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Pilotage Requirements

Discussion in 'Yacht Captains' started by Ken Bracewell, Jun 11, 2009.

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  1. Rodger

    Rodger Senior Member

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    Michigan Bay Harbor

    I took them up the Welland Canal five years ago before the 35 M rule.
    They are a commercial boat and had to have a Seaway inspection and at that time they declared there length was 35.5 M also that is the information on the ships papers.
    They are working hard to bring there size down under 35 M.
    Will see what happens when they arrive ten days from now.
    They will require a Seaway inspection when they arrive at canal and the Seaway still has the report from five years ago.
    Will let you no what happens.
    Rodger
  2. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    It sounds like he has/is running a 75' Lazzara lsx with those dimensions.
  3. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    Does anyone have any current info on this? I've been away from New England for a couple of years, so am a little behind. I have a friend who emailed me last night saying that the Coast Guard is telling them they'll need a pilot in LIS at 442 tons.
  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    This is outside my scope Ken, and I DK about the upcomming summer, but I can tell you that the only time I'vr ever seen pilots in LIS were to supervise offloading of fuel at Tosco and Northport, and a pilot stayed on board with a fuel tanker for the trip up to Bridgeport. He was picked up at Tosco (Riverhead). Don't recall ever seeing them on private yachts. This info goes back a few years.
  5. ychtcptn

    ychtcptn Senior Member

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    I have a old classmate that is a pilot with NE, I'll reach out and see what he says.
  6. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    N.Y. NAV. LAW § 89-b : NY Code - Section 89-B: Pilotage on Long Island Sound and Block Island Sound; rates

    1. Every foreign vessel and every American vessel under register
    transiting the New York state waters of Long Island Sound or Block
    Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point, and any such
    vessels entering or departing from any port situated on the New York
    state waters of Long Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands
    Point, shall take a Long Island-Block Island Sound pilot licensed under
    the authority of this article. Every foreign vessel and every American
    vessel under register transiting the New York state waters of Long
    Island Sound or Block Island Sound east of a line running southeasterly
    from the mouth of the Byram River at the New York-Connecticut boundary
    to Oak Neck Point on Long Island shall take a pilot licensed under the
    authority of this article or the laws of any other state having
    concurrent jurisdiction over these waters. Whenever the services of such
    a pilot are refused, the master, owners or consignees shall pay pilotage
    as if one had been employed. The pilotage authorized to be collected
    whenever a pilot shall be refused by a vessel shall be sued for and
    recovered in the name of the pilot tendering such service. Such
    pilotage, when recovered, shall belong to and may be retained by such
    pilot for his own benefit and use.
    2. It shall be unlawful for any person not licensed as a Long
    Island-Block Island Sound pilot under this article to pilot or to offer
    to pilot any foreign vessel or any American vessel sailing under
    register transiting the New York state waters of Long Island Sound or
    Block Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point including any
    such vessel entering or departing from any port situated on the New York
    state waters of Long Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands
    Point, and it shall likewise be unlawful for any master or person on
    board a tug or towboat to tow such a vessel transiting the New York
    state waters of Long Island Sound or Block Island Sound east of
    Execution Rocks or Sands Point including any such vessel entering or
    departing from any port situated on the New York state waters of Long
    Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point unless such vessel
    shall have on board a Long Island-Block Island Sound pilot licensed
    under this article. It shall be unlawful for any person not licensed as
    a Long Island-Block Island Sound pilot under this article or under the
    laws of any other state having concurrent jurisdiction to pilot or to
    offer to pilot any foreign vessel or any American vessel under register
    transiting the New York state waters of Long Island Sound and Block
    Island Sound east of a line running southeasterly from the mouth of the
    Byram River at the New York-Connecticut boundary to Oak Neck Point on
    Long Island.
    3. Violation of subdivision two of this section shall be a misdemeanor
    punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or by
    imprisonment not exceeding sixty days. Any person employing such an
    unlicensed person to act as pilot shall forfeit and pay the sum of one
    hundred dollars to the board of commissioners of pilots.
    4. (a) Every foreign vessel and every American vessel under register
    transiting the New York state waters of Long Island Sound or Block
    Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point including any such
    vessel entering or departing from any port situated on the New York
    state waters of Long Island Sound east of Execution Rocks and Sands
    Point shall be subject to pilotage fees, at the rates hereinafter
    specified. Whenever the services of such a pilot are refused, the
    master, owners or consignees shall pay pilotage as if one had been
    employed. Such pilotage fees may be sued for and recovered in the name
    of such pilot and may be retained by him for his own use and benefit. If
    such pilot at the request of the master, owners, consignees or agent of

    any vessel transiting the New York state waters of Long Island Sound or
    Block Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point anchors or
    moors such vessel at any place on the waters of Long Island Sound or
    Block Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point, or if such
    vessel be detained at quarantine, the same pilotage fees shall be
    payable and the pilot entitled to his discharge.
    (b) The following scale of charges shall be applicable:
    (1) Upon the effective date of this paragraph and thereafter:
    All vessels shall pay seven dollars per pilotage unit; upon one year
    after the effective date of a chapter of the laws of two thousand seven
    that amended this subparagraph and thereafter, all vessels shall pay
    seven dollars and forty-two cents per pilotage unit; and, upon two years
    after the effective date of a chapter of the laws of two thousand seven
    that amended this subparagraph and thereafter, all vessels shall pay
    seven dollars and eighty-seven cents per pilotage unit.
    (2) A minimum charge calculated on one hundred fifty pilotage units
    shall apply to vessels of less than one hundred fifty units of
    measurement. A maximum charge calculated on five hundred pilotage units
    shall apply to vessels of more than five hundred units of measurement.
    (3) Pilotage units, as used in this subdivision, shall be determined
    by multiplying the overall length of the vessel by the extreme breadth
    by the depth to the uppermost continuous deck and dividing the total by
    ten thousand, as expressed in the following formula:

    Overall length X extreme breadth X depth
    ________________________________________________
    10,000
    equals pilotage units

    (4) After entering Long Island Sound or Block Island Sound or before
    departing therefrom, all vessels piloted for less than twenty-five miles
    shall pay a transporting charge equal to two-thirds of the statutory
    rate for registered vessels.
    (5) A pilot detained on board a vessel at anchor or detained on board
    a vessel at berth for more than two hours shall be paid at the rate of
    twenty-five dollars per hour or fraction thereof.
    (6) A pilot carried off on board a vessel by reason of bad weather or
    any other cause shall be paid two hundred dollars per day during the
    time of his detention. He shall also be awarded first class return
    transportation at the earliest possible time.
    (c) Definitions. "Overall length" is the distance between the forward
    and after extremities of the vessel.
    "Extreme breadth" is the maximum breadth to the outside of the shell
    plating of the vessel.
    "Depth" is the vertical distance at amidships from the top of the keel
    plate to the uppermost continuous deck, fore and aft, and which extends
    to the sides of the vessel. The continuity of a deck shall not be
    considered to be affected by the existence of openings, including but
    not limited to tonnage openings, engine spaces, or a step in the deck.
    All measurements shall be in feet and inches (U.S.).
    The board of commissioners of pilots shall be the sole arbiter with
    respect to a question concerning these definitions. The decision by the
    board shall be final.
    (d) The measurements of overall length, extreme breadth, and depth as
    previously defined, shall be made available to the pilot by the master
    or his agent for the computation of pilotage fees. Failure to provide
    the measurements so required shall subject the vessel to the maximum
    pilotage charge.

    5. The board of commissioners of pilots is hereby authorized to
    execute an agreement with the appropriate state pilotage authority of
    any state for establishment of a rotation system for the assignment of
    pilots for the conduct of vessels in the ports and waters of the state,
    including the waters of Long Island Sound.
  7. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    Thanks Randy
  8. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    I've just learned that they have changed the length for required pilotage to 150'
  9. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    In NY or NJ?
  10. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    I inquired about going to NY as NJ was always 200'
  11. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    Virginia Pilots have changed their minimum requirements to allow for vessels up to 200' without a pilot.
  12. Rodger

    Rodger Senior Member

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    Hi Ken was good to see you in Halifax last month
    Thought you would like to see this
    We only had four big yachts up the Welland Canal this year that require pilots.
    The cost from St Lawrence River through Seaway to Port Huron is approx $ 48,000 one way .
    It cost $ 11,000 just to go down Lake Erie
    When you get to Port Huron and stay in American waters you do not require Pilots


    The Coast Guard proposes to increase the overall cost of U.S. Great Lakes pilotage in 2023 compared to 2022. Specifically, the agency seeks to generate $37,022,395 in revenue in 2023, compared to its target of $32,486,995 in 2022 – an increase of $4.535 million. This 14 percent increase is attributed to inflation and four new pilots being added. In 2023, the Coast Guard is proposing a total workforce of 55 fully registered U.S. pilots and seven apprentice pilots.

    The Coast Guard will be increasing individual pilot compensation from the current level of $399,266 annually to a new high of $422,336 annually.

    The recent history of pilotage cost increases is detailed below:

    Year / Pilot numbers / Estimated cost / Change over year

    2014 / 36 / $12,889,868

    2015 / 36 / $15,451,455 / plus 20 percent over 2014

    2016 / 37 / $19,103,678 / plus 24 percent over 2015

    2017 / 45 / $22,326,381 / plus 14 percent over 2016

    2018 / 49 / $25,156,442 / plus 12.7 percent over 2017

    2019 / 51 / $27,988,185 / plus 11.3 percent over 2018

    2020 / 52 / $28,268,030 / plus 1 percent over 2019

    2021 / 55 / $30,332,652 / plus 4 percent over 2020

    2022 / 56 / $32,486,995 / plus 12 percent over 2021

    2023 / 55 / $37,022,395 / plus 14 percent over 2022

    It is important to remember that the Coast Guard’s annual rate setting process is a hypothetical exercise. It seeks to estimate the overall revenue and hourly charges necessary to operate the three U.S. pilot associations. Real-world revenue generation will be impacted by traffic levels and business trends, which sometimes vary from the Coast Guard’s estimates.

    The American Great Lakes Ports Association (AGLPA) has historically had a strong interest in both the cost and reliability of Great Lakes pilotage services due to its impact on the efficiency and competitiveness of Seaway commerce. AGLPA will be submitting comments on this proposed rule in coordination with other allied industry stakeholders.

    To view a copy of the Federal Register notice, click here.

    – American Great Lakes Ports Association
  13. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    I'm speechless. Such a ridiculous cash grab, which will certainly deter yachts from coming. The revenue we generate for local economies is significant.
  14. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    Rodger..
    Do the "local" lake freighters get to enjoy these obscene fees or is it just the foreign boys?
  15. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I remember it was draft that set pilot requirements on the coast.
    Yep, I'm old.
  16. Rodger

    Rodger Senior Member

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    Canadian freighters do not need pilots, American freighters do not need pilots after the Captain has made fifteen trips through Seaway, they only get about two or three American ships a year through Seaway.
  17. Rodger

    Rodger Senior Member

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    Foreign ships need pilots on board all the time when they enter the St Lawrence River
  18. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    Yes, had the pleasure of watching them board as they passed Que. City while I was there this past summer.