Documented Boat Question
 

As a federally documented vessel, can you be boarded, stopped or ticket by a state official? The rumor is that the state official needs the coast guard present (to board). I have no idea wether this is true or not. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this and if there is - what is the legal authority supporting this position?

Had my boat Coast Guard Doc for 8 years, was boarded several times and stopped. In VA the DGIF (dept of game inland fish) have more authority than police, they don't need a reason to even pull you over.

WILL

used to be they could not but I think homeland security changed all of that.

They can stop and ticket to enforce the local laws. However, it is my understanding that they cannot board without permission from the owner/operator.

Here at LKN I get pulled all the time because I dont have registration #'s - they usually ask for my documentation and then roll on, some others get much more flack than I.

I have been stopped by both state and federal officials, never a problem. As I had not done anything wrong, I had no reason to object to their boarding. I would just like to know what if any right they had to board a federally documented vessel. You never know, it might come in handy to know your rights.

Yes, they have the right to board.

I have been boarded by everybody and their mother and all I have is CG Documentation, no state registration.

GLH,

Have you never had issues with no reg ? Last year I was written ticket for no reg by FWC here in Florida....ticket never made it to court due to lawyer, but I was told that now you still have to have reg....??

I still have not done it yet, but have not also had boat out yet due to some work on it in shop still..

Not where I boat.

I think the #s your talking about are fed #s that are to be desplayed somewhere,anywhere on the boat. you get the #s from CG. I had mine in the engin bay under cover.

If you have a boat that is Flaged in a different country the only officials that can board without permission are the coast gaurd. A family member has a Hattaras that is reg in the BVI and when the boat is in FL the fish and game and the local water patrol have no durisdiction.

If I remember correctly my documentation paperwork had a bold line that said something to the effect of "it is a violation of federal law to register a documented vessel".

If the cover wasn't on the boat I would go find it....

If a boat is in a state for X number of days per year it is supposed to get a state sticker you dont have to put letters and numbers just the state sticker if it is documented.
This is true in OH KY and FL I know at least per state regs.

In Texas if you are Coast Guard Documented you do not have to display the Tx registration numbers, but you do have to be registered and display the state sticker. This keeps you from being stopped for not having the numbers. You do have to display your CG numbers inside the boat per their regs. You can be boarded by anyone.