boat numbers california

S

sailstarz

New Member
Was wondering about whether I need to put registration numbers on the bow for sailing a laser in california. Thanks.
 
if its used purely for racing, then no

if you use it for messing around, then yes
 
So does the blue square reg. need to go on the mast? Did I not need to go through the rigamarole of registering at all? I race, but practice as well. Actually, just getting back into it 30 years after going to the Laser Worlds in Brazil. 25 years of windsurfing in Hawaii! I like to sail by the stars, but not Star boats. All that crew to deal with!
 
if your practicing, you don't need it, it's preparation for racing.

And no, you did not need to do it. It's not a bad idea, but not required.

And the blue sticker goes on the hull, if you choose to do it
 
Ross B said:
if your practicing, you don't need it, it's preparation for racing.

And no, you did not need to do it. It's not a bad idea, but not required.

And the blue sticker goes on the hull, if you choose to do it
Click to expand...

Uh.... where did you get that?

My experience is that on the ocean you tend to not get bothered but if you sail on a popular lake then the local sheriff is frequently on the prowl for boats with no CF numbers and will give a ticket. I've never heard of the "its for racing" exemption.

Not California, but I talked my way out of a ticket on Lake Dillon a few years back by playing up the Olympic aspect of the boat.

Anyway, my understanding has always been that, technically, you can generally get away without them in California when sailing on the ocean (and I suppose that is really because we mostly sail out of the various yacht clubs with nobody there to specifically enforce it).

I'd love to see where it is specifically exempt for racing.
 
http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/boat-registration.php#Exceptions



Before you can sail the California waterways in your new boat, you'll need to register it through the California Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV law requires that all sailboats more than eight feet long and powerboats of any length be registered, unless they are already documented through the U.S. Coast Guard.

If you bring a vessel into California to be primarily used here, the DMV requires that you register it before you put it in the water and within 120 days.
Exceptions

You will not be required to register the following vessels:

* Any vessel propelled by oars or paddles alone.

* Sailboats (no motor) eight feet or less in length.

* Surfboards or sailboards.

* A ship's lifeboat―acording to the DMV, a dinghy is not a lifeboat.

* Vessels currently and lawfully registered by another state and that are principally used outside California.

* Vessels brought into California for racing are exempt while racing or during tune-ups.

* Commercial vessels of five net tons or more, or 30 feet or more in length, must be registered by the U.S. Coast Guard, not the California DMV
 
lumpy said:
http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/boat-registration.php#Exceptions

* Vessels brought into California for racing are exempt while racing or during tune-ups.
Click to expand...

Ok, for what its worth... my law savvy friends say that this does not exempt Lasers from having to be registered (and, therefore, from having to display CF numbers). Rather, its really aimed at boats that are in the state temporarily (e.g. someone coming in for a regatta).

It would be nice if it did apply, then you could also not worry about registering your TP52...

So, my info says that, yes, if your Laser lives in California then you are, technically, required to register it and display the CF numbers.

Having said that... I think it is common experience that it is very unlikely to run into a problem if you don't have your CF numbers displayed. In my case, my boats ARE registered but I don't have the CF numbers (or registration tags) displayed on the boats. The only place I have ever run into a problem is at a lake regatta, launching from a public ramp where the local authorities keep a watchful eye out for people like me and are happy to give out tickets.

But next time that happens to me I'm going to quote the above and see if it earns just a warning...
 
SFBayLaser said:
In my case, my boats ARE registered but I don't have the CF numbers (or registration tags) displayed on the boats.
Click to expand...


Word



*I think TP52's are registered, they just don't put the numbers or tags on.
 
lumpy said:
.... Before you can sail the California waterways in your new boat, you'll need to register it through the California Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV law requires that all sailboats more than eight feet long and powerboats of any length be registered, unless they are already documented through the U.S. Coast Guard.
Click to expand...

BTW, that's nearly the same at GER, many thousands of miles to the east (or west) of CA.
I like to cruise at other countries at Europe with my Laser, if I have time for.
Sometimes the waterpolice is doing controllings. They check the sailing licence and they check, if the boat that one is sailing, not is a stolen boat.
Therefore the "ship registration" is very useful. Usually, here at my country GER, the authority of waterways, a ferderal authority here, manages that ship-register. It is not allowed to sail at official waterways, without such a registration (and the driving licence valid for motorized-/sailing pleasure crafts of lengths under 15 meters).
But for pleasure crafts, we have another "ship-register". This is managed by our national sailing federation "DSV". The toll for the registration at the DSV is cheaper, compared to the one of the authority of waterways, although I also have to pay the fee for the ILCA-district-membership. Aft having done the registration, one get a document: the "International Card For Pleasure Craft" (ICPC). If the waterpolice of a country, where I sail at, does check my Laser, I let them look into the ICPC for my Laser, and they online easy are able to check, that my Laser is really my Laser.
To get the ICPC, I had to join the ILCA-district of GER to get the "Measurement Certificate and Record of Origin" for my Laser. (That's the reason, why I am ILCA member, here at GER.). That official measuremant-card, the bill of my Laser and my passport has been basic requirements to get the ICPC. Every 2 years, I have to renew the ICPC (I get a complete new ICPC, but the registration numer does not change) and have to pay a toll for that...

If you see a vela-grey Laser with the numbers "155262 S" (that number is not the official sailnumber of the boat builders) in black letters at her bow and stern, than you definitely see the LooserLu, sailing/cruising around with his Laser "Manatee" at your country ;) ;)

Ciao
LooserLu
 
SFBayLaser said:
Rather, its really aimed at boats that are in the state temporarily (e.g. someone coming in for a regatta).
Click to expand...

That is how I read the rule (i.e. type of "just visiting").

I do find it interesting as, although I am unlikely to ever take a Laser into California, there are registration requirements in France that differ from those in the UK and are actually quite complex when the boat is purchased outside France (complex to me anyway).

[FONT=&quot]Ian[/FONT]
 
The afore mentioned registration rules apply to public waterways. I used to sail in Westlake Lake, and as that is a private lake, registration is not required. I had numbers on my boat, however, as I traveled with it.

Here in Georgia, sailboats over 12 feet in length used for racing do not need to be registered. Practicing is a gray area, but the DNR doesn't seem to worry about sailboats too much.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top