Ask a Maritime Attorney

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.

Do Six-Pack Charter Rules Apply to a ‘Boat and Breakfast’ Operation?

September 18, 2009

I own a four-stateroom motoryacht that I am setting up in a charter business. I understand that I am limited to six paying passengers, or a “six-pack” charter while I am under way. However, the boat will sleep eight...

Must Sellers of Fractional Yacht Ownership Shares Be Licensed Brokers?

September 4, 2009

I own an Internet marketing company based in California, and we are developing a new business to sell fractional ownership shares of large motoryachts through a new Web site. One of the boat owners we are working with is...

Can Debt Collectors Record a Court Judgment Through the Coast Guard?

August 21, 2009

I have a judgment against a boat owner for his breach of contract on a business deal. He owns a home, and I recorded the judgment in the county where the property is located. I tried to take the same action against his boat,...

If a Broker Embezzles, Are Clients’ Boat Sales Still Legal?

August 7, 2009

I have been reading news reports recently about two different yacht brokers who are accused of embezzling client funds from their brokerage trust accounts. Thankfully, I was not personally harmed by either of these...

Can a Boatyard Hold My Boat ‘Hostage’ During an Invoice Dispute?

July 22, 2009

I own a Coast Guard-documented sailboat that I recently took to a local boatyard for bottom paint and other minor maintenance. When the job was completed, the yard presented an invoice, which included a significant amount of...

Do Six-Pack Charter Rules Apply to a ‘Boat and Breakfast’ Operation?

Must Sellers of Fractional Yacht Owner­ship Shares Be Licensed Brokers?

Can Debt Collectors Record a Court Judgment Through the Coast Guard?

If a Broker Embezzles, Are Clients’ Boat Sales Still Legal?

Can a Boatyard Hold My Boat ‘Hostage’ During an Invoice Dispute?

Must Sellers of Fractional Yacht Ownership Shares Be Licensed Brokers?