Title-less...

[Freedumb]

Hey everyone, I was given a com-pac 16 recently and it didn't come with a title. The guy who gave her to me said it was in the posession of a boat store in my area. Two questions.
1: Has anyone applied for a bonded title, and can you give me any helpful tips on the subject?
2: Do I need any information from the title to register this boat in Texas?

[ilbuildit]

OK. This really won't answer your question but I am just curious too and tell my experience with this as well.

Here in Colorado I have bought two Sailboats. One private seller and one dealer bought. I only have titles for the trailers and nobody seems to care about boat titles and I really have never heard of them having one anyway. So, when I sold my 16 to a guy in Oregon, he contacted me when he got home and asked for the boat title. I told him I don't have one for either boat and never have had one but he was insistant that Oregon needed one. Didn't know what to tell him.

I would like to know as well.

Lee...

[spaul]

Lee,
States vary across this land in their interpretation of need for a boat title. Some states don't require one this is true. I live in Indiana which does require a title for almost all boats, unless shorter than 17' and if it doesn't have a motor on it. Bottom line is states will figure out how to get income in any way they can.
For instance, here in Indiana my canoe doesn't need registration numbers as long as I don't put a motor on it. This means electric or gas powered. The minute I mount that motor the fees go up and I may need a title and a registration number along with a serial number and manufacturer.
It's not difficult to obtain a title for anyone moving a boat from a titleless state to a title state. Contact the local police or sheriff, obtain a police search, record the serial number and length and weight and the rest of the crap. If the police don't find the boat is stolen then you make application for a title. When the title comes back weeks later you go down to BMV and pay your money for registration, obtain your numbers and you're good to go. Whew.
Ain't government grand !

Steve

[Freedumb]

"The perfect bureaucrat everywhere is the man who manages to make no decisions and escape all responsibilities." ─ Brooks Atkinson

Woooohoooooo Paper Work!

[Paul]

LOL.  Upon reading the title of this thread, I wondered if one of those raunchy hackers had tried to get on our forum again.    

Yeah, states vary in paperwork.  NC has a boat registration good for three years.  The dept of transportation requires the trailer to be titled, which becomes a taxable item.  That's right, I pay property taxes on the little trailer.  Strange, ain't it?

I think this may help wherever you live, though.  Write up a bill of sale (and title it as such) and have it notarized upon selling the boat and trailer.  That way the buyer has an "official" paper to take to the different state as proof of purchase.  This may ease the red tape and speed the titling process.  of course, your milage may vary.

[B.Hart]

In florida every boat has a title if it is powerd boat, and the trailers only have a title if they weigh over 2000# when they are empty.

[hazelscamp]

B Hart,

Florida may have changed the rule on trailers, or perhaps it varies by the county you live in.    When I purchased my
Eclipse in Orlando, the dealer arrange the title of both the boat and trailer.  The trailer weighs about 700 lbs.

[Rick Klages]

Prior to 1987 in New York there was no title for boats of any kind.  When the craft was registered the registration document had a section on the back to accomplish ownership transfer.  Check the hull # with your state DMV or whoever oversees the registration of boats.  You might be able to get a copy of the last registration.  Contacting the last registered owners or their estates may gain you the documentation needed to prove ownership and receive title. Useful if you move to a "Title" state.