What Paperwork Do You Need on Your Boat and How Do You Keep it Dry?

Whether you are out on your boat to relax, fish, or have dinner with your family, an evening on the boat is a time to enjoy. The lights reflecting on the water, the cool breeze in your hair, and a state official kindly requesting to see your documentation. OK ... perhaps the latter experience would not be a special addition to your evening, but it can quickly sink your plans if you don’t have the proper paperwork stored alongside your swimsuits and towels. Unlike these items, you also need your documents to be dry.

To avoid having your long-anticipated boating adventures interrupted by paperwork problems, Sea Tow Foundation has prepared a list of documents to keep on your boat and also provides some tips on how to store them safely.

What documents do you need?

• License. Just like anyone driving a car, a captain must have his or her identification, which is usually in the form of a driver’s license, on board at all times. If you get caught without it, your perfect night on the water might be punctuated with a fine.
• Boat Documentation. The law requires you to have either a state registration or United States Coast Guard federal documentation for your boat. Every state has a slightly nuanced registration requirement, so be sure to check out the USA Boat Registration to see what your state requires before you head out on the water.
• Recreational Licenses and Safety Certificates. Some states require boaters to carry proof of completing a boating safety course. Each state is different, so you might need the certificate on a personal watercraft, but not on a pontoon boat; or you might need it for all boats if you were born on or after a certain date. Check your state’s boating education requirements before you launch your boat. If you are out fishing, or hunting, keeping track of your fishing and hunting licenses will be important as well.
• Boat Insurance. Different boats call for different types of boating insurance. Keeping the proof of that insurance on your boat will ensure you are prepared for any unexpected incidents on the water. If you carry additional coverages for your trailer or other equipment, make sure to carry those cards as well.
• On-Water Assistance. If you have a membership with Sea Tow for marine assistance, you will want to carry your wallet-size card, or you can access your membership through your phone via the Sea Tow app. Either way, knowing that you can reach someone for help 24/7/365 will give you true peace of mind on the water.
• Health Insurance and Medical History. Consider keeping a copy of your personal medical information on your boat as well as a list of medications that you take or any allergies that you have in case of emergencies. You may also want to do the same for any frequent passengers.

How do you keep them dry?

• Dry Box. Several waterproof storage containers are available to keep your documents dry and safe. Dry boxes come in every shape, size, and color. One of our favorites is called the SeaSucker Dry Box and some of their boxes have accessories like horizontal mounts, cup holders, and padding.*
• Dry Bag. This is a specially-made waterproof bag that is a great and portable way to keep anything from getting wet. Dry bags are also available in a variety of sizes and colors to suit your needs. Ugo offers a 100% waterproof dry bag and a smartphone case that even floats.*
• Storage Zipper Bag. This should be the option of last resort as these bags can be easily ripped or get a hole in them. If this is the only option available to you on your boat, consider using multiple bags with each one sealed inside of another. Otherwise, these bags can provide a great additional level of coverage for frequently-referenced documentation being stored in a larger dry box or dry bag. This allows you to reach in and take out the document your need without getting it wet or disturbing anything else.

*Sea Tow members can get a discount on both SeaSucker Dry Boxes and Ugo Dry Bags as part of the Sea Tow Savings Club. You’ll need to be logged in as a member to receive the discounts.

Keeping your documents safe and dry on the water is important, and there are so many ways to ensure that this happens. What do you use to hold your documents safely on your vessel?

If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.

Paper Boat Photo by Janis Fasel on Unsplash