Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 12:33 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:19 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:59 am
Posts: 4
Anyone familiar with what the registration requirements are on a Hobie 18 in Virginia?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:20 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:06 am
Posts: 277
Location: Charlotte, NC
Hopefully someone from VA has experience, but having recently gone through this in NC figured it would be on the VA website:

See bullet point three:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/re ... n/laws.asp

See bullet point two here in Overview section:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/wo ... itling.asp

I'd just give them a call to be sure.

_________________
Jonathan
'85 H16 __/) 87468 Tidal Wave
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 6:55 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:18 am
Posts: 778
Location: Virginia Beach VA
I think it is optional for any boat without an engine. No beach cat sailors that I know of bothers with registration. I've never seen the Marine Patrol stop a catamaran except for PFD violations.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 3:40 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2003 2:48 pm
Posts: 229
Location: Hatteras Island, NC.
Can't say for Virginia, but Maryland doesn't require it for sail power only-NC requires registration for boats over 16 feet, I believe. Most cat sailors I know just don't bother.

Dave


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Apr 28, 2018 7:03 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:29 pm
Posts: 13
Location: Richmond, VA
I realize that this topic was started a long time ago, but I just did some research on this since I have the same question.

Here's a link to a forum post that features a handy overview: https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic. ... on#p270996

Title 29.1 (Game, Inland Fisheries and Boating), chapter 7 of the Virginia Code deals with boating. Some relevant details:

Quote:
§ 29.1-702. Registration requirements; display of numbers; cancellation of certificate; exemption.

A. 1. The owner of each motorboat requiring numbering by the Commonwealth shall file an application for a number with the Department on forms approved by it.

§ 29.1-703. Identification numbers required; decals

Every motorboat on the waters of this Commonwealth shall be numbered except those specifically exempt in § 29.1-710.

§ 29.1-700. Definitions.

"Personal watercraft" means a motorboat less than sixteen feet in length which uses an inboard motor powering a jet pump, as its primary motive power and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on, rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside, the vessel.

"Vessel" means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

§ 29.1-733.2. Definitions

[...]

"Watercraft" means any vessel that is used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water and is propelled by machinery, whether or not the machinery is the principal source of propulsion, except:

[...]

3. A vessel that measures 18 feet or less in length along the centerline and is propelled by sail;

[...]

§ 29.1-733.3. Applicability (Article 2.1. Virginia Uniform Certificate of Title for Watercraft Act)
.
Subject to § 29.1-733.29, this article applies to any transaction, certificate of title, or record relating to a watercraft, even if the transaction, certificate of title, or record was entered into or created before July 1, 2014.

§ 29.1-733.5. Law governing watercraft covered by certificate of title.

A. The law of the state or other jurisdiction under whose certificate of title a watercraft is covered governs all issues relating to the certificate from the time the watercraft becomes covered by the certificate until the watercraft becomes covered by another certificate or becomes a documented watercraft, even if no other relationship exists between the jurisdiction and the watercraft or its owner.

B. A watercraft becomes covered by a certificate of title when an application for the certificate and the applicable fee are delivered to the Department in accordance with this article or to the governmental agency that creates a certificate in another jurisdiction in accordance with the law of that jurisdiction.

§ 29.1-733.6. Certificate of title required.

A. No person shall operate a watercraft subject to titling under this chapter unless the owner has applied to the Department for a certificate of title for the watercraft or has been issued a valid temporary registration certificate as provided for in § 29.1-703.1.



Therefore, under VA law a Hobie 18 (or 14, 16, or 17, for that matter) is not considered a watercraft. The H18 is considered to be 18 feet long and thus classified as a "vessel" and not a "watercraft". Should you encounter a law enforcement officer who would argue that the H18 may be a smidgen over 18 feet, rest assured that the according to the official Hobie Racing classification the hull length is in fact 5.48m - or 17.979 feet. Curiously, the VA code defines length as "length as measured along the centerline" (§ 29.1-703.1), which in the case of a cat would be several feet shorter than the hull length. Sounds like our elected officials didn't consider multi-hull situations when they wrote the law.

Either way, since the H18 measures under 18 feet and is propelled by wind-power I would conclude that there is no requirement to title and/or register it.

The trailer, of course, will need to be titled and registered.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 4:08 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:31 pm
Posts: 130
When i was stationed at fort eustis, i also called them. As long as there is no motor, it doesn’t fall under motoboat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu May 03, 2018 5:24 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 4:35 am
Posts: 438
Location: Opelika/Lake Martin, Alabama
Alabama is just the opposite in that I have to register my H16, but the trailer doesn't require any registration or title.

_________________
Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group