Please help me clear up some boating questions

[Jimmyly]

I have recently obtained a boat, I was not planning on boating or fishing but I just wanted to resell it.

The boat is a very large HOME-MADE pontoon boat with a 20hp motor.

I have listed it but I keep getting questions I cannot answer and you guys have helped me out in the past.

1. Is registration required for all boats?
2. How would a person register a boat that is homemade?
3. Is insurance needed?
4. Do the requirements for drinking on the boat need to be in an enclosed space or can they bolted down in an open space? (Sleeping, cooking, bathroom)

[dutchpirate]

Great questions! here's what I know...

Originally Posted by Jimmyly

I have recently obtained a boat, I was not planning on boating or fishing but I just wanted to resell it.

The boat is a very large HOME-MADE pontoon boat with a 20hp motor.

I have listed it but I keep getting questions I cannot answer and you guys have helped me out in the past.

1. Is registration required for all boats?
Registration is available but not mandatory for pleasure craft, only if used for commercial purposes, pleasure craft are licensed through Transport Canada
2. How would a person register a boat that is homemade?
It depends if you have a HIN (hull number, like VIN on your vehicle) There is an exemption for homebuilt craft for personal use
3. Is insurance needed?
Boats are often covered under your home/vehicle insurance, check with your provider
4. Do the requirements for drinking on the boat need to be in an enclosed space or can they bolted down in an open space?
(Sleeping, cooking, bathroom)
Permanent enclosed in all provinces except Quebec, which allows even the driver to have open alcohol so long as they are under the legal BAC.

[Jimmyly]

Originally Posted by dutchpirate

Great questions! here's what I know...

Thank you so much!

[cube]

Originally Posted by dutchpirate

Great questions! here's what I know...
1. Is registration required for all boats?
Registration is available but not mandatory for pleasure craft, only if used for commercial purposes, pleasure craft are licensed through Transport Canada

In this case I believe it is mandatory as the OP's boat has a 20 HP motor and all pleasure craft with 10 HP or more is required to be licenced.

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by cube

In this case I believe it is mandatory as the OP's boat has a 20 HP motor and all pleasure craft with 10 HP or more is required to be licenced.

That is my understanding as well,,,

I ended up registering a 14 foot jon when I put a 15 hp on it after years of running it unregistered with a 9.9 hp.

[dutchpirate]

Originally Posted by cube

In this case I believe it is mandatory as the OP's boat has a 20 HP motor and all pleasure craft with 10 HP or more is required to be licenced.

There is a difference between registering and licensing. Licensing is mandatory for pleasure craft, registration is not. You are correct that there is an exemption for craft with less than 10hp, in addition to the other exemptions.

Every pleasure craft must have a Pleasure Craft Licence, with the following exceptions:

a pleasure craft using a motor with less than 10 horsepower (7.5 kW)
a pleasure craft that has a vessel registration
a pleasure craft that was purchased less than 90 days previously (this is a grace period, during which the new owner must carry documentation with their name and address and the purchase date)

Here is what is involved with 'registering' as per the TC definition of the term.

If you choose to register your pleasure craft, rather than licensing it, keep in mind the following differences in the procedures and markings:

There are fees to register your pleasure craft
The exterior markings on a registered pleasure craft are the name of the vessel and the port of registry, for example: Morning Star III, Toronto, ON
The interior markings on a registered pleasure craft are the official number and the registered tonnage, for example: O.N. 123456, N.R.T. 4.52