USA Coast Guard documentation for A25 / A27

[nebulatech]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if any A25 or A27 owner has US Coast Guard documentation for their boat?

The minimum limit for a boat is 5 net tons, and I believe the A25 is within range according to the calculations found here:
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organizati ... nage-Form/


Can anyone speak to the pro's or con's of USCG documentation? Is it necessary or worthwhile for going abroad? Thank you as always!

[honza]

I just got my 25 documented. It took about a year. They sent it several times back and finally approved, putting in the certificate year completed: unknown and place built: unknown. (I applied with the correct info, but they changed it.) The measurements are L=24.6, B=8.3, D=4.6, GRT=6, NRT=5.

From being documented I expect less harassment from state wardens on inland waters (I could be wrong here), and I have a good experience going thru highway customs, some of whom have never seen a documented boat before. It would not have made any difference coming to Miami from the Bahamas, I think.

[motthediesel]

Our A27 FC was documented twice. First, by the original owner in Maine, with US papers and numbers. Then, in Canada, by the folks we bought it from. We plan to do a NY State registration now, whenever the MV offices open again.

[nebulatech]

Honza, motthediesel thank you for your input!

It would not have made any difference coming to Miami from the Bahamas, I think.

What about the other way around? The last time I went to the Bahamas, you could still get in with just a USA driver's license. The captain had his boat USCG documented. Its my understanding that many fishermen make 1-2 day trips from Florida. I imagine at least some are non-documented vessels. I'm wondering if it makes it easier to clear into a foreign port. When my daughter is old enough to take scuba lessons, she wants to do her open water dive in the Bahamas (one of her teachers grew up there).

[honza]

Sorry, I do not remember well about the boat entering at Bimini. The customs officer was a very good looking young Bahamian lady, and I was kind of distracted I do not think she was concerned much with the boat papers, if at all. It was more about what was on board, something with the bicycle, I think.

[nebulatech]

Ha! Last time I cleared into the Bahamas, it was a Sunday, on Green Turtle Key in the Abacos. The customs officer was drunk at the Bluff House Resort (where we docked, conveniently). His girlfriend was the bartender. He send a messenger down to tell us to come see him in town the next day and stay out of trouble in the meantime. Which we did. But just for that day.