Anything with a motor needs to be registered, including electric motors. Even if you have a trolling motor attached to a canoe it is supposed to be registered.
it doesnt even have a hull number left on it.
Of course the $50 question is : So how many people, unless fishing MAJOR waterways, have ever seen a game warden or EPO on freshwater?Oh, sure, you may see them on the Q, or along the popular trout waters in western Mass, but on some of the more remote/backwater rivers and ponds they are never seen or heard of.I fish in a kayak on the Charles and Sudbury rivers, and a number of ponds in the area.The ONLY time I have been approached by a game warden in the past 15 years was when I was ice fishing on a pond in Westford and Wayland.The state "requires" registrations but unless you put in where they prefer to patrol, you will rarely ever be checked.I'm not complaining or bragging but rather stating what I have observed (or didn't observe, depending on how you look at it) while out and about. Most people do it right and follow the rules, but there may be some that don't and they are usually the ones that are breaking more than just the boat registration law....
have only been checked one time in mass on fresh water, and it was during a derby. with everything i have registered i wish they would just get rid of this law for electric trolling motors but maintain safety inspections for preservers, lights etc. im at the point that i need to make decisions on which boats im using and where each year for registration