Conference wahoo::fishing

    Where are you from?  If you are from NH, no problem.  Register it
    in NH and you can use it in Mass.  Mass recognizes your NH
    registration.  You'll will also be able to use your boat in any
    other state with a few exceptions, I think Washington and maybe
    Alaska.  HOWEVER, if you are from Mass and you register your boat
    here, NH does NOT recognize the Mass. registration.  You will have
    to get it registered in NH also to use it there.  I would assume
    NH will NOT let you register there unless: A: You are a resident,
    or B: you already have a current Mass. boat registration.  This
    would prevent Mass people from just registering in NH and getting
    around the tax issues, etc.
    
    --Chris

    I forgot to address the "international issue".  If you are registered
    in the U.S., you can take your boat into Mexico and (I believe)
    Canada and use it with no further registration necessary.  I'll
    look in my papers, and if I find it different I'll post an ammendment.
    I know Mexico definitely recognizes a Mass. registration.  

    re .1 and .2  thanks, but I doubt that NH would worry too much about
    Mass losing tax revenue, in fact I get the distinct feeling that they
    *LOVE* the idea, liquor stores along the border, wars over NH residents
    who work in Mass having to pay Mass "residents" income tax, etc.
    Anyway, I live in Mass., but the excise tax rules seem to imply that if
    the boat is out of state for > 6 months then Mass doesn't care about
    it.  If I kept a boat in NH for "the season" and brought it back to
    Mass for winter storage it would seem to be a N.H. boat.  If I buy a
    new boat I will almost certainly purchase it in N.H. to avoid sales
    tax. 

    	Reg
    
    	I'm still interested in the general answer of where its cheapest
    to register, I do have a Vermont opportunity for > 6 mo.
    

    RE:1
    I am a MASS. resident, however i registered my boat in N.H.. This
    is because N.H. will not accept out of state registrations. I was
    supprised to learn that MASS. will accept a N.H. registration, until
    now I have avioded MASS. waters for this reason.

    RE:-*

    There are two types of N.H. registrations.

        1) The inland water registration. Thas is the little plate
           that goes on your boat.  It is required for use of a
           power boat on inland waters in the state on N.H.   It
           is not recognized by any other state or for N.H. tidal
           waters.

        2) The other type is a Coast Guard Registration and associated
           numbers  (NH ____ __). If you have this type, it is valid 
           for 48 states BUT NOT N.H. INLAND WATERS.  It is also valid 
           for most Countrys, including Canada.

     As for taxes, no problem for type 1.  You can buy this plate at most
     boat dealers.

     Type 2, I heard you send to Boston for.  They probably require that
     you be a resident of N.H.


     Keith

    Be advised that if you don't have a Coast Guard registration and
    you boat for instance in Great bay (NH), Maine will pull you over
    and ticket you, NH usually looks the other way. This is due to a
    political war between Maine and NH over the legal lenght of lobster,
    among other issues.
    
    dave

    Re.6
    
    Whatjurisdiction does Maine have in or on Great Bay ?????
    
    Joe

    GREAT BAY IS NH TERRITORY, THE PISCATAQUA RIVER IS SPLIT DOWN THE
    MIDDLE.  ANY BOAT IN THE RIVER OR THE BAY MUST HAVE COAST GUARD
    NUMBERS AND VALID STICKER (GOOD FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS).  CANOES
    AND SMALL SAIL BOATS ARE EXEMPT.  THE FIRST TWO ALPHA CHARACTERS
    'NH' OR 'VT' ARE FOR THE STATE OF PRINCIPAL USE NOT WERE THE BOAT
    IS STORED.  THEREFORE YOU MAY REGISTER THE BOAT IN NH AND LIVE IN
    MASS. IF THATS WHERE YOU USE THE BOAT.  IF MASS IS WHERE YOU USE
    THE BOAT I BELIEVE YOU MUST SHOW PROOF OF PAYMENT OF EXCISE TAX.
    AGAIN THIS IS ONLY FOR BOATS IN THE COAST GUARD'S JURISDICTION,
    LAKES AND PONDS DON'T COUNT
    
    
    P.S.  IT COST $6.00 FOR THE NUMBERS AND TAKES ABOUT A MONTH.  THEY
    ISSUE A TEMPORARY PERMIT IN ABOUT A WEEK.
    

    Mass. registration fees: $20/2 years.  Show proof of tax paid. 
    No proof, they take it ouf of a book, just like cars.  You can go
    into the registry on Nashua St. in Boston and get it done on the
    spot.  I believe you can also go to Worcester and get it done too.
                                                                 
    They assign you a "MS XXXX XX" number and you go get the stick on
    letters yourself.  For what it's worth, they guy was pretty nice
    in there, not like the registry folks USUALLY are!

    Yes, you can register your boat at the Marine Registry in Worcester,
    I think it is on Park St.  Parking is a problem in that you
    will probably end up parking in a lot and paying the first hour
    fee.  But they don't charge that much.
    
    They also "give" you a "registry" sticker that you put next
    to the MS XXXX XX number that makes you real official.
                            
    

    I guess I meant the river, they (Maine) have hassled many people
    I know while boating in those waters, even if they had a coast guard
    registration.
    
    dave

       What is the procedure for boat re-registration in Mass? Will
    they send a card like they do for cars? Or do I have to go to the
    Marine Registry in Worcester? How much did Commissar Duke raise
    the fee?
                                            Denny

<       What is the procedure for boat re-registration in Mass? Will
<    they send a card like they do for cars? Or do I have to go to the
<    Marine Registry in Worcester? How much did Commissar Duke raise
<    the fee?

Denny,
    Last year they sent me "NOTHING".  I had to take the initiative and
show up at the Rec Vehicle Registry in Worcester to renew.  For me that's
not too bad (I live nearby), but the system stinks.  I have no idea what
the new rates might be.  When you find out please post it here...


Al

       Thanx Al, I called yesterday. The girl in Worc. said 'sometimes'
    Boston sends out cards, but they may be behind. She said if you
    mail your old registration in to Worcester with $30 (up $10 from
    last year) and a SASE they will send out your new one the same day.
    Boston may take 10 days to 2 weeks. The address is:
       Division of Marine & Recreational Vehicles
       75A Grove St.
       Worcester, Mass. 01605
       508-753-0603
                                                    Denny  
    

    You realize it only costs $24.00 to register a car in Penna.
    
    	and you can drive it any state.
    
    To really rub it in.... boat registration here is $6.00

    I had a big shock this morning and need a quick response from some of
    the other NH boat owners.
    
    I brought my boat trailer into Camper's INN on 101A in Nashua for some
    routine servicing, being as how I expect to trailer by rig to Canada
    next week. They asked me if I wanted my TRAILER INSPECTED? I was not
    even aware that there was a law in NH on inspecting trailers.
    
    My question is simply, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE THEIR TRAILER INSPECTED
    EACH YEAR?  What do they look for other than the lights working, a
    safety chain, fenders over the wheels, and proper tags and
    registration?

    Never heard of a triler inspection in Maine...
    
    Hmm...
    
    Jim
    

    I'm pretty sure that trailers only have to be inspected if they are 
    over a certain length - I don't recall what that length is - but I
    believe it's at least 20'.........?  
    
    If your referring to the trailer for your small alum V then don't worry
    about it.
    
    In NH you can put together anything, call it a trailer, go down to the
    registry, tell them you made a trailer, they'll give you a serial
    number and a plate and send you on your way, after you give them a
    check.
    
    donmac

    I just registered a 3000 lb. capacity trailer in MASS on Friday. The 
    woman told me if I plan to take the trailor out of state that it must
    be inspected. Because, the surrounding states require tailor stickers,
    and not having an inspection sticker would be a violation of their
    state laws.
    
    	Steve

To my knowledge, N.H. doesn't require trailer inspections, at least not for 
the smaller trailers.

-HSJ-

    Any fool should be able to inspect their own trailer.  Outside of
    wheel bearings there's not much more to inspect. Any boat owner
    who gives a hoot about their precious cargo is certain to know WHAT
    to inspect and give their trailer the twice over periodically....much
    better than the local gas station lookin' for the 15 bucks (MASS.)
    
    Even today with all the new regulations around motor vehicle
    inspections in MASS., there are still a few stations who fail to
    jack the front end and check the wheel bearings which is a required
    part of the inspection process.  If the State of MaSS.instituted
    trailer inspections I could just see the gas station saying..
    Yep,...looks like a trailer to me, here's your sticker and that'll
    be fifteen bucks.... 
    
    (Now that's 12 bucks for the station & 3 bucks for DuKaKiss.
    
    /MArk

    	Well, I went through the task of registering my boat and trailer
    yesterday.  Fun is not what you call it.  The people in the Worcester
    office are very nice.  Be sure you call to make sure they are working
    during lunch.  The girl told me that if one of them is out sick that
    day, then they close down for lunch.  As soon as you get done writing
    out three checks, (they will not take cash), for sales tax,
    registration fee, and title fee, they give you a Mass. Boater's Guide.
    Oh ya, they have a stamp that puts Comm. of Mass on your checks so you
    don't have to write it out.  Anyways, this book on page 9 states and I
    am quoting without permission here:
    
    	Boat Trailer Registration
    
    	  All vehicles operated on Massachusetts' public
    	highways mist be registered, insured, and inspected.
    	Boat trailers are registered under the same requirements
    	as passenger cars.
    	  Apply at any Registry of Motor Vehicles office.
    
    	Be forewarned about the Fitchburg Registry on a Thursday evening.
    	Even though they are open until 7:00 pm on Thursday's, the line
    	there is incredible!  I arrived at 6:00 pm and didn't leave until
    	7:00 pm.  I loved the only one window open idea!
    
    	Now who inspects trailers without a lot of hassle?  I hope it
    passes the emissions!
    
    	Rodney

    Does anyone have there trailer inspected? I never have.
    
    Rich

    	Rich,
    
    	I think I'm going to get mine inspected.  I mean how much can it
    cost?  Also, I don't want any hassle as I take the boat to N.H. and
    N.Y. this summer.  I expect they'll just check the lights and your
    hook-up.  The only people who should worry are the ones that have
    old trailers with old tires and maybe faulty wiring and lights.
    	I let you know how I make out Monday morning.
    
    	Rodney

    I wonder what would happen if I brought my boat back to Ma for a week. 
    We don't have inspections on cars let alone trailers and tralers are
    not registered.  I wonder how far I'd get with no plate on the trailer?
    Does anyone know if this applies to Ma trailers only?  The way it was
    worded a couple notes back, it sounded like anyone who hit Ma pavement.
    
    -SSS-