Buying a new boat

[Bambito]

So I am going to be looking at a boat this weekend. Its an older boat that I found on C. I talked with the guy last night and he doesn't have a title for the trailer. Trailer is pretty much junk and I will be selling it and upgrading so not worried about that. He says he doesn't have registration for the boat though. Boat is 1960 something. He said it hasn't been registered in 20 years. What is the process for getting it registered? Should I walk away I guess is what I am asking?

[Brad B]

does it have numbers on the boat now. if so they will need to be registered to him before it can be transferred to you. you might get by with a generic bill of sale too. make sure that it states _______ owns this boat and is selling it to you. the best option would be for both of you to go to a deputy registers office together and do the transfer that way. if they have questions then the seller can answer them there during that time. I bought a boat once off the c list one time and the person selling wrote up a bill of sale saying the boat belonged to his deceased father and he took possession of it at that time. he then stated on this paper that he was selling it to me. I had no trouble transferring it to me. as for the trailer most light boat trailers get the permanent registration on them. if it has that the seller will need to transfer that to your name also. If you do buy this make sure to get the sellers name and address and phone number should you have troubles getting it registered, if the seller can't or won't go with you to do the transfer.

[Ufatz]

You asked, so here's one mans reaction: walk away; for a variety of reasons.

I will assume this is not an old, classic, lapstrake hulled mahogany cruiser. Okay?

So, a boat from the 60's is going to be a money pit. You CAN get a title for it at your local DMV if you have proper ID etc. But why not look for something a little bit more recent vintage. Even if you are going to get this boat FREE I fear you are going to regret it. You acknowledge the trailer is junk. What makes you think the boat is not too. Are you familiar with boats; I mean are you comfortable inspecting a boat for dry rot, separations, out of line keel, old repairs, structural weakness.

Do you know what a large dent just in front of the stern will do to a boats tracking? Do you know how to repair rivets in aluminum or structural pieces in a wood boat? What about a motor?

Leave it. Life is too short.

[Bambito]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am actually very familiar with boats. I am buying this boat as a restoration project. I love this style of boat. We do already have a fishing boat that we will keep until this one is done. I'm thinking this will be my 3 to5 year project. I will be customizing it to my liking. So if I get a bill of sale for the boat I should be able to register. It does have mn registration numbers on the side of it so is that all I will need is a bill of sale? The trailer I will either scrap it or sell it for cheap

[Brad B]

the question will be are the numbers registered to the seller. if not there could be problems. ask the seller about this or have them explain why the name register to the number is not their name. have all this written on a bill of sale. make sure you can contact the seller if there is issues with the DMV when you go to register it.

[Gordie]

Most older boats do not have a titles unless they were over 17ft and even then they you were lucky to see a title. I have purchased several older boats that have not been registered for many years, including some that were never registered (duck boats) and went to the DMV and got them registered with out any problems. I have also had trailers titled that have not had titles before too.

I bought a boat from Wisconsin and the trailer had never been titled/licensed as they didnt need one in Sconny. Told that to the DMV and ended up they said it could be done but it would have to be titled as a homemade trailer. The boat a 22ft Starcraft

had a title and but the person that had owned it had passed so the bill of sale was all they had to go by, and the registered it in my name and it made its home on Mille lacs.

Make sure you get a Bill of sale

[Ufatz]

Okay. Sounds like you know what you're getting into. Get a signed bill of sale and the numbers and you should be able to get some help getting it "legalized" It will help if you have the name and phone number of the seller, age or boat and any numbers you can find on the hull.

Have fun with your new project. Sounds like too much work to me! LOL!

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

My wife sold my old boat while I was at the lake with the boys. As a matter of fact we met it going the other way on the way home!!! No title, no nothing. I sent him the title for the boat and trailer in the mail and never heard from him again. P.S. I made a copy of the transaction for my records just in case he didn't register it.

Mike