New PWC Registration Timing/$5 Charges

[thinkxingu]

Though this might be redundant, at least it's not Covid-related!

The only way to avoid the extra $5 registration charge is to work through the state via mail, yes? I've found posts about town halls charging the fee but can't remember if marinas/dealers need to as well.

I've not normally cared about this, but somehow we've ended up with four vessels and now $20 is a summer's worth of 2-stroke dinghy fuel for L'il Buddy and Bug Bug.

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[Winnisquamer]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Though this might be redundant, at least it's not Covid-related!

The only way to avoid the extra $5 registration charge is to work through the state via mail, yes? I've found posts about town halls charging the fee but can't remember if marinas/dealers need to as well.

I've not normally cared about this, but somehow we've ended up with four vessels and now $20 is a summer's worth of 2-stroke dinghy fuel for L'il Buddy and Bug Bug.

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20$ is a full summers gas? Gas will be 4$+/gallon this summer.. Damn you get good gas mileage.

[fatlazyless]

When you pay for your boat/pwc registration at the indoors walk-in window at Marine Patrol HQ, next to Gilford town docks, there is NO five dollar registration fee plus all the money goes to the state and does not get split with the town.

Plus, the M.P. usually has freebie orange stickers with very strong adhesive for name /phone number to place inside kayaks/small boats/paddleboards for identification in case it floats away in the middle of the night or something. Stickers similar to https://paddling.com/store/uscg-if-found-sticker from the U.S. Coast Guard which is "Always Ready".

[tummyman]

For those who would not mind paying a little extra in local property taxes to preserve unassigned fund balances, this small "$5 fee" which would benefit the town seems a pittance. Come on man.... !!

[Descant]

The $5 is an "agent's fee", Town clerk, boat yard, whoever. No fee at the state. You can go to DMV or MP HQ. Because of NH Constitution Article 28-a (unfunded mandates) The Town Clerk/Tax Collector also gets $1.00 for collecting the tax/fees.
When you register with a local agent, the tax goes to that town and the reg fee goes to the state. When you register with the state, you save the $5, but your local town gets nothing to support beaches, docks, etc. The Gilford Island Association has long encouraged members to register locally so they can point to that money when upgrades are needed in Glendale. Towns around the lake may get $100's of thousands in this way. Of course, MP gets funding from reg. fees too.
Spread the wealth: do a boat in each place: home, M'boro, Glendale, W'boro. There's an extra convenience in Gilford when you mail to Town Hall. You can get Registration, Glendale dock, parking and guest passes all in one envelope. Next door, you get seasonal fire permits.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by tummyman

For those who would not mind paying a little extra in local property taxes to preserve unassigned fund balances, this small "$5 fee" which would benefit the town seems a pittance. Come on man.... !!

It's weird, I know, but my hometown in S. NH doesn't have anything to do with my machines or use of the lake, so I don't care to give it to them.

As to the summer's worth of gas, my kids don't go sandbarring or to Wolfeboro for brunch—they stay within the nearby coves, so 5 or so gallons of gas is a lot!

Good information on where the money goes, though, so it probably makes sense to either go directly to Marine Patrol or Moultonborough town hall.

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[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

It's weird, I know, but my hometown in S. NH doesn't have anything to do with my machines or use of the lake, so I don't care to give it to them.

As to the summer's worth of gas, my kids don't go sandbarring or to Wolfeboro for brunch—they stay within the nearby coves, so 5 or so gallons of gas is a lot!

Good information on where the money goes, though, so it probably makes sense to either go directly to Marine Patrol or Moultonborough town hall.

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I think your town is collecting the $5 to offset the expense/distraction of providing the service that, as you say, has nothing to do with them. They are just providing a convenience for you. You might think of this as fair in the same way that a corner convenience store is higher priced than Hannaford's.

If you do decide to go to your town hall, you'll at least know that the money will be used for your kids' school, or police, fire, snow plowing, etc.

[8gv]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Though this might be redundant, at least it's not Covid-related!

The only way to avoid the extra $5 registration charge is to work through the state via mail, yes? I've found posts about town halls charging the fee but can't remember if marinas/dealers need to as well.

I've not normally cared about this, but somehow we've ended up with four vessels and now $20 is a summer's worth of 2-stroke dinghy fuel for L'il Buddy and Bug Bug.

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Only four boats?

Beginner...

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by 8gv

Only four boats?

Beginner...

With the acquisition of Jettie One, Boatie Two got much less use. Now that we have Jettie Two, I'll be interested to see how much each gets used. Talk about first-world probs, right?!

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[LoveLakeLife]

Think, I’ve forgotten which brand(s) you went with for Jetties 1 and 2. I think you got new not used right? I’ve ordered a new one for delivery in the spring and forgot to review the posts for the benefit of your research.


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[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by LoveLakeLife

Think, I’ve forgotten which brand(s) you went with for Jetties 1 and 2. I think you got new not used right? I’ve ordered a new one for delivery in the spring and forgot to review the posts for the benefit of your research.


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I ended up buying a new Sea-Doo GTX 170 in spring of '20 and we ended up picking up a used '12 GTX 215 in late September. I have posted before that I think the GTX 170 is the perfect Winni machine for those who enjoy touring.

What did you order?

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[DickR]

Originally Posted by Descant

The $5 is an "agent's fee", Town clerk, boat yard, whoever. No fee at the state. You can go to DMV or MP HQ. Because of NH Constitution Article 28-a (unfunded mandates) The Town Clerk/Tax Collector also gets $1.00 for collecting the tax/fees.
When you register with a local agent, the tax goes to that town and the reg fee goes to the state. When you register with the state, you save the $5, but your local town gets nothing to support beaches, docks, etc. ...

It has always seemed to me that the $5 (and perhaps $1 more) are just another "tax" you pay to have the boat tax part kept local. If a town were to forgo the agent fee and tax collection fee as incentive to register locally, there would be a tradeoff between the gain in additional boat tax retained vs the loss of those fees. I wonder if anyone at the local level ever has done a study to compare those gains and losses, to see if providing that incentive would be a clear big gain or loss for the town, or something in between so "iffy" that changing the way things are done isn't worth trying.

[upthesaukee]

FWIW, the Town Clerk's office in Alton does not do boat registrations. The Agent Fee doesn't justify the time involved, especially considering the marinas (Parker's, Irwin's, West Alton for sure, and perhaps Robert's Cove) that do the registrations / renewals.

I'm sure there must be other communities where town offices do not deal with boats.

Dave

[Descant]

Sounds like Alton has done the cost/benefit analysis for their constituency. They have a reputation for frugality, where other lakeside towns are definitely big spenders.

[LoveLakeLife]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

I ended up buying a new Sea-Doo GTX 170 in spring of '20 and we ended up picking up a used '12 GTX 215 in late September. I have posted before that I think the GTX 170 is the perfect Winni machine for those who enjoy touring.

What did you order?

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I ordered a Yamaha FX Cruiser.


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[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by LoveLakeLife

I ordered a Yamaha FX Cruiser.


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That was my second choice. There are a few of them at my camp, and they look nice. The front storage, lower center of gravity, and integrated sound system of the Sea-Doo were what sold me, but I believe the new FX has a couple of those.

Jetskis are like pizza...

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[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Descant

Sounds like Alton has done the cost/benefit analysis for their constituency. They have a reputation for frugality, where other lakeside towns are definitely big spenders.

Register your jetski through the Center Harbor town clerk, and she give you a coupon that's good for a $1.75 nip of Captain Morgan's 100-proof rum at the nearby state liquor store so's you get to drive it home with the Captain on-board, returning to your dock! ...... budda-budda-bing! .......

......that Center Harbor is SUCH a party town! ...... ..... yo-ho-ho Cntr Hrbr pwc reg for a wee small nip of the rum!

[tummyman]

If true, somehow the "nip" coupon doesn't sound appropriate for a Town Clerk to be doing. Seems like this person may be stepping way out of their lane so to speak.

[8gv]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

That was my second choice. There are a few of them at my camp, and they look nice. The front storage, lower center of gravity, and integrated sound system of the Sea-Doo were what sold me, but I believe the new FX has a couple of those.

Jetskis are like pizza...

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Or like Chinese food?

Ride for a half hour and I want more.

Ride for an hour and I can't walk...

[thinkxingu]

Does anyone know if you can register a new PWC at Glendale/Marine Patrol or is it just renewals?

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