD Waiver in Placing Foreign Ships in the US

The Maritime Administration grants ships manufactured in other countries a specific concession known as the MARAD waiver. Occasionally, these ships can transport goods from one port to the next. According to epa.gov, only certain types of boats are eligible for this waiver, and only under certain circumstances.  As part of the Maritime Administration’s efforts to…

Vessel Abstracts Of Title: 3 Common Questions (And Their Answers)

Documentation from the United States Coast Guard about vessel Abstracts of title is peculiar to the maritime sector in terms of both their form and purpose. Only in these papers can you get a complete history of the events on mortgage, ownership, and lien records. There are several advantages to documenting any suitable vessel, including…