Yes, it’s a sore subject for PA boaters on Lake Erie. The law was changed several years ago to require State registration of Federally documented recreational vessels. Registrations last two years, then must be renewed. I don’t put my stickers on the bow, but they are affixed to fiberglass supports (port and starboard) for the main traveler and are clearly visible. Don’t want to give my good friends at the PFBC another reason to board.
From: Bill Coleman via CnC-List Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2018 3:33 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Bill Coleman Subject: Re: Stus-List "Maritime Documentation Center" Now you’ve really hit a sore spot with me. I have NO love for the PA Fish and Boat Commission, And have been pulled over a few times by them. They like to ask where my PA decals are, and I point to the nearly indelible round temporary stickers I put on the bow, and note with that as proof that I had paid the Sales Tax in 1997. Of course they want the current sticker, and I tell them that these are Federal Waters, not PA State Waters, the boat is documented and that is that. Well, of course then they get all huffy, and once they just asked where the boat was docked, slip, etc, like they were going to do something and I never heard from them. Another time, last summer in fact, they did another check, and wanted to see life jackets, fire extinguishers, etc, and then got to the sticker issue. I told them that I had in fact paid for a current sticker (I had decided a couple years ago to re-up my sticker, just to keep them off my back, but I just couldn’t bring myself to put them on bow.) I couldn’t find the stickers right then, and they said they were going to check. They had a laptop, I told to check right there, but for some reason they couldn’t tap in to the Dep of Revenue site or something. I never heard from them again. But I did find my stickers the next day, they were current. This below is an article I copied out of the BoatUS Magazine several years ago on the subject. <<"Why I put Pa. numbers on a federally documented Boat, just a few notes on your 'documentation ' issue: In Pa., the Fish and Boat Commission can and will pull over any boat lacking the PA registration numbers on the bow. We have a federally documented boat but paid the PA sales tax on it when we bought it . We registered with the F & B People at this time and got the PA numbers. We did not care to put the PA numbers on the bow believing we were 'federally documented' and it was not required. On a windy 3rd of July , we were pulled over by F&B. We explained it was a documented boat, not required by federal law to display ANY state stickers. (We were in fact OUT of the jurisdiction of the F & B , as we were on Lake Erie, a federal navigable waterway. The PA F &B jurisdiction only extends to PA inland Lakes like Lake Arthur, and PA waterways, like Oil Creek. (and Erie is NOT a PA inland lake) The F&B has no jurisdiction over navigable federal waterways, (Like the Allegheny River below the uppermost lock, etc.) It took these F&B guys an hour to pull us over, look at our PA registration certificate (which WAS current) , and call someone in Harrisburg to decide whether to issue us the $150 ticket they were threatening. (By the way F&B also has the 'right' to forbid you to use any PA state park for haul in UNTIL you get the PA numbers.... ) This 'arrest' happened to us on a windy holiday weekend , with guests on board. It was very disruptive of the holiday spirit and I must say the F&B guy was belligerent, rude and thoroughly unpleasant to deal with . (You may have seen the same F&B Officer who 'arrested ' us on his patrol in the Presque Isle marina--he is the portly gentleman, smoking his cigar while moored at the gas dock at Presque isle state park, near the NO SMOKING sign.. but that is another matter...) So you certainly have a legal right NOT to have PA numbers on your bow-- but do you want the hassle of getting pulled over for an hour every time a F&B sees your boat without PA numbers....? And do you want to fight the $150 ticket, and lose more time out of your short boating season .... ?? Numbers not required on bow, see http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/nvdcfaq.asp#22 >> Bill Coleman C&C 39 Erie, PA From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Matthew L. Wolford via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 8:38 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Matthew L. Wolford Subject: Re: Stus-List "Maritime Documentation Center" I also need to purchase a decal from the Department of Homeland Security to sail across Lake Erie ($27.50). No paperwork to process other than self-generated to collect the fee. And of course the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania needs its registration fee because being Federally documented is not good enough. From: Ron Ricci via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 8:22 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Ron Ricci Subject: Re: Stus-List "Maritime Documentation Center" I also received the notice. Somehow, the USCG Documentation Center enables these guys by providing mailing the list of documented boats. They are taking advantage of an opportunity created when the $26.00 charge was created. You’ll notice that before the government started trying to ‘cover’ their costs, there was no fee and no annoying “Maritime Documentation Center”. While $26 is a small number considering what it costs to own a boat, it is a lot to process the paperwork. Our government seems no better than these guys. Regards, Ron Ron Ricci S/V Patriot C&C 37+ Bristol, RI (978) 877-0369 ron.ri...@1968.usna.com From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Bill Coleman via CnC-List Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 10:38 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Bill Coleman Subject: Stus-List "Maritime Documentation Center" Just got my EARLY supposed Documentation Renewal from the "Maritime Documentation Center" I think the USCG must have taken heed of all the complaints, as these people have really toned down their ‘Renewal’ There is no amount to pay, and now little bits in there like , This is a courtesy notice, This is not an invoice, you are under no obligation to pay, etc – Things that were not in their notice in past years. I am sure they will still snag some people who are either not paying attention, or are too busy to notice. Bill Coleman C&C 39 Erie, PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
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