Coast Guard documentation for Gulfstream 232?

Iced-D

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The lender has requested federal (Coast Guard) documentation for a new Gulfstream 232, even though the boat also will be registered in Washington State.

The Coast Guard Regs allow for documentation of a recreational boat if it is at least "five net tons," but the calculation is not straightforward.

Has anyone documented a Gulfstream 232 with the Coast Guard? I'd like to, if I can plug in the right measurements to make it work.
 
It is unlikely that a 23 foot monohull will have a net displacement of 5 tons or more. The net tonnage is not the weight of the boat but rather similar to displacement. The manufacturer of the boat should know the tonnage.

One thing that is not clear is whether a vessel with less than 5 ton net tonnage can optionally be documented.
You may want to try calling your local USCG office to see if they can clarify,
I also wonder why your lender is requiring documentation for a small recreational vessel ( it will be a recreational vessel, correct?)
 
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Are you using the boat in International waters? Canada or Mexico?


Coast guard won't document a vessel under 5-ton displacement.

Take the hull weight and add engines, fuel, water, tower, hardtop, fishing gear and anything else that would be on the vessel. See where you get to. Being a new boat the dealer and GW should be able get these numbers to you.

Hull 4,600 - 2x200 engines 1,000 - 141 gallons fuel 350 - 100 pounds water - 1,000 for gear = 6,050.
 
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It is unlikely that a 23 foot monohull will have a net displacement of 5 tons or more. The net tonnage is not the weight of the boat but rather similar to displacement. The manufacturer of the boat should know the tonnage.

One thing that is not clear is whether a vessel with less than 5 ton net tonnage can optionally be documented.
You may want to try calling your local USCG office to see if they can clarify,
I also wonder why your lender is requiring documentation for a small recreational vessel (it will be a recreational vessel, correct?)
The lender offers a better interest rate for federal documentation. Extra security in identifying title for their lien over state registration. Yes, all recreational.
 
Are you using the boat in International waters? Canada or Mexico?


Coast guard won't document a vessel under 5-ton displacement.

Take the hull weight and add engines, fuel, water, tower, hardtop, fishing gear and anything else that would be on the vessel. See where you get to. Being a new boat the dealer and GW should be able get these numbers to you.

Hull 4,600 - 2x200 engines 1,000 - 141 gallons fuel 350 - 100 pounds water - 1,000 for gear = 6,050.
Thanks. I could get to Victoria, BC in a few hours of cruising.
 
Are you using the boat in International waters? Canada or Mexico?


Coast guard won't document a vessel under 5-ton displacement.

Take the hull weight and add engines, fuel, water, tower, hardtop, fishing gear and anything else that would be on the vessel. See where you get to. Being a new boat the dealer and GW should be able get these numbers to you.

Hull 4,600 - 2x200 engines 1,000 - 141 gallons fuel 350 - 100 pounds water - 1,000 for gear = 6,050.
The weight of the loaded vessel is not the same as displacement. In simple terms, displacement is how much weight can be added to the hull without the boat taking on water and sinking . The displacement may be greater than the loaded weight calculation you mentioned. The displacement figure for a vessel does not include things like weight of fuel and other tanks, people or gear.
The important thing is to not carry more weight than the specified displacement ( and with a safety margin of course.)
 
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The weight of the loaded vessel is not the same as displacement. In simple terms, displacement is how much weight can be added to the hull without the boat taking on water and sinking . The displacement may be greater than the loaded weight calculation you mentioned. The displacement figure for a vessel does not include things like weight of fuel and other tanks, people or gear.
The important thing is to not carry more weight than the specified displacement ( and with a safety margin of course.)
Here's the Coast Guard form for simplified measurement. I'm doubtful that a 9'3" beam is enough width to be able to qualify using this form.

Still wondering if a Gulfstream or other similar boat on the smaller side has managed to qualify.

I sent an e-mail to Grady-White to inquire.
 
  • Displacement:
    .

    This refers to the total weight of the ship, including everything on board (hull, machinery, cargo, fuel, water, etc.). It's essentially the ship's total weight when floating.
The weight of displaced water is exactly equal to the weight of any floating object. The object must be floating and it does not matter how heavy it is as long as your body of water is wide enough and deep enough to contain the floating block of wood or ocean liner, etc.

The boat will displace more or less water depending on what is loaded on the boat (fuel, water, cargo, equipment). If the boat hull were square it would be easy to calculate the cubic feet of water displaced from the waterline to the bottom of the boat. Times 64 lbs per CF you have your displacement. But boats have complicated hull curves that make this calculation difficult.
 
  • Displacement:
    .

    This refers to the total weight of the ship, including everything on board (hull, machinery, cargo, fuel, water, etc.). It's essentially the ship's total weight when floating.
The weight of displaced water is exactly equal to the weight of any floating object. The object must be floating and it does not matter how heavy it is as long as your body of water is wide enough and deep enough to contain the floating block of wood or ocean liner, etc.

The boat will displace more or less water depending on what is loaded on the boat (fuel, water, cargo, equipment). If the boat hull were square it would be easy to calculate the cubic feet of water displaced from the waterline to the bottom of the boat. Times 64 lbs per CF you have your displacement. But boats have complicated hull curves that make this calculation difficult.
Agreed, but I believe the number is not the figure needed for classification. The displacement number you calculated changes depending on what is loaded in the vessel. The displacement classification doesn't change.
Here is some info from the Yachting and Booting forum.
As already put, displacement is the weight of water displaced by the underwater sections whilst floating. This is equal to the weight of the boat and everything theron.

Of course there is also 'dry' weight, and 'Tonnage' for registration, which bears no relation to any 'weight' but is a measure of hull volume related to some archaic load capability.

I'm pretty sure that if she floats around her designed waterline, then whatever the designer intended will be fine for the insurance company. I'm equally sure that if you quoted them the Registered Tonnage they would be happy with that.

There could be a factor of 2 between those two figures.
 
He isn’t going to get to 5-ton displacement with a 232. A call into the Coast Guard and maybe they will allow a smaller vessel traveling Internationally. They won’t care about his interest rate.
 
It would be my guess that the lending company just used the wrong terminology in their request. I would guess they want proof of the vessel is Coast Guard "certified", not "documented". All Grady White boats have a Coast Guard placard in the vessel near the helm. Grady White can produce a letter of Coast Guard certification, proving that their design, methods of manufacture and materials meet Coast Guard approval.

Give a call to the lender and make sure the person making the request, knows the difference between certification and documentation of a vessel, and indeed mean what they said.
 
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It would be my guess that the lending company just used the wrong terminology in their request. I would guess they want proof of the vessel is Coast Guard "certified", not "documented". All Grady White boats have a Coast Guard placard in the vessel near the helm. Grady White can produce a letter of Coast Guard certification, proving that their design, methods of manufacture and materials meet Coast Guard approval.

Give a call to the lender and make sure the person making the request, knows the difference between certification and documentation of a vessel, and indeed mean what they said.

Thanks, I'll get clarification, likely from the dealer first, who recommended this bank as having experience with boat financing generally and Grady-Whites in particular. Hopefully I'm not the first having to deal with this issue for the Gulfstream, which the dealer says has been his best-selling model in recent years.

I'm pretty sure the bank was referring to title and not just certification, but we shall see.

 
Thanks, I'll get clarification, likely from the dealer first, who recommended this bank as having experience with boat financing generally and Grady-Whites in particular. Hopefully I'm not the first having to deal with this issue for the Gulfstream, which the dealer says has been his best-selling model in recent years.

I'm pretty sure the bank was referring to title and not just certification, but we shall see.
You dealer's statement about the 232 being a best seller is pure bull. Grady has discontinued the 232 due to poor sales. I have spoken multiple times over the last several years to Grady reps about the 232.
By a large margin the best selling models have been mid size bow riders.
 
You dealer's statement about the 232 being a best seller is pure bull. Grady has discontinued the 232 due to poor sales. I have spoken multiple times over the last several years to Grady reps about the 232.
By a large margin the best selling models have been mid size bow riders.
It was his best seller at his dealership. In Seattle. Pacific Northwest. Not balmy southern weather, but they don't have to pull their boats for the winter either.
 
You dealer's statement about the 232 being a best seller is pure bull. Grady has discontinued the 232 due to poor sales. I have spoken multiple times over the last several years to Grady reps about the 232.
By a large margin the best selling models have been mid size bow riders.

That would depend on the dealer, their location, the kind of fishing/boating that's done locally, weather and so forth. Myself living up here in the Seattle area can definitely attest to the 232 Gulfstream, and walkaround model boats in general, being the vast majority of boats used up here. For Grady White's in particular here in the Puget Sound, the majority of them are 208 Adventures, 226's/228 Seafarers and 232 Gulfstreams, though you do see some 282 Sailfish's, 300 Marlin's and other larger walkaround models on occasion, but the majority of them are in that 20'-25' range. The same is true with other boat manufacturers in that it's pretty rare to see a CC/DC style of boat out fishing in the sound, though there are those that use them for the lakes, but that's a small minority of boat owners. I'd say at least 90% of the boats seen out in the Puget Sound are walkarounds, Grady White being a fairly popular brand up here as well. So yes, with the 208 Adventure/228 Seafarer having been discontinued as well as the 218 Adventure not seeming like it's gaining any popularity, I could definitely see the local GW dealership saying that the 232 Gulfstream is their best selling model. Lots of guys up here, myself included, love the versatility of a walkaround style of boat in that it'll allow you to troll for salmon, go crabbing, it gives you a place to store all of your gear, you can overnight in them, they keep you out of the weather and other elements, yet you can inner tube or tow someone behind one on a waterski, etc. Elsewhere throughout the country where it's 75+ degrees and sunny year round with much warmer water, the boating/fishing needs are obviously going to be considerably different, of which different models of boats are obviously going to be more popular than others, especially walkarounds. I imagine that's why GW has essentially eliminated them all from their lineup, save for a handful or less.
 
That’s Jacobsen’s in Edmonds? I remember when they were in Ballard and then West Seattle. The walkarounds and express boats work well in the PNW and Puget Sound.
 
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That would depend on the dealer, their location, the kind of fishing/boating that's done locally, weather and so forth. Myself living up here in the Seattle area can definitely attest to the 232 Gulfstream, and walkaround model boats in general, being the vast majority of boats used up here. For Grady White's in particular here in the Puget Sound, the majority of them are 208 Adventures, 226's/228 Seafarers and 232 Gulfstreams, though you do see some 282 Sailfish's, 300 Marlin's and other larger walkaround models on occasion, but the majority of them are in that 20'-25' range. The same is true with other boat manufacturers in that it's pretty rare to see a CC/DC style of boat out fishing in the sound, though there are those that use them for the lakes, but that's a small minority of boat owners. I'd say at least 90% of the boats seen out in the Puget Sound are walkarounds, Grady White being a fairly popular brand up here as well. So yes, with the 208 Adventure/228 Seafarer having been discontinued as well as the 218 Adventure not seeming like it's gaining any popularity, I could definitely see the local GW dealership saying that the 232 Gulfstream is their best selling model. Lots of guys up here, myself included, love the versatility of a walkaround style of boat in that it'll allow you to troll for salmon, go crabbing, it gives you a place to store all of your gear, you can overnight in them, they keep you out of the weather and other elements, yet you can inner tube or tow someone behind one on a waterski, etc. Elsewhere throughout the country where it's 75+ degrees and sunny year round with much warmer water, the boating/fishing needs are obviously going to be considerably different, of which different models of boats are obviously going to be more popular than others, especially walkarounds. I imagine that's why GW has essentially eliminated them all from their lineup, save for a handful or less.
You expressed the very reasons I wanted the Gulfstream for my retirement move to the PNW. Couldn't afford the larger Marlin or Express, so the Gulfstream hit the sweet spot for me.