IN Boating Laws - AKA: what a convoluted mess

[1DOWN4UP]

Got three boats and the BMV know it.Got 4 vehicles and they know that too.The letters come in June like clockwork.The wife writes them a big fat check.They leave me alone thill next June.Your boat was free,and your wife will be happy.It is probably built better then a new one.Now start looking at a new 9.9 hp outboard,and take her to Basspro and look at some of the cool stuff that will improve it for you both.Maybe a couple seats that will save your back and a couple good comfortable life jackets.Once you are on the water.......it will have been worth it.She will be happy.

 

[eldirector]

Got three boats and the BMV know it.Got 4 vehicles and they know that too.The letters come in June like clockwork.The wife writes them a big fat check.They leave me alone thill next June.Your boat was free,and your wife will be happy.It is probably built better then a new one.Now start looking at a new 9.9 hp outboard,and take her to Basspro and look at some of the cool stuff that will improve it for you both.Maybe a couple seats that will save your back and a couple good comfortable life jackets.Once you are on the water.......it will have been worth it.She will be happy.

Good advice here....

We have a couple of nice clamp-on seats. Bought those, oh, 25 years ago when we were dating, and took "dad's" boat out fishing and then camping. Have brand new vests for me, La Directora, and La Directorette. Even have a depth/fish finder, that might even work.

Don't think I'll bother with a gas motor. That's a whole 'nuther headache. The troller should get us around just fine. Even have a "spare" deep-cycle battery ready to go.

My wife just chuckles at my aggravation. She is glad it is me dealing with this, even as much as I grumble. SHE would have lit off on some poor BMV staffer by now. That feisty Italian blood of hers has a short fuse.

Was really hoping to get it out this next weekend. Weather looks promising: overcast, chance of showers, and a bit cooler (around 80, I heard).

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

... It will be worth it. Just keep telling yourself 'happy wife, happy life'. Pay your fees, send in the forms, kiddos will be happy=wife happy. Now go buy yourself that new toy at your local fun store.

 

[1DOWN4UP]

I think if the craft is over 15 ft you will need a life preserver.I tied a rope on to a float cushion and it is legal.Get the Indiana boating laws pamphlet and study it. They add or change things.

 

[eldirector]

I think if the craft is over 15 ft you will need a life preserver.I tied a rope on to a float cushion and it is legal.Get the Indiana boating laws pamphlet and study it. They add or change things.

It is 11'. One less thing to worry about.

Observation: If a set of laws are so complex that they require the average citizen to get a booklet, take a course, and obtain certification, they are too complex.

Had to take a pic for the Hull ID application. Here is what we are talking about:

1970 vintage Sears aluminum flat-bottom boat. Set up for oars (which I have) and rated for a 5 hp motor. My FIL remembers paying $250 for it new. He had a friend working for Sears. At the end of the season, they were sending back overstock and returns. He and his roommate picked the "best" of the bunch, and split the cost. A year later, they both got married, the roommate moved out, and my MIL moved in. The boat stayed. My FIL took his daughter (my wife) fishing a bunch in the 1970's and 80's on this little runabout (fishing, especially fly-fishing, was his "thing"). When my wife and I started dating, she and I took it out almost every summer weekend in, oh, about 1991 or so. We have some pretty funny stories about dragging that thing all over southern Indiana with my little 4-cylinder S-10. That is the last time it was "registered". It sat behind the FIL's garage for many years, then sat at the Danville CC while we were members (never got used), and then sat behind MY garage for the last few years. My FIL is getting up in years, and will likely never use it again, so he gave it to me, along with the long-expired 1991 registration form. I have the original 1970's trolling motor, that still spins, and a "new" (from the 1990's) troller that has never seen water. He gave us the 1990's depth/fish finder, the two seats (that my wife and I bought - the benches are NOT comfortable), oars, a couple of paddles, and dead deep-cycle battery (1990's date on it - long dead). The 1970's era life jackets were toast, but we already have our own modern ones. I suspect the REST of the fishing gear is heading our way as well. 5 sets of waders, dozens of rods and reels (ranging from hand-built fly rods, to freshwater spinners, to salt water setups), and thousands of lures and flies. My FIL took this fishing hobby pretty seriously. Luckily, my wife and I also enjoy fishing together, so it will all go to good use. My own gear is getting pretty beat up (most is 20+ years old), and I am having to start replacing rods as they come apart. My kiddo has started on her own "real" spinning rod (pink, of course), and has her very own (also pink) tackle box. Now, we just need her to hook into a real fish!

 

[femurphy77]

It is 11'. One less thing to worry about.

Observation: If a set of laws are so complex that they require the average citizen to get a booklet, take a course, and obtain certification, they are too complex.

Had to take a pic for the Hull ID application. Here is what we are talking about:

1970 vintage Sears aluminum flat-bottom boat. Set up for oars (which I have) and rated for a 5 hp motor. My FIL remembers paying $250 for it new. He had a friend working for Sears. At the end of the season, they were sending back overstock and returns. He and his roommate picked the "best" of the bunch, and split the cost. A year later, they both got married, the roommate moved out, and my MIL moved in. The boat stayed. My FIL took his daughter (my wife) fishing a bunch in the 1970's and 80's on this little runabout (fishing, especially fly-fishing, was his "thing"). When my wife and I started dating, she and I took it out almost every summer weekend in, oh, about 1991 or so. We have some pretty funny stories about dragging that thing all over southern Indiana with my little 4-cylinder S-10. That is the last time it was "registered". It sat behind the FIL's garage for many years, then sat at the Danville CC while we were members (never got used), and then sat behind MY garage for the last few years. My FIL is getting up in years, and will likely never use it again, so he gave it to me, along with the long-expired 1991 registration form. I have the original 1970's trolling motor, that still spins, and a "new" (from the 1990's) troller that has never seen water. He gave us the 1990's depth/fish finder, the two seats (that my wife and I bought - the benches are NOT comfortable), oars, a couple of paddles, and dead deep-cycle battery (1990's date on it - long dead). The 1970's era life jackets were toast, but we already have our own modern ones. I suspect the REST of the fishing gear is heading our way as well. 5 sets of waders, dozens of rods and reels (ranging from hand-built fly rods, to freshwater spinners, to salt water setups), and thousands of lures and flies. My FIL took this fishing hobby pretty seriously. Luckily, my wife and I also enjoy fishing together, so it will all go to good use. My own gear is getting pretty beat up (most is 20+ years old), and I am having to start replacing rods as they come apart. My kiddo has started on her own "real" spinning rod (pink, of course), and has her very own (also pink) tackle box. Now, we just need her to hook into a real fish!

Has she been in it as an adult? It may seem really small once she gets out on an open body of water!

 

[seedubs1]

Jesus.....all that for a flat bottom jon boat. If that isn't a sign that the laws need to change, I don't know what is.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Man, do yourself a favor.....sell it and buy a kayak or solo canoe for every member of the family. No yearly tax, registration, etc... just fun floating down the river, and every bit as fun as anything in a powerboat. And no maintenance. Only type of boat I’ll own.

Never tried a kayak, but pulling a skier behind a canoe is a *****! Boy were my arms tired after that...

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

Wow! We have a 10' Sears just like that sitting behind our barn. My 14 year old thinks its gold. It was my Dads.

Carry on, El- Captain.

 

[eldirector]

UPDATE:

Finally got the darned thing all titled and registered! Just waiting on the sticker from the BMV, and still need to stencil the hull # on. $47 got me titled, and then registered thru November 2019.

Recap:
- had to fill out forms for a new hull ID (for title - essentially a VIN)
- got inspected by LE to confirm it had no existing hull ID
- New hull ID issued. I think that was $20? BMV had the paperwork.
- Affix new Hull ID to boat (I made an aluminum plate with the # stamped in)
- Get it inspected AGAIN to ensure the hull # is there
- turn in paperwork to BMV. They issued me a registration, and the title/sticker is in the mail
- $20 for the title, $27 total for new registration (pro-rated 2018, and all of 2019, plus new-reg upcharge). Should be $67 total to the BMV.

Still need to get the DNR sticker, for use on certain DNR properties. That is another $25 (motorized boat). Bring my total this year to $92. Yearly ongoing should be the $25 DNR fee and a $9 registration fee (total $34).

I suppose I shouldn't complain. Not bad for a free boat.

 

[amboy49]

Guess this is like paying property taxes on a house you own with no mortgage. The government will always find a way to extract money from you ! Could be worse. Try getting caught without the proper registration and see how much it costs ! I don’t have any experience but can imagine it would equal the expense of a traffic ticket - couple hundred dollars.

 

[Hohn]

The fees on the boats is based on their sale price when new so yours shouldn't be too bad of a hit.

You haven't priced yarn lately, have you? Trust me...knitting is not an inexpensive hobby. Better think of something else like gardening...oh wait...that isn't cheap either. If you find a cheap hobby let me know because I might consider one if I could find it!

I substitute talking about guns for actually doing things with them, as talk is very cheap and one of the few things always in my budget.

 

[mom45]

I substitute talking about guns for actually doing things with them, as talk is very cheap and one of the few things always in my budget.

Just blame your pets when UPS or Fed Ex show up with orders...my cats are always on the computer ordering yarn and stuff. They really need to get their own credit card to use.