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 of your activity on the boat will not be deemed legal. In times past, it might have been a lengthy and difficult task to apply for and renew all of the relevant admin, but that isn’t the case anymore. With this in mind, here is why it is so much easier to renew Coast Guard documentation online these days.
Convenience
There is no method more convenient for renewing boat documentation than doing it online from the comfort of your own home. You are able to navigate the online forms at your own pace and can do so on any device that you choose from computer to laptop to tablet to smartphone and everything in between. There really is no excuse not to when the tools to do so are essentially in your pocket!
Security
You can have confidence in the fact that the portal used for the submission of these documents is safe and secure. SSL encryption is commonly used across sites that are going to be processing and handling sensitive personal information like addresses and financial numbers. Data is always protected and this means that you never have to worry about your information being stolen in a cyber-attack.
Years Worth Of Renewal
All boat owners understand that they are required to renew their documentation on an annual basis, but rather than having to set a date every year, the online avenues actually give you the opportunity to renew for multiple years ahead instead. Some sites allow for documentation renewal up to five years in advance, meaning that you only have to worry about this side of vessel ownership twice a decade rather than once a year.
Replacement
Even if your documentation is in order and does not need to be renewed yet, if you don’t have a valid, authentic Certificate of Documentation in your possession then you will still not be in compliance with the rules. Thankfully, it is very simple to get hold of a replacement certificate online, and something that you will need to do as soon as possible if you have lost your documentation or it has been mutilated in some way.
If you are looking for a place where you can take advantage of the simplified, time-saving benefits of online space to renew Coast Guard documentation, then the US Vessel Registrar website has all the forms and all the help that you could possibly need. Feel free to get in touch with a member of the experienced team and they will be more than happy to help you out in any way that they can. We look forward to hearing from you.