# Duplicate Boat Names ?



## backcreeksailor (Mar 9, 2009)

Does the name you choose to register your boat under have to be unique for your county or state? Or can two boats have the same name?

If the former, where do you search for names that are already in use? (I'm in Annapolis Maryland).


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## RocketScience (Sep 8, 2008)

backcreeksailor said:


> Does the name you choose to register your boat under have to be unique for your county or state? Or can two boats have the same name?


Must be OK, cuz there's about 10 zillion 'Obsessions' up here in my neck of the pond.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

backcreeksailor said:


> Does the name you choose to register your boat under have to be unique for your county or state? Or can two boats have the same name?
> 
> If the former, where do you search for names that are already in use? (I'm in Annapolis Maryland).


For USCG Documentation, many boats can certainly have the same name. I think there are 3 or 4 with the name of our boat and I named 2 of them. There are bunches of boats registered with popular names like "Osprey" and silly ones like "Sales(Sails) Call".

I don't think States care whether the boat is named or not, they give you a number.


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## velero (Dec 19, 2001)

*You can search this site to find out*

if there are any USCG documented boats with the same name.

Office of Science and Technology


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

In Canada if you want to register your boat, the name must be unique - but that is usually dealt with be appending a "II" or "III" etc behind the name.. not necessarily an ideal solution. This is only to be listed in the Canadian Shipping Registry, which is not a requirement unless you're above a certain size (65 feet IIRC). Your Registration No. must be permanently affixed to a part of the vessel below decks.

To simply license in Canada there's no restriction on the name, but then you must display a license number on the boat. Licensing is free, there is a nominal fee for Registration, which I believe includes the name search.


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## gtod25 (Aug 5, 2000)

*Thanks, great link.*



velero said:


> if there are any USCG documented boats with the same name.
> 
> Office of Science and Technology


Just typed in my boat name and my info came up.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

In the US, a lot of the less original or tackier names are repeated quite often. Sea Mist is a good example... Ecstasy in its various spellings is pretty rampant...


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## swadiver (Jan 17, 2007)

With respect to USCG Documented vessels, boats with the same name are ok. Usually the hailing port is different. In my case I have seen one other *Namaste* but are hailing ports were not the same. Mine is Long Beach, Ca. What will really seperate boats with the same name and hailing ports is the vessel documentation id, which must be mounted permantly somewhere on the vessel. Mine is located below deck mounted on a bulk head. I don't think the states (at least Ca.) care. California requires a registration id mounted on the port/starboard side of the bow.


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## backcreeksailor (Mar 9, 2009)

velero said:


> if there are any USCG documented boats with the same name.
> 
> Office of Science and Technology


Ok, so this begs the question: Are all boats (in the US) automatically USCG documented when you register them with your home state? Or is USCG documentation a separate/optional process?

I just looked up the old name of the boat I'm buying and it didn't show up in Office of Science and Technology


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## mstern (May 26, 2002)

USCG documentation is a completely different process than state registration. State registration is usually no different than registering a car; its a way for the state to keep track of your vessel and collect revenue. USCG registration for recreational vessels is purely optional.


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## backcreeksailor (Mar 9, 2009)

mstern said:


> USCG documentation is a completely different process than state registration. State registration is usually no different than registering a car; its a way for the state to keep track of your vessel and collect revenue. USCG registration for recreational vessels is purely optional.


Ok... So then what are the advantages and/or disadvantages of registering your boat with USCG?


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## velero (Dec 19, 2001)

Sometimes the lien holder requires USCG documentation.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

From the USCG website:



> The difference between Documentation and State registration is that Documentation is a form of Federal Registration for larger boats (5 net tons or more). It has two basic advantages:
> Documentation makes it easier to get bank financing. A bank will often stipulate that boat must be documented.
> Documentation makes it easier to establish the identity of the vessel when cruising foreign waters (the Coast Guard Documentation serves as a "passport" for the vessel).
> Recreational boats of 5 net tons or more (approximately 35 feet in length and over) are eligible (but not required) to be documented by the Coast Guard. Documenting a boat is generally more expensive than registering it with the State, but it may have advantages if the boat is used for international travel. Some States will require registration of a boat even if it is documented.
> ...





backcreeksailor said:


> Ok... So then what are the advantages and/or disadvantages of registering your boat with USCG?


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## backcreeksailor (Mar 9, 2009)

By those standards, my 30' boat wouldn't even be eligible for USCG registration. So although this is great information, it's kind of a moot point for my particular vessel. Correct?


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## swadiver (Jan 17, 2007)

backcreeksailor said:


> By those standards, my 30' boat wouldn't even be eligible for USCG registration. So although this is great information, it's kind of a moot point for my particular vessel. Correct?


Nope, my boat is 30ft and it is a documented vessel. When I bought my boat it was state registered. I documented it because of trips down to Mexico. The Mexican government does not recognize a Calif. regestered vessel and sometimes there are problems. At least that was how it was explained to me.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I've seen boats that were USCG documented as small as 26' LOA. If my 28' trimaran, which certainly displaces less than a 30' LOA monohull can be USCG documented, I don't see why yours couldn't be. * BTW, the NET DISPLACEMENT the USCG uses has very little to do with the actual displacement of the vessel. *I doubt my boat weighs more than 5000 lbs. with everything and crew, yet the USCG says it displaces a NET 7 TONS.



backcreeksailor said:


> By those standards, my 30' boat wouldn't even be eligible for USCG registration. So although this is great information, it's kind of a moot point for my particular vessel. Correct?


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## RocketScience (Sep 8, 2008)

While we're on the topic...
Is the USCG documentation transferable from one owner to another?


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## OrioninHawaii (Mar 7, 2009)

yep- we just renewed it and updated the owner info when we bought the boat from the other owner-
FYI in times of war coast guard documented boats can be commandeered by the gov.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The USCG documentation stays with the boat... the documentation number shouldn't change for the life of the boat... when you buy a USCG documented boat, the documentation gets changed.



RocketScience said:


> While we're on the topic...
> Is the USCG documentation transferable from one owner to another?


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