Registration Numbers

Moderator: GreenLake

Registration Numbers

Postby hsubman » Fri May 06, 2016 9:42 pm

GL, I'm a new Daysailer owner currently working on a few upgrades to my new '83 DSII, standing rigging, vang, safety equip.,etc. Getting it ready to sail the amazing lakes of Ohio. In one of your other posts, you posted a link to Coast Guard requirements, which I saved by the way. Thank you for that. I was reading the section about registration numbers. I am wondering if my numbers are legal or am I going to have to use a different font. Hopefully I can keep them and only change if someone tells me different! John
20150901_215700 [155516] resize.jpg
20150901_215700 [155516] resize.jpg (19.02 KiB) Viewed 13359 times
John
'83 DSII, 12279, MARY RUTH
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby GreenLake » Fri May 06, 2016 10:47 pm

What you have is a state registration, and in my experience the people who usually or most often care for those might be harbor police, river police, sheriff and the like. This is true around here even for waters actually patrolled by or under jurisdiction of the coast guard. The form this "care" takes is usually that they want to verify that the number is associated with the current year's sticker.

The main concern with the number itself is that it is clearly readable, and I have seen some variability in how closely other boats have followed the specifications. While yours aren't upright, the design is very clear. Looks like the previous owner didn't ever get challenged over them. My expectation would be that you have a better chance of getting cited for the wrong sticker than the wrong font, but that's just a personal guess.

If it makes you feel better, there are other instructions you can find on the web for them, where instead of "upright" they speak of "BLOCK" style. Arguably, your font does uses block capitals. (The dictionary definition of that term actually is pretty much just ALL CAPS).

So, this brings us finally to instructions issued by your state (Ohio).

The number shall:
  • be placed on each side of the forward half of the watercraft;
  • read from left to right;
  • be in block characters of good proportion;
  • be a minimum of 3 inches in height;
  • be one color and contrast with the background or boat color;
  • be separated by a hyphen or equivalent space between the prefix and suffix;
  • be maintained to be clearly visible and legible.


So, if you claim you followed those instructions, you are good.
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby hsubman » Fri May 06, 2016 11:35 pm

Thanks GL. I feel better now. The lake I'll be sailing most often, Indian Lake in west central Ohio, has a Lake Patrol which is, I think a branch of the Sheriff's office. If they are at the ramp when you launch, they absolutely will check your boat. They're mostly checking safety equipment and a valid registration so I think I'm good. Thanks John :D
John
'83 DSII, 12279, MARY RUTH
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby jeadstx » Sat May 07, 2016 2:36 am

I don't know about Ohio, but in Texas you have to transfer the boat registration into your name. State likes to collect their taxes. I'm going through that right now with a Day Sailer I that I just purchased. Fortunately you don't have to deal with Texas Parks & Wildlife. Each state has their own rules concerning boat registration. The numbers on the bow may (or may not) remain the same, but the registration sticker (the small yellow one with year number) will need to renewed at a certain interval. In Texas the interval is every two years.

Find out what your state registration regulations are. Then go from there.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby hsubman » Sat May 07, 2016 4:08 am

John, that is my new registration number. When I bought the boat it had a Michigan registration. Towed it from Traverse City, MI to Lima, OH (nw Ohio), transferred the title and registered in Ohio. I was just concerned that the font of my new numbers I put on was not regulation, which is "upright and block letters". Luckily Ohio does not specify upright numbers. Mine have a slant, which is not politically correct in some places!!! :wink: John
John
'83 DSII, 12279, MARY RUTH
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby GreenLake » Sat May 07, 2016 2:21 pm

Sage advice:
jeadstx wrote:Find out what your state registration regulations are. Then go from there.


A site like this is great for a quick orientation, but ultimately, it's the regulations that define your obligations, and they can vary. Some states would not require a boat like the DS to be registered and titled, but most do. Some require a safety sticker warning against carbon monoxide. I put one on my boat to avoid issues, but with only sails and electric propulsion it's not very germane.

If your state requires boater education for powerboats, I'd recommend you try to pass the test, even if it's not required. You'll be sure that you have at least some passing familiarity with the nautical rules of the road and local boating regulations. At the time I did that, the test here was all online and there was an online practice test. If your state doesn't have that, perhaps a neighboring one does (and the rules of the road on the water should be the same).

Owning and reading a copy of the Navigation Rules is also not a bad idea (or memorize them from the online publication).
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby kokko » Tue May 10, 2016 1:23 pm

I once spoke to the water patrol sheriff's deputy and he said he had never had problems with the sailors. He would walk the dock and make sure the state registration was up to date, but left us alone on the water. He has plenty of work with the power boaters but never the sailors. He said the sailors all understood the rules
DS1 Truelove
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby SUNBIRD » Tue May 10, 2016 3:25 pm

As an experienced USCGAUX Vessel Examiner, I would have to tell you that those are not "Block Letters", and TECHNICALLY do not meet the Federal Requirements. However, off the record...... they are VERY readable, properly spaced, great contrast, appear to be at least 3" high, and look much better that many boats that I've seen. So, do they meet the letter of the law..... not really. Are you likely to get fined for this, who knows..... a hard-nosed official having a bad day might cite you. I suspect though that as long as you are in compliance with the rest of the requirements, you may get away with these numbers.
As I say, the only problem that I see is the italics script, at least you don't have black letter on a dark color background (what gets me are the boats with black letters on a dark color sheer stripe, instead of being placed 3-4" lower, but still well above the waterline, on the off-white part of the hull), you have the numbers spaced exactly as required, and as I say.... look to be over 3" high.

Again, as a fellow boat owner, I'd say they look fine, as a VE, well....... I'd say they "should be" changed......, but........ If I had not revealed that I am a VE..... I might just tell you they look fine, you have certainly met the "spirit" of the law (but don't quote me as saying it is OK). Again, off the record, although technically, "judgement calls" are not allowed, I would probably not withhold the VSC Decal if everything else met the requirements. Yes, those are not "block letters", but they are still clearly readable, and meet all other details of the numbering regs. I'd "recommend" changing them, but as I say... they look better than far too many other boats.
Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD"
1979 DS II, # 10201
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby GreenLake » Wed May 11, 2016 4:52 pm

Just to give you a sense of what floats out there on the water, a friend sent me this picture:

RegNumberSample.jpg
Registration numbers that definitely do not seem up to spec
RegNumberSample.jpg (21.41 KiB) Viewed 13300 times
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby SUNBIRD » Wed May 11, 2016 5:13 pm

That one I definitely would not consider clearly readable, still great contrast, looks to be proper size, but definitely not "Block" letters.
I once checked a boat where the owner had just spent $$ to have custom vinyl graphics printed with his Reg #, he had 2 sets made (one in white, one in red) to see which one was better looking. He was understanding ,but still disappointed to find out that he could not use either set because they were script like the one above (I think they were less than 3" high as well). Those numbers on the Day Sailer were still not 100% correct, but at least you can easily read them!
Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD"
1979 DS II, # 10201
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Re: Registration Numbers

Postby Baysailer » Wed May 11, 2016 6:05 pm

Off topic but I'll tell it anyway. I've never been stopped by coast guard or Sherriff except a few years ago I was stopped about 20 times in one day. I was sailing my Mariner (now deceased) on the bay alone on a fairly rough day. Coast guard was out doing their thing and being the only vessel on the bay they came up aside. They asked if I was OK to train with them. They practiced pulling aside, boarding and un boarding a sailboat in rougher conditions. The never did inspect anything or ask for any paperwork except life preserver that they requested I wear.
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