Bill of Sale for a Boat: Four Things You Need to Know

This article intends to give you a concise yet complete answer to the most common questions regarding the bill of sale for a boat, up-to-date to 2021. At the Maritime Documentation Center, we always strive to provide vessel owners with the answers they’re looking for. Our website serves as a three-step system for users to…

Abstract of Title for Boats: A 2021 Overview

The abstract of title is a record of all the documents that were submitted to the USCG for a specific vessel. It serves as a complete synopsis of all historical events related to ownership, mortgage, and lien recordings. What does a boat abstract of a title contain? What benefits does it offer to vessel owners?…

Avoid the NVDC Delays with Maritime Documentation Center

The NVDC requires all vessel owners, whether they’re commercial or recreational, to obtain vessel documentation and keep it up-to-date. The entity hasn’t had any trouble processing commercial vessel documents in time. However, since late last year, the entity had experienced an unprecedented backlog with recreational vessels documentation.   This makes sense if we think that…

How to Register a Boat, Explained

If you’ve never had to do it before, figuring out how to register a boat can quickly become a lot to deal with. It is, at the end of the day, a bureaucratic process that can take up too much of your time if you don’t know how to approach it or where to start. …

Who Can Apply to the MARAD Small Vessel Waiver Program and How?

The MARAD waiver is a Maritime Administration mechanism meant for foreign-built vessels. After all, the Jones Act requires that the vessels operating in coastwise commerce be built domestically whenever possible. The MARAD small vessel waiver program recognizes that foreign-built vessels can also contribute to American commerce, which is why it grants waivers to certain vessels…

Consult the US Coast Guard Registry Via Lookups and Abstracts

If you own a vessel, you are probably aware of the US Coast Guard registry, which is the database where the titular agency stores all the relevant information about the registered vessels. This is not a classified archive, though, since it can be easily accessed and consulted with the right information. This is a public…