TexasKayakFisherman.com est. 2000

[CoastieCulture]

Good thread.
X2 on stamp but I'd perfectly contempt with the way things our now. I also strongly agree with not wanting unwanted stickers and numbers on my kayak. Always trying to get in our pockets. Still recovering from the increase on McDonald's dollar menu. Can't we catch a fish without someone catching a buck?

It is what it is .....

Coastie

[JaimeInTexas]

Contempt has a whole different meaning than content.

[CoastieCulture]

* content
Better?

[reservoir dog]

Every time I turn around I have to pay another "existance" fee. I'm 100% against any more fees. Get the money from catching illegal fishing. (Just my opinion)

[MagicYaker]

I guess the debate is definitely settled on whether I should EVER get a boat. Didn't even think about all the fees that I would accumulate being a boat owner.

[FishingSETX]

As someone who owns both a boat and a yak, I've never understood how folks can say they won't buy a boat because of the fee's.

Fee's as a boat owner? You pay a one time title fee of about $20 and a registration fee of $30 every 2 years for the boat and about $30 a year for the trailer (and a lot of people use a trailer to haul their yaks anyway). That's $45 a year! Id be willing to bet most people spend more than that a month on junk they never use anyway!

I can understand not wanting to pay a fee for a yak but I can't understand the complaints about the "outrageous" boat owner fees!

[caddokid]

No matter what you call it, a fee is just a tax by another name. We have been taxed enough already.

[Stoic_J]

As someone who owns both a boat and a yak, I've never understood how folks can say they won't buy a boat because of the fee's.

Fee's as a boat owner? You pay a one time title fee of about $20 and a registration fee of $30 every 2 years for the boat and about $30 a year for the trailer (and a lot of people use a trailer to haul their yaks anyway). That's $45 a year! Id be willing to bet most people spend more than that a month on junk they never use anyway!

I can understand not wanting to pay a fee for a yak but I can't understand the complaints about the "outrageous" boat owner fees!

I thought the taxes were as follows:
- $143 to $190 purchase tax (6.25%-8.25% on a $1500 boat and $800 motor)
- $32 boat registration fee (or $53 if 16'-26')
- $27 boat title
- $57 trailer registration
= $259

I don't know what motor registration costs, if anything. Seems like $27, but maybe that's incorrect.
$45 trailer tax is annual. Boat tax is then $32 every 2-3 years? Motor tax, like I said, I'm not sure about.

For some people that's nothing. To me, it's not a LOT of money, but it's enough that it played a part in my choosing a kayak.

[Regnar]

You're paying a purchase tax when you buy a new kayak as well....

[MagicYaker]

You're paying a purchase tax when you buy a new kayak as well....

I think only if you purchase in the same state you live in. I just bought one from Indiana. Paid for kayak and shipping only.

[txspeck]

Hell NO!

[caddokid]

I don't know where you registered your trailer but I just sent off $57 for my one year trailer license registration. I carry two yaks and including the trailer the total weight is less than 300 lbs. It's ridiculous. Instead of continuing to gouge the law abiding citizens, perhaps higher fines on law breaking poachers, illegal fishermen and others who blatantly break our hunting, fishing and conservation laws should pick up the tab.

[JMS]

Not a fan of taxes; Govt would probably spend $8 a yak owner managing a $5 Yak fee

[caddokid]

Not being cynical, but when is the last time we have paid any $5 registration fee. I suspect it would be upwards of S25 or higher per yak.

[FishingSETX]

As someone who owns both a boat and a yak, I've never understood how folks can say they won't buy a boat because of the fee's.

Fee's as a boat owner? You pay a one time title fee of about $20 and a registration fee of $30 every 2 years for the boat and about $30 a year for the trailer (and a lot of people use a trailer to haul their yaks anyway). That's $45 a year! Id be willing to bet most people spend more than that a month on junk they never use anyway!

I can understand not wanting to pay a fee for a yak but I can't understand the complaints about the "outrageous" boat owner fees!

I thought the taxes were as follows:
- $143 to $190 purchase tax (6.25%-8.25% on a $1500 boat and $800 motor)
- $32 boat registration fee (or $53 if 16'-26')
- $27 boat title
- $57 trailer registration
= $259

I don't know what motor registration costs, if anything. Seems like $27, but maybe that's incorrect.
$45 trailer tax is annual. Boat tax is then $32 every 2-3 years? Motor tax, like I said, I'm not sure about.

For some people that's nothing. To me, it's not a LOT of money, but it's enough that it played a part in my choosing a kayak.

I have two boats and a kayak and enjoy fishing out of all of them. The boats cost me less than most people spend on one kayak ($500 after fees for my 14' john boat and $1000 after fees for my bass boat). I can take the boats when the wind is bad, the area I want to fish is too far from a launch, or I have a non kayaker who wants to go (my dad can't kayak due to medical reasons). Only extra costs are fuel and maintenance. I do the maintenance myself and its under $100 a year for both boats.

$45 a year on the trailer and $16 (26.50 for 16-26')a year on the boat ($32, or $53 for 2 years). That's $61 a year for a boat up to 16' and $71.50 for a 16-26'. I would bet you pay that much or more for each car you have registered. All the other fee's you listed are one time fee's upon purchase.

The fee for the motor is a one time title fee. tax rate is 6.25%. If you are buying a boat, car, trailer, camper, etc the one time fee's should be figured in to your purchase budget anyway. My John boat was $85 in taxes and title fee's and that included the two year registration.

Owning a boat is more expensive than owning a kayak, but not to the extent some make it out to be. That was the reason for my original post. I just don't understand the argument of "I would never own a boat because of the ridiculously high registration fees and because the fees are such a hassle!"

[FishingSETX]

I don't know where you registered your trailer but I just sent off $57 for my one year trailer license registration. I carry two yaks and including the trailer the total weight is less than 300 lbs. It's ridiculous. Instead of continuing to gouge the law abiding citizens, perhaps higher fines on law breaking poachers, illegal fishermen and others who blatantly break our hunting, fishing and conservation laws should pick up the tab.

What do they have the trailer rated at? The registration fees go by trailer rating. I just had my john boat trailer swapped into my name and paid registration for a year and total with tax was $55 including taxes and transfer fee.

[Wfetech]

I am planning to buy the new Old Town Predator XL with the integrated Minn Kota trolling motor. Does anyone know if I will need to register the kayak with TPWF since it is motorized?

Bill Fetech

[caddokid]

any motorized vessel must be registered to my knowledge

[Chuck S]

Years back Fish and Game in a well meaning way funded boat launches here and there across the US. Then came power boats which damaged the launch areas and the lake shore due to wake actions. They rightly figured out that if it's the boaters that are doing the damage then they should repair it. So along came motor boat registration. Years would pass before someone misinterpreted the Federal Coast Guard Regulation on Electric Motors (they were speaking of the huge motors used as thrusters, etc on ships) From this soon came, a boat sticker/registration is required on boats using electric motors in Fed waters. The states soon saw this money grubbing opportunity and said why not? Canoes and kayaks would remain exempt for several years. Now it's not only Kayaks and Canoes, but pontoon boats as well in some states such as Wyoming even if you seldom use your small electric motor and can't cause a wake. The money grubbers have gone one step further here scaring folks with the invasive aquatic species sticker, effectively doubling the price of our registrations for small boats and kayaks. It's an ignorant greedy move as here in Wyoming folks own all the water rights and all but a smattering of our lakes fluctuate up to 50 feet between spring and fall as irrigators get first shot at their water. Look for all of the same to come your way unless you shut down those in government that have no scruples whatsoever! I've asked several of the F&G reps, here in Wyoming how a roto molded sit on top kayak is apt to transport aquatic hitchhikers such as the Zebra and Quagga Mussels and the response was blithering and mumbling. Sad, sorry and little people!

[YakMonster]

NO MORE GOVERNMENT WE DON'T NEED THEM, NOR DO WE WANT THEM MISSING UP A LOW COST WAY FOR FISHERMAN/WOMAN TO INTER INTO THE SPORT. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. STAY OUT OF MY KAYAK IS ONLY HOLDS ONE.

[Jimbo_47]

No way should anyone have to register a kayak. A lot of us own more than one and we've already paid taxes on them when we bought them.
If someone feels the need or wouldn't mind registering their kayak then those folks who want to feel all warm and fuzzy that they did their deed need to mail in a check for whatever amount to TPWD on a regular basis but leave everyone else out of it.

[Imaexpat2]

I personally dont see anything wrong with a nominal registration fee, as long as it would not be put into the General Fund but rather used to develop and sustain interest in kayaking especially among children. They are the future of Outdoorsman.
Darrell

...and you can bet the bank it wont be separated from the general fund and support Kayaking specifically. There in lies the rub to my objection of any fees or registration for Kayaking. I already pay a butt load of money annually through my purchases and existing licenses and registration fees and parks and wildlife areas that these were supposed to fund now cost me money every time I use them in addition to what I pay annually. Further more many of these spots are being turned over to cities and local communities as a money saving way to cut expenses. That looks good on paper till you consider these cities then levy a user fee, parking fee, boat ramp fee and all kinds of other restrictions turning them into the cities way of generating income for the general fund without having to raise property taxes which would probably result in property owners marching on city hall. What have I been paying for all of these years and where are they wasting the money cuase frankly...I DONT SEE IT!

Not trying to be a hater, just pointing out what the reality is!

[txspeck]

Whats next bird watchers registering their binoculars? The only way I would be in favor of some type of registration if TPWD designated certain areas in our bays for kayak fishing only!

[Texas Torpedo]

I like the short answer in the first post "No"

[MobyYack]

Whats next bird watchers registering their binoculars? The only way I would be in favor of some type of registration if TPWD designated certain areas in our bays for kayak fishing only!

x2