It is the kind of thing that you never have to think about or consider until forced to, but the facts are that boat name placement can be a very important and crucial element of overall boat ownership. In order for your vessel to be legal, there are certain rules and regulations that need to be learned and followed, and this goes from the obvious things like registration and insurance all the way down to the lesser-known end of the spectrum including boat name placement. In order to ensure that your own vessel is in accordance with the long-standing regulations, here is a rundown of the correct actions when it comes to boat name placement.
The Boat Name Must Be Clear And Visible
It goes without saying that the name of your vessel needs to be placed on an area of the exterior where it is going to be clearly visible. Specifically, this needs to be a clearly visible part of the port and starboard bow, and stern of the boat. The hailing part of the vessel needs to be marked on a very clear and easy-to-spot on the exterior part of the stern.
What It Means For Vessels With A Square Bow
If your vessel in question has a square-shaped bow, then the name of the boat needs to be marked on a clearly visible exterior section of the bow in order to avoid the risk of obliteration. The name and hailing port need to be marked up on a clearly visible exterior portion of the boat’s stern.
How Does It Apply to Recreational Vessels?
If your vessel is one that is documented exclusively for purposes of recreation, then the name and the hailing port need to be marked and placed together on a clearly visible and easy-to-reach part of the exterior hull.
The Font Regulations
Alongside the rules on placement, there are also a set number of rules when it comes to the look of the lettering you can use. The markings need to be incredibly durable, and they must be composed of letters from the Latin or Arabic alphabets with the addition of Roman numerals. These letters should not be less than four inches in height in order for them to be clearly seen from a reasonable distance away. Even if you put your boat name in the correct area of your vessel, if the lettering and sizing are not up to code, you may still find yourself in trouble with the relevant authorities.
If you have any further questions or queries regarding boat name placement or any other aspect of vessel ownership, then don’t hesitate to visit the National Documentation Portal where you will find information about anything that might be on your mind. If you have a more specific query that you need to have a conversation about, then feel free to contact a member of the experienced and dedicated team and they will be happy to assist you in any way that they can. We look forward to hearing from you.