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I have been fishing from my stillwater pontoon boat with a small electric trolling motor for about 8 years. I have never registered it, displayed letters on it or even been questioned about it by anyone in authority. As I was registering my wheeler, I asked this question to the fine folks at the county clerks office and they thought I was breaking the law if I didn't register it.
Is it the law to have registration with a number on your toon if you hook up a small electric trolling motor? If so, how many of you actually do register it? Have any of you ever had encounter where you were told you needed to have it? And finally, does anyone know what kind of citation would be involved if someone in authority did decide be an anal jerk?
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Yes, Utah Law states that any boat with a motor must be registered with the DMV. This includes if you attach an electric trolling motor to a small rowboat, canoe, raft, pontoon or even float tube. There is also a maximum length that a boat can have even if it doesn't have a motor that it must be registered, but I'm not sure what that length is.
I have never attached a motor to my float tube, so I have never ran into your dilemma, but yes, technically you are breaking the law if you do not register your toon while using the trolling motor. If you try this at some of the more policed areas, such as Strawberry, you're just asking for a ticket.
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I used my toon for many years without a motor. Last year I got a new toon and motor. It is registered now. It's the law. Why would you register your wheeler and think that you wouldn't register your toon. It's the same law. I don't know how much the fine would be, but I'll bet it is more than the registration fee.
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While I think that it's a crock that we have to register them, I do have mine registered. I'd rather pay 15-20$ to register it than $75 or so for a ticket.
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My buddy got a ticket at Strawberry last year for not registering his pontoon with an electric motor.
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I'm no expert on watercraft registration, but a citation for vehicle registration (cars, trucks, ect) runs about $40. Generally most courts will suspend half the fine if you get it registered after getting a ticket. Now here's the part that sucks......
State law allows law enforcement to impound unregistered vehicles I don't know if they can impound watercraft but if they can you are looking at $120 or more in impound fees. I would also guess that at heavily enforced lakes like Strawberry they would cite you in a second for not having your toon registered.
I would just play it safe and register it.
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I only register my canoe in years that I use the electric motor. (Havnt used the motor in about 5 yrs - just the paddles) As long as Im paddling I dont need it, and law enforcement never asks. Once the motor goes on ANY watercraft needs to be registered.
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Another question along similar lines.
Are you folks on a pontoon required to wear a seperate life jacket? If not required do you anyway? I have a donut tube and have never worn a life jacket with that (sometimes wish I had though.)
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don't quote me on this as i can't find my proc to check but i believe you are required to have a lifejacket not wear it when i'm in my tube i never wear a life jacket but have on attached to a D-ring floating along side
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You must carry at least one properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III or V (if used according to the specifications on the approval label) PFD for each person on board the vessel.
Float tubes and Pontoons are vessels by Utah law.
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That's correct. The law states you must have a lifejacket on your vessel, although you don't have to be wearing it. This applies to float tubes too.
I rarely wear a life jacket when out in my tube, but I never go out in turbulent water either. I think I'll be rethinking that now that I have a wife and son, and will be going out to Lincoln beach where people have died in the last year because of no life jacket.
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Many thanks to all those who responded to my question. It appears I have been in violation of the law for several years now, kind of makes me happy I got away with it for so long, but now I have learned my lesson. I think I'll just not use the motor anymore heavily policed waters[laugh]. There are just some things I won't pay for based on principle and this is one of them. I'd rather not use the motor than pay the state. It's a shame that the government has complete disregard for their intended purpose, but that's for another discussion board.
By-the-way, I do carry a life jacket with me at all time when in my toon, but it's because I don't want to die, not because the flippin state makes me.
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I work for the DMV. First I will say that I'm sure there are far more law abiding citizens than those that feel they must "cheat the system" or "get away with something". I must say, however, that I am sorely disappointed in any of you who "based on principle" don't follow the rules of our state. What a load of garbage!!![mad][mad][mad] So should I use bait on all the fly only sections or artificial only sections and hope to get away with it because based on my principles, I don't think my fishing type is going to hurt the fishery?? Basically I feel that those who participate in this flaunting of their rebellion against the authority of the state to govern the populace with laws and regulations regarding the public are those who want to get all the advantages of fishing from a boat or other floatation device and who don't want to pay for regulation or the upkeep of the facilities that you enjoy launching from, the campgrounds you stay at or the [pirate][pirate] Oh, gosh.... the fifty cent Search and Rescue fee that pays to come find you when you are near dead clinging to driftwood out in Utah Lake or some such place..... You'll appreciate the fees only when they appear to benefit you. You are some of the most blind recreationalists in the state. I'm sure the people who get lost on Powell or wherever or who are in boat accidents and are found by DWR or S&R teams don't complain about the fees paid to service and keep the government vessel fleets that found them going.... Give me a break... yeah, I'm heated about this because the people that complain about the few measly bucks they pay to register their "boats" are probably the same people that squealed about changing the vehicle fees to age based fees instead of property tax that they can write off every year, not realizing of course that the state just did them a tremendous favor by lowering the amount they have to pay...... If you don't like the rules, please do you part to change them or use your watercraft in another state. Thanks, have a nice day. For those of you who are interested in what and why you have to title and register your vehicles, watercraft, ATV's etc, here you go. Here is a link to the titles and registration requirements for vessels. First is for Vessel titles and the second is for registration.
[url "http://www.le.state.ut.us/~code/TITLE41/htm/41_01078.htm"]http://www.le.state.ut.us/~code/TITLE41/htm/41_01078.htm[/url]
[url "http://www.le.state.ut.us/~code/TITLE73/73_16.htm"]http://www.le.state.ut.us/~code/TITLE73/73_16.htm[/url]
If you'd like, I can fax you a sheet listing regs as far as what needs to be registered, horsepower breakdowns, year breakdowns and so on. Let me know, because I'd be more than happy to educate the lawful as well as the lawless.
Hey Bob, you still got that bucket of Perch and Bluegill?? lets go dump that into a bunch of the Uinta lakes cause gosh, the government doesn't do us any favors by only stocking trout up there..... Oh, by the way, pull your 20 foot bass boat up to Mirror Lake...there's no rangers up there and nobody will ever catch us if we just run the kicker up there.... Come on folks.....really.... are we that selfish??
Disclaimer..... I didn't mean to single anyone out...this is a general SHAME ON YOU directed towards those that break the laws that "GULP" inconvenience them..... Tubedude, I can feel the hand of the mod coming towards me as I type this but on the opposite end of the spectrum from the lawbreakers, I'm very law abiding and couldn't keep my mouth shut. Sorry..... [  ]
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I HAVE HAD A TOON WITH ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR THREE YEARS NOW...I HAVE IT REGISTERED...I KEEP THE STICKERS IN MY BAGS ON THE SIDE... I HAVE NEVER BEEN CHECKED YET...I THINK IT IS A CROCK THE WAY UTAH STICKS IT TO EVERYONE WITH ANY KIND OF R.V. BUT WHO ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE LISTEN THAT WOULD AGREE AND HAVE ANY ABILITY TO CHANGE THE LAW ?????
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I BELIEVE THE LAW SAYS TO HAVE ONE WITH YOU...I WEAR ONE THAT FITS AROUND MY WAIST AND IS INFLATED BY A C02 CARTRIDGE. IT IS OUT OF THE WAY AND CLOSE IF I NEED IT
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I can see some people took this quite seriously. I guess if someone tried to rip off my employer, I might be upset, especially if it directly affected my bonus.
Let's start off with: I don't launch from a boat ramp, I don't stay in campgrounds, my boat can't hurt anyone on the water, tell me one way in which this registration fee benefits me. If I launch a boat, I pay the fee for ramp maintenance, docks, etc... If I fish Strawberry in the winter, I pay the parking fee for plowing etc.. What has boat registrations and property taxes have to do with fishing. Are you trying to tell me this money goes to improvements at my local fishing pond that will enhance my fishing experience. I don't believe that for minute.
My use of my pontoon boat does not differ at all from the use of my float tube. So is it a stupid law or should we require all float tubes to be registered and charge $20 every year to use your $50 tube?
The law was made before people had these personal watercraft, it is out-dated and needs to be changed. Am I going to take up that battle, no, I would rather spend my limited free time fishing.
Nobody obeys all the laws, even self proclaimed "perfect" citizens will speed in thier vehicles occasionally or take a child under the age of 16 for a short wheeler ride without a helmet on public land. You weigh the risks of bending or breaking a law against the benefits. I will be glad to risk a fine rather than spending $20 a year to register my $250 boat. If I get caught every 4 years, it will still be cheaper in the long run.
I have tried to keep this response from being personal, however, in my opinion the only "load of garbage" in this string is the propoganda coming from that last post.
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My 2 Cents: I don't like it just as much as anyone else, but I register my canoe (with electric trolling motor)...BECAUSE ITS THE LAW. That simple. There shouldnt be any question as to should I or shouldnt I. It is the law, so I do.
Hmmmm My driving has never caused an accident, I've never gotten a ticket or had to pay a fine. Why should I be required to have a license? Oh wait, i know....ITS THE LAW.
I am pretty sure that no matter the example it can all be answered by one simple question...is it the law or isnt it?
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K, because you seem to think I'm just a propaganda spouting employee of "big brother".... let me just say this..... do you fish in this state?? You've already answered in the affirmative to this.... Then the fees benefit you. Would you like to see how fast your "local pond" gets fished out without annual and during the summer almost weekly stockings by DWR employees trying to ensure your happiness with the amount or size of fish you catch?? No?? I didn't think so. These fees aren't just for boat ramps, campgrounds and S&R. They cover such a wide variety of applications involving our natural resources and the management of such that people so wrapped up in their narrow scope of involvement will never get the point.... RGreenland hit it right on the head.... It is THE LAW!!! Yeah, so sometimes I find it hard to come up with money for registration and I will openly claim to be far from perfect but am I about to risk a ticket just so I can go home and say, gee whiz pop, I really pulled one over on the state today? Fished for three hours and didn't get questioned by the "fishcop" about my toon with my brand spankin new MinnKota motor.... No, I'm not in that same boat, never will be. Its just a respect for authority issue and if you don't try to do something to change it, suck it up and pay just like the rest of us. If you aren't out there talking to your congressman (who in answer to the earlier post is the person to reach with your concerns), then you have no right to badmouth the people that are trying to provide you with quality fisheries and the facilities that go with them. Like I said before, narrow minded people see it as propaganda, reasonable folks see it as the necessary evil that paying fees has become. I'm sorry that some of you are so put out by twenty dollars.... Maybe you better move somewhere else like California or Arizona, Nevada or any of the other 49 states that provide you with less opportunity for more money.... then come tell me that Utah is so bad. Oh, what?? You have a job and a family here?? Then set a good example and behave yourself and enjoy the outdoors luxury that the great state of Utah provides you with.
Just a personal shot here.... I've never gotten a "bonus" at the state for any reason. I'm just regular joe over here and for you to say that I want the fees to be paid so that my check rolls in.... well, the state makes enough off of your 2005 Dodge Quadcab 4x4 pickup registered in your company name so you can still write off your fees to pay most of my wages..... Like I told the last customer that said to me at the counter that he pays my salary.... "You don't pay me nothin." And if you tried to pay me, I'd throw it back in your face after spitting and wiping my feet on it and do my job for free because I for one actually appreciate the opportunities presented to me here at the state and I don't take that lightly or take it for granted. I work hard for what I get and I will be the first to enjoy the outdoors on my time off because I can rest easy knowing I've earned it for putting up with people like you all day long.
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Well, here's half a cent's worth - I went to Lindon and fished with some other BFTer's on my pontoon boat. I had never gotten tags for it before because primarily it was a non-motorized river raft with only an occasionaly non powered stillwater floats. After watching the BFTer's trolling, I could see the benefit of taking my Minnkota off my tin boat and using it on my toon. Register it ? Absolutely. Anyway, I registered my pontoon on monday, and I can hardly wait to take out my newly configured motorized watercraft fishing - I also pilfered my fishfinder and trolling rod holders from my other vessel.
You see, on the way back to the Lindon dock, I was pulled over by the Park Ranger who was only really checking for a life vest. If I had a motor, I am sure he would have wanted to see the registration. Just so you know, in my experience, I have encountered dozens of rangers checking for many different things while I was on the water. If you go often enough, you will be checked for something at sometime - very often when you least expect it - IMO. I would also suspect, that along with a fine, the impounding of your boat would be a real inconvenience. Besides that, I really like to try to pay my own way and I don't mind doing my part to support what I appreciate and actively partake of.
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Thanks to all who answered my question, your responses were informative and appreciated.
I'd also like to make a special thank you shoutout to those who have shown me the error of my ways. I did not realize how narrow minded and selfish I am. Their beautiful and well thought out narratives have motivated me do my best to do my duty to this great country and state in which I live.
I participate in this board for fishing information, but I am so thankful others have seen the need to interject personal attacks (I mean constructive criticism) and non-fishing related put downs (I mean motivational thoughts). In fact I would love to go fishing with you guys, so you can give me more feedback on how I can become a better person.
Hmm, I wonder why we have so many lurkers on this site. Could be they don't appreciate how they can better themselves if they participate in these "constructive criticism" sessions.
Well, I feel like I have learned enough about myself for a while, I think I need to take some time off from posting my fishing reports on this site and work on the things I have learned. Besides a person like me has nothing to contribute to this site anyway. Maybe after I become a smarter gooder person, I can again post.
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