The Maritime Administration of the United States (Marad) grants waivers of the existing regulations only when your intended purpose doesn’t cause “undue adverse effect” on other operators or shipbuilders. A Marad waiver exempts provisions that may occur under one particular set of circumstances. Primarily, it depends on the use to which you intend to use…
Once you have your craft and your certification or license the next thing to think about is safety. It is a good idea to think of your boat as a vehicle, which in fact it is. It moves like any other type of vehicle, whether powered by muscle, wind, or motor. The only difference is…
Did something recently go awry which has put your boat documentation in jeopardy? Does it feel as if you’re going to lose the ability to use your vessel as you would like (or you already have?) If you have a documented vessel, odds are that you want to keep that vessel documented. Should you use…
If you are wondering how the boat documentation law can be violated, this article is right for you. The legislation governing vessels’ documentation is an essential component of the marine rules. When rules are broken, there is the potential for severe repercussions, including seizing one’s vessel. It is essential to have a good understanding of…
Are you interested in getting financing on your vessel? Does a “Preferred Ship’s Mortgage” sound appealing? A mortgage can make it possible for you to have the vessel you’ve always dreamed of. Yes, a mortgage is a commitment, but it’s one that may get you out on the water in your perfect boat. Over the…
As of this writing, it’s August. Yes, that means that in many places, summer is still in full swing. The days are warm, the sun high in the sky, and it may seem like summer lasts forever. However, one look at the foliage will tell you that’s not the case. Autumn is almost here, and…
Has something happened with your vessel and you aren’t sure what to do next? Was there a change in your life and you don’t know how to square it with your boat documentation? These are the kinds of situations that we created the National Documentation Portal to be able to help vessel owners with. Here,…
Before purchasing a boat out of state, make sure you’re familiar with workings of such a purchase. Let us say you placed a down payment on a vessel that’s currently in Florida, but you reside near San Diego. Let’s further assume that the boat you want to buy is a Four Winns v305 model, a…
Have you got your eye on a vessel, but aren’t sure if it’s right for you? Are you doing the research into a boat (or even some boats) but can’t find an information source you can trust? This is something that prospective vessel owners have been dealing with for a long time. The internet (and…
As of this writing, it’s a good time to buy a boat. The weather’s getting nicer, summer is almost here, and there are plenty of great boats on the market. However, with so many deals around, there are some pretty bad ones too. The last thing anyone wants is to go through the entire process…