Dinghy registation questions

R

rogerbum

New member
According to www.boat-ed.com
www.boat-ed.com":3a2fbbdr said:
"Some vessels have a "tender." This is a dinghy, small boat, or inflatable boat used only to provide transportation between its documented or registered "parent" vessel and the shore. The tender is considered a separate vessel and must be registered and display its registration number and registration decals unless:

* The engine on the tender is less than 10 horsepower and …
* The tender has the parent vessel's registration numbers followed by the number "1" (WN 3717 ZW 1 or WN-3717-ZW-1) affixed to both sides of the bow and …
* The tender is used only for direct transportation from ship to shore and back.
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As I read this, if I use my dingy to go gunk holing or to drop crab pots in a location that I don't want to take my larger boat into etc, I need to have the dingy separately registered. However, my guess is that no-one really gets into trouble for using a tender for a little cruising around of this nature. What's the group experience/opinion in this regard?
 
I did it for many years in puget sound and points north and no one ever questioned no numbers or registration. But I haven't tried it in a few years and things may have changed. I intend to find out first hand late in July.
 
To provide a bit more info, my question stems from an attempt to register the dingy this AM in which my co-owner was told that one didn't need to register it. When he asked more firmly to make sure the agent was correct, this opinion was confirmed by the agent's boss. So if even the people at the licensing agency think this way, I'm assuming that it's unlikely I'd get in trouble for not having it registered - especially if I number it to the main vessel. But I am trying to do the "right thing".
 
Roger-

I'll bet that there's an attempt to be uniform throughout the states on this, but that there are probably minor different local/state differences, and, at the same time, that enforcement is lax, especially where inter-coastal travel is common, like in Washington.

I'd take the simple out and put the TD-255's number on your dinghy with the requisite "1" after them., then keep a copy of the rule that's favorable to you handy.

I doubt you'd ever have a problem, as long as you operate the dinghy within sight/proximity of the TomCat.

On the other hand, if you took the dinghy on a solo trip to fish in Canada or Mexico, you could, under those circumstances, be questioned, but only if they were trying to find something amiss or be very through, like at a boarder crossing. The same thing could be said about some U.S. states. :roll:

One part of the problem is that, registered as an extension of the TC, you have no separate registration documents for the dinghy, which may be required to cross borders.

All bets would be off on a fly fishing trip to North Korea, however. :lol:

Joe. :teeth :thup :roll:
 
In Pa. boat that has a motor needs registration. If you are using for more than transportation to and from your boat why not register it as a separate item. Then no problem. What could it cost?
D.D.
 
To my knowledge Washington State is the only state which allows the dinghy to be regisgtered as an "extension" of the larger vessel. I can guarantee you if you try this in other states, you will get at least a warning, and most likely a ticket. Some officers in Calif. will not accept the plastic "name boards"--and the sticker has to be affixed to the boat.

I suspect it is only a few dollars to register the dinghy, and I would do it, in case you go to another state or into Canada.
 
As all others said you should get numbers but I have not. I have never had a problem going to Canada with any of our dinghies.

as far as using it else where. You are not required to register a boat less then 16 and has a motor of less then 10 hp. that's on lakes and non-federal waters. so any lake or river in this area would be ok.

from the state web site.

If your vessel is a canoe, kayak, or a vessel not propelled by a motor or sail.
If your vessel is less than 16 feet in length and has a motor of 10 horsepower or less and is used on non-federal waters only.
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starcrafttom":alvzbig7 said:
As all others said you should get numbers but I have not. I have never had a problem going to Canada with any of our dinghies.

as far as using it else where. You are not required to register a boat less then 16 and has a motor of less then 10 hp. that's on lakes and non-federal waters. so any lake or river in this area would be ok.

from the state web site.

If your vessel is a canoe, kayak, or a vessel not propelled by a motor or sail.
If your vessel is less than 16 feet in length and has a motor of 10 horsepower or less and is used on non-federal waters only.
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Tom, "Non federal waters" is not the same as any lake or river. Federal regulations define navigable waterways (Federal waters) as those waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and/or are used for the transport of interstate or foreign commerce either historically, currently, or in the future (33 CFR Part 329). Both Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish are federal waters as are many of the rivers that lead to the sound or coast.
 
To be clear, I thought we had to register the dinghy, we wanted to register the dinghy, we tried to register the dinghy and we were told by the licensing agent that we didn't need to. I think this was the wrong response and that we ought to register it. But given that even the license people don't think we need to, I was wondering what people's experience was in this regard in this state.
 
Two statements, no advice.

First, California wants that dingy registered, and being a tender doesn't cut it.

Second, we have registration and numbers for our Avon dingy. Never put them on and only got hassled twice in the past 30 years: Newport Harbour, Ca and Naples, Fl. Both place were trying to discourage transients, not enforce any law.

Boris
 
I thought I read that if the dinghy is serving as a tender to your main boat and the motor is under 10hp, you DO NOT have to register. But you do have to put a registration number on the dinghy with hypen or space and the number 1.

If you are planning to use the dinghy independently of the "mother ship" and the motor hp is greater than 10hp, then you do have to register.

See below:

Tender_Registration.sized.jpg
 
Your exactly correct Peter. In Washington a vessel under 10HP does not need to have a registration number. Technically if the tender is used for any thing other than transporting passengers to and from the mother vessel that tender would need to have the registration number of the mother vessel -1. (Assuming it has an engine over 10HP.
 
I thought I read that if the dinghy is serving as a tender to your main boat and the motor is under 10hp, you DO NOT have to register. But you do have to put a registration number on the dinghy with hypen or space and the number 1.

If you are planning to use the dinghy independently of the "mother ship" and the motor hp is greater than 10hp, then you do have to register.
Click to expand...

BINGO - Jazzmanic Nailed it !

Number_Plate_2.jpg

BOAT NUMBER PLATES - The #1 solution for boat registration
 
The state of Washington is royally confused on the issue of dinghies.

As a dealer, we can not even mention a dinghy on a boat we have for sale unless the dinghy has a seperate title- whihc means that it was registered. The big problem is that years ago there was no requirement to register dinghies, so old tenders don't have titles, original paperwork is long gone, and registering them now creates a whole new set of problems.
 
I'm thinking insurance, resale, stolen etc. Having it registered puts serial numbers, hull numbers for both motor and boat on a registration card. No searching for the certificate of origin, bill of sale etc. If which then if ever sold to someone in a bordering states all the ducks are in a row. But I don't really care. Pa. made it easy for us got a motor on it it needs to be registered. What is the cost factor to register? Does the dink have two owners?
D.D.
 
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