The difference between boat documentation vs. registration might be confusing for many people. If you don’t pay attention to the distinction between the two kinds of categorization, you might make a mistake. Owners of pleasure boats (or boats) face penalties if they don’t meet their responsibilities. In the same way that a vehicle or a motorbike has its own rules and restrictions, so does a boat. It’s possible that you didn’t see this since it’s not obvious.
When you bought your boat, you may have assumed the dealer or broker would provide you with all the required paperwork for its registration and documentation. The fact is, though, that making sure you have everything you need is neither their job nor their obligation. If you don’t know the criteria for registration and paperwork for your vessel, you’re on your own. So, in that spirit, let us attempt to define a few fundamental terminologies in boating.
Read more about the boat documentation vs. registration at Maritime Documentation Center.
