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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Registrations



Last month I registered the van, a boat trailer and a utility trailer. This month I was in the town hall writing checks for my boat license and the dog license of all things. The next thing I have to do is write a check so I can get my hunting and fishing license. Those state fees add up.

It could be worse. At least the canoes and kayaks don't have to be registered, in my state anyway. That doesn't mean the idea doesn't pop up from time to time. Considering my pile of paddle craft, that's a good thing.

Two years ago I tried to get my little Ooze Goose registered before hauling it to Florida. Since it was a homemade boat there was a $20 fee for a police office to confirm that yep, it's a boat. The paperwork wasn't quite finalized before we headed south to Florida. I thought they'd forward the registration to me. Nope, they shredded it instead. They made me more than a little unhappy.

The boat is only 12 feet long and only needs to be registered because it had an electric motor on it. Since the sailing rig hadn't been finished yet I figured rowing and motoring would be fine. It was legal as a rowboat, but not as a motorboat. I decided to be an outlaw motor boater with a flipping 12 volt 55lb thrust trolling motor.

There was even one campground that required boats with motors to pay a fee to use the boat ramp but paddle and rowing craft were free. I'd launch the boat and row out of the marina. Once out of sight the motor came out and screwed to the transom. One the way back in the motor went back into the cabin. The marina people were impressed how I could could go rowing all day long. What they didn't know didn't hurt them -or me, which was more important.

One day the law caught up to me. My lovely wife and I were in the middle of St. Joesph Sound north of Clearwater Florida. A sheriff's boat made a bee line for me and caught me messing around with the motor. It was obvious there were no registration numbers on the boat. They asked if I was having problems. I told them no. They said they only came over because my boat was the most interesting thing on the water. No mention was made of the missing numbers. Nice guys.

Long story short, after writing a bunch of checks to the town and state, I've decided to not register the Ooze Goose. One has got to draw the line somewhere. I've paid enough and will pay no more. However, the motor will have to be left behind. I got away with it in the past but there's no need to push my luck. Instead I'm going to finish building the sailing rig. It should be legal anywhere I'd be likely to take it.

-Sixbears

18 comments:

  1. I understand I have a truck that I drive 3 blocks a week pulling my BBQ smoker. it was last tagged and insured in 2012. If they bleed us dry all they say is NEXT !

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    1. I friend of mine went 12 years with no driver's license, car registration, or even a fishing license. He drove every day and went fishing constantly. After 12 years he figured he/d gotten away with it long enough.

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  2. Boy howdy do all those fees start adding up!
    In a big hurry. fifty here, twenty five here, forty there, they nickel dime a guy to death. Add the 8.6% sales tax here on to just about everything else and it gets down right ridiculous when you stop and add it all up.

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    1. About $300 last month. $65 so far this month. I've stopped and added it up.

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  3. Good thing you don't live in Joisey. They make you take a 8 hour boating course that runs $65.00 just to get your boat license. Even though we had our boat licenses for 30 years, we would still have had to go to class and pay to renew. We dropped it. Now that we are over 70, we can fish for free! No license required. Whoopie....

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    1. Since my outboard motors have all been less than 10 hp I don't need a boating license.

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    2. You just reminded me that WA state now has a license requirement to even run a little outboard motor. 8 hour class you have to take from the Coast guard. There is a cut off for being Grandfathered and I am pretty close to it I believe.

      The Nanny state merges with the revenue generation class.

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  4. Way back when I was a kid in Pennsylvania, the license was for the motor. We had a little 5 hp motor that we would throw in the trunk and put on rental boats. The license was on a chain that we clipped to whatever boat we put the motor on. Then it all changed!!

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    1. I think it might have been that way here one time as that seems to have stimulated a memory from childhood.

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  5. Ridiculous. I have an 18' canoe that I have to register because of a trolling motor

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  6. Have you thought of using a yuloh or a fishtail oar? They seem to work quite well on even large boats.

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    1. I am tempted to try one. However, the Ooze Goose rows really well.

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  7. Have you thought of using a yuloh or a fishtail oar? They seem to work quite well on even large boats.

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  8. Hey, what ya complaining about! Somebody got to pay for all those political campaigns, not to mention the best champagne for the poor thirsty politicians!

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