Conference vicki::boats

RE: .0
    
>>    I just bought a used boat and trailer

Welcome to the wonderful world of boating!

>>  The boat is currently registered in Mass and has Mass plates on
>>  the trailer.
 
Unless the owner wants to give you his registration forms and let you 
run the boat under his name (doubtful), the Mass registration and bow
numbers are useless to you. 

>>  I live in Mass (and my car is registered here) but I intend to take
>>  the boat and trailer to my summer place in Maine ONCE and then leave them
>>  both there forever.

>>  It strikes me that transfering these registrations to me in Mass for
>>  the sole purpose of then taking them to Maine and then doing it all
>>  again is perhaps not the easiest thing to do.  Can someone suggest
>>  something simpler? 
    
>>  For example, is the Mass boat registration valid in Maine?  If so
>>  perhaps the easiest thing is do to the transfer in Mass and leave it at
>>  that. If not, is it relatively simple to register it in Maine?  What
>>  documentation should i get?
  
Mass and Maine are reciprocal, but only if you plan to be in the other state
for less than (usually) 60 days per year.  Since your boat will be permanently
in Maine, you will be required to register there.  There would be no benefit 
to registering in Mass first.  I would suggest scraping the Mass numbers off,
and registering in Maine.  You will still be able to use the boat in Mass 
occasionally (less than 60 days/year) if you choose to.

For more info on Maine registrations contact:

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Division of Licensing and Registration
284 State St.
State House Station 41
Augusta Maine 04333
207-289-2043


>>  Assuming a trailer is handled like a motor vehicle in Mass, maybe I
>>  should just borrow the old owner's plates and registration for the one
>>  trip to Maine and then return them to him so he can cancel the
>>  registration. 
 
A Mass trailer registration is like a truck, it's renewed every year and cost
is based on GVW.  If the previous owner of the trailer lets you use his 
registration and plate for the trip to Maine that sounds legal to me.  Just 
make sure the registration is up to date, and if you get stopped tell Mr.
Policeman that you borrowed the trailer from the person who's name is on the
registration.  Don't tell him that you just bought it.  And if you do decide 
to register the trailer, it does not have to be registered in the same state 
as the boat, i.e. the boat can be registered in Maine and the trailer in Mass.

Good luck!
Rick W.

    
    Rick is absolutely right; you are *required* to register the boat
    in the state in which it is USED the most. It does not even matter
    if it is kept ON THE TRAILER in another state - it's where you USE
    it that counts. (this is right out of Chapman's)
    
      Boat registration - like car registration is NOT transferable
    between different owners. It does not matter if the boat is (or
    was) registered in another person's name in another state. You just
    go and register it in the state in which you're going to use it.
    
     On the other hand, the trailer is registered with your car; so
    you'll have to register both in the same state. It doesn't matter
    who's boat (or for that matter WHAT) you put on it. You can even
    throw a piece of plywood on it and use it for a utility trailer.
    All the state cares about is - is it registered, do the lights work,
    and don't exceed the GVW.
    
      This is 'slightly' simplistic, but I think you get the idea.
    
    
    					Kenny

    Yeh, but..
    Mass requires you to fill out a Trailer Verification Form at time of
    registration, which include things like year, make, model, length,
    registered weight (Make sure you round down to the nearest thousand)
    and a description. Descriptions include (check one):  Semi-box,
    semi-dump, semi-flat,...etc, utility-box, utility-flat, utility-..etc,
    BOAT, construction-.*, homemade> 4k, homemade<=4k...  You get the idea.
    They're trying to prevent people from using wing-nuts on trailer
    plates.
    
    Doug 

    What I'm hearing so far is:
    
    	1) Boat: any current status is history.  Register it in Maine as if
           it were new.
    
        2) Trailer: Register in mass just as if I was buying a used car.
    
    
    

RE: Note 618.3 

>>    They're trying to prevent people from using wing-nuts on trailer
>>    plates.

Ha!  That just reminded of a good one.  A friend's Dad has 3 or 4
homemade trailers, all with the same serial number!  One registration,
one license plate, and a set of wing nuts seems to the trick.  He's
had it registered that way for years, probably before they had you
fill out any trailer verification forms.

His name, you ask?  What are you with the registry?    :*)

Rick

    One more thing, get separate receipts for the boat and trailer.
    This probably will avoid a hassle with the registry when they charge
    you 5% sales tax (or has it gone up again?) of the bill of sale total.
    DW

    	If you are going to bring the boat out of this state
    and leave it there, try not to do any thing in this state (Mass)
    unless you have alot of money    Trailer= Sales TAX, Title TAX,
    Excise TAX= Big Bucks for the Dukes General fun !!!
    

    Registration of a Boat and/or trailer in Maine is simple. Go to your
    Town Hall and register them with the Tax clerk. Have the Bill of sale
    for both Trailer and Boat with you, sign a form saying you own the
    boat and where you will keep it. You will pay a small annual tax
    depending on the length and H.P. The Tax Clerk will issue you TEMP
    stickers until the State issues the Regular numbers.
    All the above assumes that you are a property owner in Maine. If not
    you will have to go thru the Fisheries Div of the State
    

              <<< VICKI::SIE$DATA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]BOATS.NOTE;1 >>>
                            -<     PowerBoats     >-
================================================================================
Note 644.0                   Registration ? w/Twist                   No replies
FDCV08::ROBERGE                                      19 lines   9-APR-1990 12:59
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Subject:  Boat registration

   Given: Brand new power boat (paid Mass. state tax)
	  Trailer will be registered/taxed in Mass.
	  Mostly do coastal including Mass, NH and Maine,
		with some fresh water boating
	  Since this is my first boat, I do not know which state I will
		do the majority of boating

Question: If I register boat in Maine as non-resident/tax exempt
	  
	  A. Will Mass. bill me for Excise and/or Title tax for boat ?
		or other similar situation ?

	  B. Will I be able to use boat in Mass. fresh water areas ?

Thanks for your feedback !

Art.

    
    	A "DIR/KEY=LAWS_REGULATIONS" reveals that the following notes
    are chock full of registration info:
    
    		Notes 16, 54 and 534
    
    
    	The keywords sure work great.... Thanks again Gail.....
    
    Rick