Ask a Maritime Attorney - Page 41 of 66

David Weil has been the proud author of the “Ask a Maritime Attorney” column in The Southern California Log Newspaper and Sea Magazine since 2006, with over 300 installments of the column. We have provided links in this section to those articles, covering a wide range of topics of interest to the California maritime and boating communities.

Can a Home-Built Boat Be Documented with the Coast Guard?

January 4, 2012

I am considering buying a 39-foot sailing yacht that was built from a kit on a vacant lot. The boat was never completed or put in the water, and it has been stored on private property since the death of the owner five years...

Is It True That I Can’t Sue the Coast Guard?

December 20, 2011

Last year, I was involved in a boating accident when I hit an unlit channel marker buoy in San Diego Bay. I wasn’t going very fast, but unfortunately one of my passengers was injured when she was thrown forward by the...

What Do Boat Buyers Need to Know About a Coast Guard Abstract of Title?

December 8, 2011

I am in the process of buying a boat, and I’d like to know more about the Coast Guard Abstract of Title. What information is listed on the abstract, and is it available for all boats? My lender was unable to approve my loan...

Do Bareboat Charters Avoid Foreign-Built Passenger Boat Prohibitions?

November 22, 2011

I read your article in the most recent issue of The Log Newspaper (Nov. 11-24) concerning the prohibition against the use of foreign-constructed boats for passenger charter service in the United States. Your article said...

Why Was a Waiver of the Jones Act Needed for U.S. America’s Cup Races?

November 9, 2011

I just ran across an online discussion of how the Jones Act and other maritime regulations might interfere with the running of the America’s Cup in San Francisco during 2013 and the America’s Cup World Series, which is...