§14. Wrecked vessels

The Secretary of Transportation may issue a certificate of documentation with a coastwise endorsement for any vessel wrecked on the coasts of the United States or her possessions or adjacent waters, when purchased by a citizen or citizens of the United States and thereupon repaired in a shipyard in the United States or her possessions, if it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Transportation, if he deems it necessary, through a board of three appraisers appointed by him, that the said repairs put upon such vessels ¹ are equal to three times the appraised salved value of the vessel: Provided, That the expense of the appraisal provided for shall be borne by the owner of the vessel: Provided further, That if any of the material matters of fact sworn to or represented by the owner, or at his instance, to obtain the register of any vessel are not true, there shall be a forfeiture to the United States of the vessel in respect to which the oath shall have been made, together with tackle, apparel, and furniture thereof.

(R.S. §4136; Feb. 24, 1915, ch. 57, 38 Stat. 812 ; Pub. L. 103–182, title VI, §686(a)(4), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2220 .)

Codification

R.S. §4136 derived from acts Dec. 23, 1852, ch. 4, 10 Stat. 149 ; July 23, 1866, ch. 213, 14 Stat. 212 .

R.S. §4136 was repealed by act Feb. 22, 1906, ch. 500, 34 Stat. 17 , and was reenacted and revised by act Feb. 24, 1915.

Amendments

1993-Pub. L. 103–182 substituted "The Secretary of Transportation may issue a certificate of documentation with a coastwise endorsement" for "The Secretary of Commerce may issue a register or enrollment" and "Secretary of Transportation," for "Secretary of Commerce,".

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in title 46 sections 3703a, 12106, 12108.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "vessel".