R3 Coast Guard Documented?

[Tell3131]

Does anyone know if R3 is big enough to be Coast Guard documented? I have one Cobalt dealer telling me yes and one telling me no.

I imagine it would be easier to go through the process with the dealer I bought the boat from, but the R3 I really want is at the dealer telling me no, it can't be done.

Thanks! Oh, and I am new to the forum and to Cobalt.

[BobRae99]

I didn't know what Coast Guard Documented meant, so I looked it up:

"A documented vessel is one that is registered by the Federal Government through the U. S. Coast Guard, rather than titled and numbered by a state. Pleasure vessels of 5 net tons and over (26 feet in length and up) may be documented, and commercial vessels 5 net tons and over must be documented."

Based on what is stated above, being that the R3 weights under 5 net tons and is under 26' in length you can't have it "documented".

PS Welcome to the forum

[tgrace98]

No it cannot be documented. The R5 is barely within the specs of being documented.

Is the one telling you yes Village and the one telling you no the Harbor?

[Tell3131]

The one telling me yes is the Village. The one telling me no is DriPort in St Louis (O’Fallon technically).

[BobRae99]

Is there an advantage to having the boat documented?

[Tell3131]

Save money vs paying sales tax. It’s about half as much than paying sales tax on the R3. Other than that I don’t think so.

[AsLan7]

.
Hello T3131. Welcome to the Cobaltchat forum. So glad you found us!

Like the other members mentioned, your R3 does not meet the requirements for CG Documenting. Page 5 of the Coast Guard regulations details the requirements here.

Are you trying for favorable financing based upon CG documentation?
Any pics of your R3?

Again welcome aboard mate!

[tgrace98]

Is there an advantage to having the boat documented?

In Missouri you do not have to put numbers on a documented vessel. Just the MO registration tag and a name and port on the back of the boat.

Also it saved me about 6k in taxes because you get an In Leu of taxes and it is a set amount per XX amount spent.

[BobRae99]

Is there an advantage to having the boat documented?

In Missouri you do not have to put numbers on a documented vessel. Just the MO registration tag and a name and port on the back of the boat.

Also it saved me about 6k in taxes because you get an In Leu of taxes and it is a set amount per XX amount spent.

No such luck in Canada. the only way to avoid taxes here is to buy in Alberta (no sales tax) saving 7% of the purchase price and then ship or trailer it home. But, the Cobalt dealers up here don't seem to want to sell out of their territories.

[sailor55330]

Is there an advantage to having the boat documented?

Once you have it documented, you do not have to register it yearly.

Interesting on the MO laws regarding documenting. I've never heard of not having to put documentation numbers on a vessel.

[tgrace98]

Is there an advantage to having the boat documented?

Once you have it documented, you do not have to register it yearly.

Interesting on the MO laws regarding documenting. I've never heard of not having to put documentation numbers on a vessel.

you still have to put your coast guard number on the boat. but it doesn't have to be visible. I put my numbers in the engine hatch. The numbers I was talking about are the Missouri registration numbers. They do not give those out for Documented Vessels. They use the name and port as the boat identifier.

[sailor55330]

Is there an advantage to having the boat documented?

Once you have it documented, you do not have to register it yearly.

Interesting on the MO laws regarding documenting. I've never heard of not having to put documentation numbers on a vessel.

you still have to put your coast guard number on the boat. but it doesn't have to be visible. I put my numbers in the engine hatch. The numbers I was talking about are the Missouri registration numbers. They do not give those out for Documented Vessels. They use the name and port as the boat identifier.

That makes more sense. I agree, you do have to put the documentation number in a permanent manner on the boat being documented. You are correct, it does not have to be visible and it supercedes state registration, meaning you should not have to register it yearly with the state, so we are on the same page, just worded differently.