Did you register your dinghy ?

[Adeline]

Awhile back the methods of affixing registration numbers were discussed and I posted this...As to registration, the Clark County Sheriff sent me the pertinent regulations for Washington State. Bottom line, it isn't necessary to register your dinghy if these conditions are satisfied (6) Vessels equipped with propulsion machinery of less than ten horsepower that:

(a) Are owned by the owner of a vessel for which a valid vessel number has been issued;

(b) Display the number of that numbered vessel followed by the suffix "1" in the manner prescribed by the department; and

(c) Are used as a tender for direct transportation between that vessel and the shore and for no other purpose; Link HERE http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=88.02.030 Technically, section(c) means that you can't fish or take "excursions" in your dinghy I talked to my local licensing agent and learned that I'll be required to pay excise tax to get my dinghy licensed. On a NEW boat the "Manufacturers Statement Of Origin" is used to calculate the tax and there's no avoiding it. If it were a used boat I could present any hand-written receipt and they'd be fine with it. So, I'm looking at $106.60 excise tax, $20.00 licensing fee, and a $20.00 titling fee for a total of $146.60 to license. Naturally there will be renewal fees each June. I'm now wondering if I shouldn't just register it as a dinghy (according to the regulations above) and accept the limitations imposed. That is, it is simply an "extension of the boat" to get me to shore and nothing else. No sightseeing, no fishing, no excursions. I guess the answer depends on how the strictures are enforced. This is where other dinghy-owners can help me. Please chime in with your thoughts.

[Doryman]

C'mon people, give the guy some answers -- and I need 'em too!

Warren

[nomadcruiser53]

I know I'd be wanting to fish from the dingy on occassion, maybe even throw in the truck and haul it to small lakes.

[lloyds]

I never did license my dinghy, and I used it for years in Puget sound with a motor on it. No official ever did give me even a glance.

[Doryman]

[lloyds]

No. Nothing on the dink, a blank canvas. But after awhile I did start keeping my distance from the park rangers over at Blake Island, after they started enforcing all kinds of water related laws.

[starcrafttom]

I preferr the Look dumb and say what law? to the officer and or judge. I had always been told by the game wardens on the river that if a drift boat was under 15 ft then no regestion was needed regards less of h.p. There are some small sleds out there under 15 ft with 25 h.p. motors.

[K7MXE]

May I quote from the Adventures in Boating Washington Handbook published by the Washington State Parks (2007)

You must have a Washington title, registration and decals to navigate operate employ or moor a vessel on Washington's waters Exceptions are

Vessels that are not propelled by a motor (canoes kayaks etc) and sailboats under 16 feet in length without a motor

Vessels less than 16 feet in length with a motor of 10 horsepower or less if used only on non-federal waters

Properly registered vessels owned by residents of another state or country and using Washington waters for 60 or fewer days

and then it goes on about how to do the numbers... This is from page 28

Costs registration 28.25 first time 16.25 annual renewal
Titling 5.00
Transfer of Title 10.00
Transfer of Title expired reg 9.00
Duplicate Title 5.25
Duplicate Reg 5.00

And it talks about Excise tax and 16 and under your exempt but it is
.5% or half of one percent of fair market value

So thats the deal as per the Boaters Handbook.

Bob Heselberg Eatonville Wa

[Dreamer]

Never been asked, but where ever I'm going must be between my boat and the shore! That's my story and I'm stickin to it!

[JamesTXSD]

I think it depends on where you use your boat. It seems that many of the dinghies I've seen in the PNW have no registration # on them. We put the numbers on ours while in Florida last winter after having a "visit" from the sheriff's boat. I had the boat registered, just didn't have the numbers on the side.

It seems pretty inexpensive according to a the post above. Register it and be done with it. Then use in any way you want. (We have hauled our dinghy around in the motorhome.) Perhaps having that number permanently on the side would discourage someone from swiping your dinghy as well?

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[thataway]

The vast majority of states require dinghies to be separately registered, and they are not going to buy the arguement that your home state doesn't requre registration. It may not seem fair, but that is the way it is.

[Larry Q]

For the last 30 years I must have been lucky. I've never been asked once about having my dingy registered.
I just recently received a cute little notice from the state of Washington that I need to pay excise tax and register our new inflatable.......they have to catch me first . I'll probably have to call Oldgrowth to come bail me out of the slammer. Then I'll plead insanity........it should work, lots of people think I'm crazy.

[Pat Anderson]

Larry, I got a packet too, I think it was from the dealer. It included the certificate of origin, an assignment from the manufacturer to the dealer, and a DOL title application. Regardless of whether I get it registered, I wonder if I should get a certificate of title. I never had one before for an inflatable, although I did get certificates of origin. What do other folks think about the advisability of titling the little inflatable? I can't think of any reason off hand to do that...

[drjohn71a]

Just a note, in case any of you poor PNW'ers suffering from the terrible conditions and scenery blocking your view up there, ever decided to come to the Middle USA - here any watercraft with any means of propulsion other than an oar or sail on a kayak, must be titled and registered...

I'm sure someday our local lakes will be filled with ppl from up there coming here to enjoy the ability to see for miles without a mountain, hill, bump, waterfall, forest, etc....

Preparing for the Kansas tourist rush,

John

[Sneaks]