Credit Where Credit is Due

This is off topic, but how often do you get excellent service from a government agency?

The National Vessel Documentation Center - run by the United States Coast Guard - has the most helpful bunch of people I have ever had to deal with over the phone. They know what needs to be done, you can talk to a real person if you need to without being on hold all day long, and their voice mail system isn't hell, if you have a standard request.

For you non-boaters (or small boaters) you get federal documentation on a boat if you ever expect to sail out of US waters. It is sort-of a vehicle title, done at the national level.