Registration required for small boats with electric motors? What a waste of money

Wade Rivers · Jul 20, 2022

I see friends with personal pontoon boats hanging boards on the side to hold the registration numbers. This is dumb and expensive.

When I put a small electric on my pram I had to do the whole stupid registration process and pay a bunch of yearly fees? Why? I'm not suddenly driving a powerboat. Josh with the kayak will need to pony up now...

IMHO there should be an exemption for motors of 100 lb thrust or less.

Chadk · Jul 20, 2022

This only applies to federal waters. Puget sound, lake wa, etc. most of our local lakes and rivers/streams would not apply.

Chadk · Jul 20, 2022

Motorized Kayak Registration – All vessels over 16 feet in length or with a motor of 10 horsepower or more must be registered and titled. This includes a trolling motor on a canoe or kayak.

Motorized

Do you have to register a kayak with a trolling motor in Washington? Yes. All vessels require registration unless the vessel is under 16 feet in length, has a motor of 10 hp or less, and is used on non-federal waters only.

Paige · Jul 20, 2022

I run an electric motor on my drift boat without registration, haven't been asked, checked or searched so I must be ok, LOL

TicTokCroc · Jul 20, 2022

'I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.' - The Dr.

Long_Rod_Silvers · Jul 20, 2022

Chadk said:
Motorized Kayak Registration – All vessels over 16 feet in length or with a motor of 10 horsepower or more must be registered and titled. This includes a trolling motor on a canoe or kayak.

Motorized
Do you have to register a kayak with a trolling motor in Washington? Yes. All vessels require registration unless the vessel is under 16 feet in length, has a motor of 10 hp or less, and is used on non-federal waters only.

Curious where you got this info? The DOL website states it a bit differently (without including trolling motor on a canoe or kayak). Exempt vessels include anything with a trolling motor that propels the vessel less than 10MPH (as long as you're not in federal water). I guess I'm not sure, but figured most trolling motors don't get you going 10mph....

Register a boat | Washington State Department of Licensing

www.dol.wa.gov

RCF · Jul 20, 2022

Dang! And here I thought only Washington fishing and hunting regulations were wacky...

Buzzy · Jul 20, 2022

Chadk said:
Motorized Kayak Registration – All vessels over 16 feet in length or with a motor of 10 horsepower or more must be registered and titled. This includes a trolling motor on a canoe or kayak.

Motorized
Do you have to register a kayak with a trolling motor in Washington? Yes. All vessels require registration unless the vessel is under 16 feet in length, has a motor of 10 hp or less, and is used on non-federal waters only.

Let me ask a DA question: Federal waters - how do I know if I've suddenly started fishing waters under federal jurisdiction? Lake Roosevelt? Rufus Woods? I don't feel like "googling" it. Nap time.

Long_Rod_Silvers · Jul 20, 2022

Buzzy said:
Let me ask a DA question: Federal waters - how do I know if I've suddenly started fishing waters under federal jurisdiction? Lake Roosevelt? Rufus Woods? I don't feel like "googling" it. Nap time.

My understanding has always been anything that's classified by the feds as navigable is fed water. Hopefully someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's the list:

https://boat.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FederalNavigableWaters.pdf

RCF · Jul 20, 2022

@Buzzy Well I did google it and it is very convoluted.

A simple definition: "A body of land or water that is 'navigable' by an boat or controlled by locks or dams can be described as federal water."

List of Federal Navigable waters in Washington state (easiest to understand IMHO):

https://boat.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FederalNavigableWaters.pdf

Skagit River is listed as Federal Navigable but Diablo Lake behind the dam is not yet Ross Lake behind the dam is. It is all the Skagit river before dams were built. Lost and confused!!!

Buzzy · Jul 20, 2022

Long_Rod_Silvers said:
My understanding has always been anything that's classified by the feds as navigable is fed water. Hopefully someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's the list:

https://boat.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FederalNavigableWaters.pdf

Thanks for the list!!

Billy · Jul 20, 2022

Can't have fun without a have fun permit!

Bambooflyguy · Jul 20, 2022

Come and get me ! That is if you can catch my 6’8” pram with a bad ass 15lb thrust vintage Pflueger elec motor......

Peyton00 · Jul 20, 2022

Wade Rivers said:
I see friends with personal pontoon boats hanging boards on the side to hold the registration numbers. This is dumb and expensive.

When I put a small electric on my pram I had to do the whole stupid registration process and pay a bunch of yearly fees? Why? I'm not suddenly driving a powerboat. Josh with the kayak will need to pony up now...

IMHO there should be an exemption for motors of 100 lb thrust or less.

You have some brilliant friends. Lol.

Stonedfish · Jul 20, 2022

Bambooflyguy said:
Come and get me ! That is if you can catch my 6’8” pram with a bad ass 15lb thrust vintage Pflueger elec motor......

They are likely more worried about having to deal with the bad ass in the boat….

SF

Russell · Jul 20, 2022

In ignorance I have been running an electric , 30lb thrust , motor on my canoe every once and a while for 25 years without registration. I bought a mini drifter fairly recently and when getting the title over to my name at the CA dmv I found out about it being registered and the fees I needed to pay every day for a row boat that I may use an electric motor on once every couple years. They said I would have to re-register it to make it human powered only and avoid the yearly fee. That is on my list of things to do on the next renewal.
The law is something that is hardly enforced down here and with certain groups it is not enforced at all. I'm done getting bled with every little fee I have to pay. I have not been shown how this money I pay benefits me in any way. We can settle up if I ever get a ticket. Cheaper that way.

Irafly · Jul 26, 2022

Why do you think there are so many 9.9hp motors? The 10hp motor threshold created the market. It isn’t just Washington

Evan B · Jul 26, 2022

Irafly said:
Why do you think there are so many 9.9hp motors? I’m he 10hp motor threshold created the market. It isn’t just Washington

That's why I just run this motor on my boat and have the 225hp for decoration. I also don't have a registration or numbers on my boat (but that's because the state of Oregon Marine Board is taking over 6mo to get it to me)

Stonedfish · Jul 26, 2022

Evan B said:
That's why I just run this motor on my boat and have the 225hp for decoration. I also don't have a registration or numbers on my boat (but that's because the state of Oregon Marine Board is taking over 6mo to get it to me)
View attachment 24588

Damn....6 months.
That is crazy!
SF