USCG Documentation - Commercial / Recreational

[mvmahal]

We are looking to USCG doc our trawler. It was an old fishing trawler that was converted to a party boat. But now is more a platform to decide how we will renovate it.


What would be the requirements both for the ship and captain and the ups and downs or what would be needed if we wanted to:



1. Take paying guests on board?
2. Take cargo?



I mean I am happy to just keep it a pleasure vessel but if I am registering it I am trying to keep my options open with as little difficulty as possible.



Any thoughts recommendations, pointers, help would be appreciated.



Thanks

 

[Lepke]

If you're near a port with a USCG office go there. Otherwise contact them online.
There's lot to do. The vessel has to be inspected and admeasured by ABS (or other similar organization) to set tonnage capacity. The USCG will have to inspect the vessel in and out of the water. The boat has to meet all rules/regs and safety standards for the type of commerce it will be employed in. You can find the regulations online.
The captain, and depending on size, the crew will have to pass license tests and the captain has sea time requirements. There may be other requirements like CPR, firefighting, damage control, engineering certificates, again depending on vessel size.
Regs, even for pleasure boats get more extensive for boats over 20 meters.
A couple pdfs attached could be out of date.

 

[Comodave]

First question is where was the boat built? In the US, good. Other country not so good. If it was built offshore and you want to carry more than 6 passengers it takes an act of congress to get a waiver. If you are going for 6 or less, a 6 pack, then the boat doesn’t have to be inspected. If you are going for more than 6 bringing the boat up to the standards can be a massive job. There are so many regs to meet that you may almost have to rebuild the boat. My advice is if you are going to do it go for a 6 pack. The captains license is easier also.

 

[mvmahal]

The boat was built in the Florida. does the boat need anything special for taking 6 passengers? or does that just depend on the captains license in that case?

 

[Comodave]

A 6 pack is an uninspected vessel. Basically you have to have all the legal equipment and maybe some other things, it has been years since I looked at 6 pack stuff. The captains license would have to be for the appropriate tonnage of the vessel. Tonnage isn’t weight but rather cubic volume. A ton is 100 cu feet of cargo capacity. The boat has to be admeasured to determine the tonnage. Engine room doesn’t count in the tonnage.

 

[mvmahal]

ok this vessel will be registered at 127GT.



Thanks

 

[Portage_Bay]

Talk to a USCG inspection office. Don't set yourself up for problems because you missed something important. My guess is at 127 gross tons you're over 65.6 ft or 20 meters. That's a whole different can of worms.

There is a 12 pac classification for the boat as well. Don't know much about it other than it's possible.

 

[Comodave]

I agree, at that tonnage things change. Talk to the CG.

 

[Shrew]

Your City and Country say 'Caribbean'. You will need to be a US citizen to document the vessel. You need to start here:

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organi...s-DCO-D/National-Vessel-Documentation-Center/

This is the best place to start to build a base of knowledge. Feel free to post any questions.

 

[OldDan1943]

I suspect all documentation mail out will be late this year.

I usually get mine by the first part of April.