AboutCapt Lou Expertise I can answer questions about boat buying, crusing destinations along the East Coast from Maine to the Florida Keys, powerboat operation, powerboat accessories, yacht club membership, commercial fishing, boating laws, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the history of Boston Harbor Islands National Park.
Experience Hosted "Nautical Talk Radio" for 14 years, a weekly, hour long program on WATD 95.9FM in Massachusetts and host of "Nautical Talk" on WPRO 630AM for 2 years. Have cruised from Maine to the Florida Keys and have owned outboard and inboard powerboats since 1976.
Organizations Metropolitan Yacht Club 1980 - Present (1992 Commodore)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 1204 1980 - 2004
Save The Harbor Save The Bay (Boston)
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
Quincy Bay Race Week
Mass Boating and Yacht Club Association
Commodores Club of America
Boat Writers International
Boat U/S
Mass Striped Bass Association
Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association
Awards and Honors Articles about "Nautical Talk Radio" have appeared in National Fisherman Magazine, Power and Motoryacht Magazine, Yachting Magazine, Soundings Boating Newspaper, Offshore Magazine, and the Coast Guard's N'Oreaster Magazine.
Winner of The Best Interview Of The Year Award (1995) in Boston radio presented by Achievement In Radio (A.I.R.) and sponsored by Ford Motor Company and the March of Dimes. Finalist in 1996 and 1999 for Best Interview of The Year Award presented by A.I.R. Finalist for Boston's Best Locally Produced Public Affairs Radio Program (1997) presented by A.I.R.
WINNER OF MASSACHUSETTS/RHODE ISLAND ASSOCIATED PRESS ?BEST TALK SHOW? - 2003
RECIPIENT OF THE AMERICAN LIGHTHOUSE FOUNDATION?S LEN HADLEY PRESERVATION AWARD - 2002
RECIPIENT OF JOSHUA JAMES LIFESAVER MEDAL FROM PT ALLERTON COAST GUARD COMMANDER - 2003
Expert: Capt Lou Date: 2/1/2008 Subject: Mass excise tax
Question We are FL residents, and our boat is registered in FL, with Coast Guard documentation. We took our boat to Hingham, MA for last summer, June 10-Aug 29. We applied and paid for a mooring/docking permit. Now I have a bill for Massachusettes excise tax(period July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008). Are we liable for that?
Answer You are liable for the excise tax according to Massachusetts law "for the privilege of using the waterways of the commonwealth," but maybe not for the entire 12 months.
The law states: "Any person who owns such a vessel on July first shall annually, on or before August first, make a return on oath to the assessors of the city or town where such vessel is habitually moored or docked, or in the case of a vessel which has no mooring or docking space, where said vessel is principally situated, setting forth the vessel's registration or documentation number, if any; an adequate description, as well as the owner's estimate of the fair cash value of said vessel and any engine or motor used to propel said vessel, as of the next preceding July first; and the place of habitual mooring or docking or other principal location of said vessel.
Section h: If during any fiscal year ownership of a boat subject to an excise under this chapter is transferred by sale or otherwise, or if during any fiscal year the owner of a boat subject to such an excise removes to another state and registers a boat in such other state and surrenders or does not renew his registration in this state, the excise under this chapter shall be reduced, upon application, by an abatement equal to the proportion of an excise under this chapter on such boat for the full fiscal year which the number of months in said year remaining after the month in which such transfer by sale or otherwise or such surrender or expiration of registration occurs bears to twelve.
Good luck in fighting this one.
If you are planning on returning to Massachusetts, I would simply pay the bill. The abatement and/or the fight might not be worth the effort!
Capt Lou
Listen to the live broadcast of "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou and crew, Sunday mornings from 11 - 12 noon (Boston time) on radio station 95.9FM WATD, Marshfield, and streaming around the world on www.959watd.com. You can also listen to a replay of the most recent show anytime at www.nauticaltalk.com.
* Winner of Mass/Rhode Island Associated Press "BEST TALK SHOW"
* Recipient of Joshua James Lifesaving Medal for public service
* Recipient of American Lighthouse Foundation's "LEN HADLEY AWARD"
* Winner of Boston's Achievement In Radio "BEST INTERVIEW" AWARD
* Nominated Boston's A.I.R. "BEST PRODUCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM"
