Some of us have the privilege of having family and friends that own a yacht or boat. It means spending hours out on the water in the spring and summer (sometimes year round depending on where you reside). Spending time on a boat may have made you want to purchase one yourself and having friends…
Buying a yacht or recreational vehicle can be a big thrill for you and gives you the chance to achieve a lifelong dream of yours to own a boat like this. Many people find that purchasing a boat on the secondary market from a private seller or broker is the best way to get the…
Does it feel like every USCG portal that’s “easy to use” is actually anything but? Have you felt like these online documentation sites were designed for someone other than vessel owners? That’s how we felt. That’s one of the many reasons that we started the Maritime Documentation Center. We wanted there to be a vessel…
“I guess vessel documentation is a good idea, but what are the real benefits to it if I don’t have to document my vessel?” At this point, you probably know that if your vessel measures five net tons or more and you’re using it for fishing and coastwise activities on navigable American waters or those…
Have grown concerned that certain life changes have made it so that you won’t be able to stay on the Coast Guard boat registration database? Does it seem like the rules are arbitrary about what does and does not have to be given to the powers that be? Here at the Maritime Documentation Center, we…
When you are considering buying a new boat or yacht, you need to know as much as possible about the vessel before you hand over any money. In order to ensure that the vessel you are buying is legal in the US, and can be bought without any consequences, you need to perform a documented…
Did you consider USCG documentation for your vessel, yet don’t know if you qualify? Do some of the benefits feel like they could really help you and/or your vessel, but the qualifications for documentation seem a bit opaque? Those are exactly the kinds of questions that we started our Maritime Documentation Center to answer. We…
Buying a vessel, boat or even a yacht is a massive undertaking; it is a thoughtful financial obligation that requires long-term maintenance for as long as you will own it. To make sure you are investing your money intelligently, ensure that you do your homework before you finalize any deal. To get all the compulsory…
If you’re the owner of a new vessel, you may be interested to know how to change vessel name and hailing port. Although you will be strongly advised against doing so by the superstitious sailor community, who tell you changing a boat’s name is bad luck, you are set on your ways. What are the steps…
When it comes to Coast Guard documentation, what is it all about? The registration or licensing of a ship or boat is called C.G. paperwork. It serves as proof that the yacht or vessel has satisfied all of the safety criteria specified by the USCG, and it also offers some limited liability protection to the…
Here at the Maritime Documentation Center, our focus is on watercraft registration and documentation. Our site was built specifically to make it easier for you to take care of all of your watercraft document needs in a single place. We want you to be as safe as possible when you get out on the water.…
If you’re in the market for a boat, you’ve probably asked yourself, “Do I need USCG approval for my vessel?” As you may expect, there is no easy solution to this problem. Looking through the documentation that comes with a boat, whether new or old, should be your first step. You don’t require USCG permission…
Do you need to take out a loan before you can afford to buy a vessel? If so, then you might want to think about taking out a particular type of mortgage known as a preferred ship mortgage. This is a great way to protect your vessel and make sure that you can get the…
Buying a new vessel can be a big decision, and you need the right information in order to put down your money on a particular boat. To get the right information, one of the most important pieces of documentation will be the Coast Guard Abstract of Title. This can tell you lots of information about…
You are completing the documents to finally buy the boat you have always wanted. Money has traded hands, and you think that all that you have to do is just pick up the boat, and sail out into the ocean. However, there is one more thing to do, and many people overlook it in the…