Are you looking forward to vessel documentation? If so, it is essential to have a power of attorney in place if you are the registered owner of a USCG vessel. This is so that someone else may decide on your behalf if anything were to happen to you and prevent you from doing so. A power of attorney is a legal instrument that authorizes one person to represent the interests of another person in a particular matter.
When it comes to the vessel’s documentation, this is especially helpful since the vessel’s owner may not always be able to sign papers or manage other administrative responsibilities. With this document, you may delegate power to a third party so that they can handle the paperwork of your vessel on your behalf. A power of attorney is something you should have in place for your USCG sailboat, and here are a few reasons you should do so.
To Ensure Timely and Accurate Transactions
Its purpose in the context of a boat is to facilitate the receipt and processing of any legal paperwork about the boat, such as changes in ownership or registration or requests for authorization to carry out tasks like clearing customs in a foreign country. If you don’t plan on being around when these transactions occur, or if you live too far away from the boat’s storage location, a power of attorney might be an invaluable tool.
It also allows you to choose a reliable individual who, unlike yourself, may be familiar with boats and USCG protocols. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) and you both don’t want to be the bottleneck in this procedure. They want things done fast so that you and the others who come after you can return to work. You wouldn’t want to arrive at a marina to find out that your vessel documentation is still being held up at the docks, and you have no means to pay for your space.
To Maintain the Continuity Of Your Vessel Documentation
You need to ensure that your boat is adequately recorded and maintained in case of incapacitation. Here’s when a power of attorney may be useful. You may appoint someone to handle your vessel documentation in the event of your inability to do so. Without a power of attorney, the person in possession of the vessel’s title would have to go through the formalities of transferring ownership to another person before they could make any modifications or updates to the registration. If you become disabled, this might be an issue since transferring title legally requires two witnesses and a notary public, and the deadline for doing so is 30 days from the onset of your incapacitation. By granting an agent power of attorney, you may provide that person with the authority to act on your behalf and protect him from liability. The agent may modify and update the vessel’s paperwork on behalf of the principal without going through the formalities of a title transfer.
To Protect Your Interests
To begin, it would empower another person to take care of the ship in your stead in the event of your untimely death. A power of attorney (POA) is not required to take ownership of a vessel, but without one, the interested party may have to go through probate court. Probate is a time-consuming and sometimes expensive legal procedure. However, if they already have power of attorney, the new captain must sign a release form to assume command of the ship. You may find and sign this form on the US Coast Guard’s website. If the owner has died without leaving a valid form, the vessel’s next of kin will need to apply for a Certificate of Documentation and pay any fees involved with doing so.
Peace of Mind
As any boat owner will tell you, in the end, it all comes down to making sure everyone on board stays safe. Having a power of attorney in place may alleviate a lot of stress. In the event of your untimely demise, you may rest easy knowing that the person responsible for managing your affairs is someone you have total faith in and who shares your values and preferences. Therefore, your loved ones may continue to spend quality time together on the water despite adversity.
If you are injured and unable to make choices for yourself, the person with power of attorney may act on your behalf to take care of things like registering your boat and other affairs. That way, you can rest easy knowing that your yacht has the necessary vessel documentation and complies with all applicable maritime laws.
You don’t want to leave anything to chance when it comes to vessel documentation. Even though the process is relatively easy and uncomplicated, it is still important that you understand every step of the way. Contact Vessel Documentation Online LLC by calling (877) 564-1398 for more information.