Is your ship recognized by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in its documentation and registration? If not, now is the time to start doing so! Through our website, you will have the ability to conduct a USCG vessel lookup for your Hull Number and register your boat to the registration with ease. The United…
It is common knowledge that boats degrade with time and need regular maintenance to remain seaworthy. Regrettably, many boat owners are unaware of the US Coast Guard vessel renewal program, which, when it comes time for renewal, provides participants with a choice of advantageous options. This blog post aims to provide new USCG boat owners…
“So what is USCG documentation? Do I really need it for my vessel?” Of all the questions we’re asked by prospective customers at the Maritime Documentation Center, some version of those might be the most common that we’re asked. For one, it’s important to define what this documentation is not. It’s not registration for your…
At the Maritime Documentation Center, we endeavor to be everything that our name implies: the one place where you can find comprehensive boat documentation service for everything having to do with your vessels. At our site, you can find a long list of forms easily. Then, you can fill them out even easier. After that,…
“I can’t find a ‘bill of sale for a boat’ form online, can I just write it up by hand?” “Can I really use that bill to sell my documented vessel?” Selling your vessel can be an exciting time. You’ve found someone who’s willing to buy your vessel at your price. But, before you complete…
A bill of sale is a piece of paperwork that documents the sale of a large and valuable item, in this case, a boat trailer. It’s an agreement between the buyer and the seller of the item that details the transaction, which usually includes details about the item in question, including price and specs. The…
You finally were able to purchase the boat of your dreams. With current inflation and all of the different regulations instaurated, keeping your vessel up to date is not as simple as it used to be. Find out about the necessary documentation, in particular about the vessels’ abstract of title in this beginner’s guide. Abstract…
United States Coast Guard (USCG) flagged boats must undergo a mandated examination every two years also known as the USCG inspection. Any vessel used for profit falls under this category, whether a commercial fishing boat, a tow boat, a passenger ship, or anything else. Everything from the ship’s safety gear to its structural soundness is…
Coast Guard boat certification is a crucial aspect of maritime safety. However, it is primarily associated with commercial vessels. But can you still document your recreational boat with the USCG? The Purpose of Coast Guard Boat Certification The USCG only issues this certificate to boats that meet certain safety and construction standards. It is mandatory…
You have been searching around for the perfect boat for quite a while now, and you think you have finally found the one that you really want. It has all the features you are looking for, both inside and out, and is right at the ideal price point for you. It looks like the sale…
When you buy or sell your boat, you would want the transaction to be smooth and legal. One vital document in this process is the boat bill of sale. It serves as proof of ownership transfer and records the key details of the traction. Can You Create a Boat Bill of Sale Independently? Yes, it…
Have you been searching online for a National Vessel Documentation Center that actually makes the documentation process easier, yet you haven’t found anything that you like? Does it seem like each site that says they’ll “simplify the process” actually ends up making it more complicated and complex? As vessel owners ourselves, that’s what we found…
It might not be the most glamorous side of vessel ownership, but making sure that all of your documentation is in date and in order is arguably the single most important element to keep track of over the course of your boat’s lifespan. Put simply, if your paperwork is not in order, then the majority…
How an Abstract is Different from a Vessel Documentation Site “But wait,” you might be saying at this point, “do I really need to apply for an abstract through your site? I can see you have a link for a ‘vessel documentation search.” Our vessel documentation search can be very helpful indeed. But, crucially, it…
It’s possible that a lot of people who own boats aren’t familiar with the US Coast Guard boat registry or the advantages of being listed on it. The United States Coast Guard maintains a database of all boats in the country that are registered with them as part of the USCG’s boat registry. The United…