www.iFourWinns.com

One of my biggest pet peeves is boaters putting the city in which they live and not the city (or marina) in which they boat our of...in their boat name. Now I am not trying to start a war here... But what do all of you think? I know it's a judgment call for trailer boats, but if your in a slip, aren't you suppose to us the city or Marina name?

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2000 Four Winns 248 Vista (Nice toys, no Air)
2001 Highly Modified Yamaha GP1200R (75+MPH)

Boats that are US Coast Guard registered use 2 components to identify themselves. 1) Boat name. 2) Hailing port.

As a general rule, you should use the hailing port for the location in which you keep your boat. If you slip it in Seattle, you should use Seattle as the hailing port. As for marina name - that's more of a Yacht Club thing and you should investigate a burgee or something to identify yourself with a group of fellow boaters.

That being said - there is no regulation mandating that. I could have had a hailing port of any city/state/area combination. If boat name is the 'brand', hailing port is the 'model'. (maybe not such a great example, but it gets the point across).

I guess I would ask why it's a peeve of yours?

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Not around here. Well, at least there is no requirement. Local marina's here have plenty of boats with ports that they live in, and not where they slip their boat. I would rather know where the boater's are from than where they slip their boat.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Since I trailer (even though the lake I most use and the town I live in are the same), we only put a name and no location on our boat.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Bingo,

I agree. I will likely be putting where we are located under our name (when I have it made). Simply to put where we are from.

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Rob

Present: 1999 Formula 280SS
Past: 1989 180 Horizon

http://www.robcamerondesign.com

I just thought it was best to have your home port in case the boat is lost...

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2000 Four Winns 248 Vista (Nice toys, no Air)
2001 Highly Modified Yamaha GP1200R (75+MPH)

Technically the term is 'documented'. The use of which has to do with how the authorities will deal with issues related to the vessel. Like loss (theft, sinking, piracy), taxation and the like.

As for boats not documented, I of the opinion that it's fine to use whatever you'd like. There are all sorts of issues with place names and "appearances". I guess it has everything to do with how people associate themselves with the name of a place. Do you chose the name because it has some significance that would come from advertising it to others? Is that your home town? Or does using the marina town's name offer something? Or is there a negative connotation to either one of them? Thus it's a personal choice and one best left at that.

From my perspective if they're an idiot on the water seeing a 'location' really doesn't matter. They're still an idiot, be that with their home town or port town listed on the transom. It's the behavior being demonstrated, not some vinyl lettering, that makes the difference. And to assume based on lettering is, frankly, rather juvenile. Yeah, yeah, seeing they've listed some redneck burg, or rich suburb might lead to assumptions, but you know what they say about those...

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista