<https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/24.10-1> 46 CFR § 24.10-1 - Definitions. | CFR | US Law | LII / Legal ... Motor vessel means any vessel more than 65 feet in length, which is propelled by machinery other than steam. Mike Curreri M/V Bravo Zulu (Marlow 7018) 443.831.4138<tel:443.831.4138>

On 12/4/19 4:08 PM, Michael Curreri via Trawlers-and-Trawlering wrote: > 46 CFR § 24.10-1 - Definitions. | CFR | US Law | LII / Legal ... > Motor vessel means any vessel more than 65 feet in length, which is propelled by machinery other than steam. > This suffers from the same issue that the code section cited by Bob McLeran does, namely, it is not a rule or law in itself, but rather merely a "definition" for terms that are used later on in the same section of code. It does not hold any weight on its own. For example, this section also says "Commandant means the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard," yet that is not an exclusive definition of the term "Commandant." The Commandant of Cadets at West Point, another federal post, would be stunned to learn he is now in charge of the Coast Guard. This is the nature of "definitions" sections of codes, federal and otherwise. For the record, this same table of definitions says all motor-driven vessels shorter than 65' are "motorboats." There needs to be a distinction because the rules change at that length, and it's convenient in the code to use two different words, rather than having to spell out the limit in every relevant paragraph. Note, by the way, that the Nav Rules do not make such a distinction (nor is there a distinction for steam propulsion), and all such vessels are called merely "power-driven vessels." As a result, any length-driven differences in the rules are spelled out in each and every rule where they exist. When I did this exercise some seven years ago, I spent several hours (really) studying the Federal codes. As I said earlier, there is no legal rule that says you must use one term versus the other. -Sean

LeeZe is just under 50 tons displacement, 15+ meters long, and has a two sails. She is not a motor-sailor. So, on the radio, I use the terms "This is vessel LeeZe." However, when I first checked into Greece, the very nice and quiet easy on the eyes female coastie labeled LeeZe on her forms "M/V Leeze." I asked and she looked around the quite crowded harbor and asked me if I looked like that boat (sailboat) or that boat (An Italian boat with two engines that was about my length and lots of glass) or that boat ( a smallish commercial boat with trawl nets and gear.) You can guess my reply. Been that way every since. Lee Levent Marina, Izmir Turkey