1982 Lancer 25 - quote wanted

Nov 15, 2019
3
Lancer 25 quartermaster marina
1982 Lancer 25 - I recently purchased one and am trying to find a dealer that can provide a quote for less than 5k. I paid less than 5k but dmv (dol) won't honor the bill of sail and my registration/taxes are way too high for what I paid for the boat. Any help is greatly appreciated
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Welcome to SBO!

There is a used boat price website but right now I cannot remember the URL. Maybe someone here knows this site address. As far as dealing with your DMV, well, good luck. Sorry.
 
Nov 15, 2019
3
Lancer 25 quartermaster marina
She's a beauty! Definitely much nicer than mine. If that website come to you please let me know. Thanks!
on another note: how big of an outboard do you think could go on a lancer that isnt a powersailor?...or more importantly what would you recommend for an outboard size? It currently has a 4 stroke 8hp. Boat goes about 6 knots
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Thanks. Mine is a 9.9 and it pushes me along about the same speed. So I think what you have is good. You might get by with a smaller motor but not too small. Dealing with opposing currents can leave you going nowhere fast.

Used boat guide
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Here's a link to the BUC value site. You will have to register to use it.


The problem with finding a boat's value is the limited number of sales for any model, the wide variety of conditions, and geographic area. DMVs and state registry agencies are skeptical of low value boats because many people have scammed the system with receipts that were less than the purchase price. In some states, if a broker is involved the broker must collect the sales tax and report it.
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
1982 Lancer 25 - I recently purchased one and am trying to find a dealer that can provide a quote for less than 5k. I paid less than 5k but dmv (dol) won't honor the bill of sail and my registration/taxes are way too high for what I paid for the boat. Any help is greatly appreciated
What state? And there *must* be an appeal process if some DMV employee will not "honor" a proper bill of sale. Do you have a pre-purchase survey with a value specified on it? (a valuation is not always part of a survey, but would be helpful.)
Back to square one: unless there is something sketchy about your bill of sale, they should accept it.
As for price, in this market it's hard to imagine a model of your boat selling for much over 4 or 5K. And that's no insult to your boat, but rather just the way the market treats smaller boats these days.
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,371
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
There is no appeal process for a DMV. The question is why aren't they accepting the current bill of sale? They do have to tell you why so you can "fix" it. In New York, the DMV will often require the bill of sale to be on one of their specific forms, especially if the transaction happened inside the state, meaning the seller was in New York and the buyer was in New York.

I had a two and a half year process to register my trimaran in New York. It came from the estate of my father in New Mexico. A long convoluted process where the DMV was ridiculous. Believe me, I wish there were an appeal process for the DMV...

dj
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
There is no appeal process for a DMV. The question is why aren't they accepting the current bill of sale? They do have to tell you why so you can "fix" it. In New York, the DMV will often require the bill of sale to be on one of their specific forms, especially if the transaction happened inside the state, meaning the seller was in New York and the buyer was in New York.

I had a two and a half year process to register my trimaran in New York. It came from the estate of my father in New Mexico. A long convoluted process where the DMV was ridiculous. Believe me, I wish there were an appeal process for the DMV...

dj
I would "appeal" directly to the director of the agency and then to your state's Ombudsman. Of course all of this presumes that the OP really has a proper-appearing bill of sale.
(I once bought a sailboat in Canada and, with the bill of sale and the purchase survey, created a new Oregon title. A couple of letters back-n-forth to explain details and a couple of months of time... but then sailors are never in a hurry anyway...) :)
And this initial paperwork sufficed to bring it thru Customs and legally import it. In those Olden Days I had to pay customs duty on it, too. (!)
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,371
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I would "appeal" directly to the director of the agency and then to your state's Ombudsman.
Have you ever actually ever done this? As far as I have seen, that sounds good on paper but the practical reality is there is no appeal process.

dj
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I would "appeal" directly to the director of the agency and then to your state's Ombudsman. Of course all of this presumes that the OP really has a proper-appearing bill of sale.
Have you ever actually ever done this? As far as I have seen, that sounds good on paper but the practical reality is there is no appeal process.
If there is an appeal process, the cost of going through the appeal might well exceed the benefit.

There is some latitude in the DMV (at least in NY) that may be interpreted differently in different DMV offices. A trip to a different DMV may be worth the effort.
 
Oct 26, 2010
1,882
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
What does your "bill of sale" look like? Is it a legal looking document or a hand typed piece of paper with a scribble on it? Are you still in contact with the person who sold the boat to you and would they be willing to provide another bill of sale? Can you go to a internet legal paperwork site (like nolo.com) and print out a more official looking bill of sale?

As was said before, the DMV personnel have a lot of leeway in interpreting what they see or suspect as bogus paperwork and another DMV processor might just look at the same document and push it right along. I'm suspecting the bill of sale you have looks suspect and maybe even homemade and that has triggered the rejection. If at all possible a more official and legal looking document might do the trick if the original seller is still available to execute one. Best of luck and keep plugging. Remember a teaspoon of sugar at the DMV office and a "can you help me with this?" attitude can go a long way to getting your problem resolved. Most likely "the DMV" didn't reject your paperwork, just the DMV person at the window you went to when they called your number rejected it. Possibly even a different person at the same office might be just fine with it, especially if the paperwork looks "legal and legit." If you asked to see the supervisor at the DMV you visited and then it was rejected, I'd go to a different DMV because you may have "poisoned the well" there and don't want to get into a p&^%ing contest going back to the same place again. Sorry about the long response but you have to be "sweet" but pesistent until there is no other option/
 
Last edited:
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Wa State changed from purchase price (bill of sale) assessment to fair market value ( nada'ish) a handful of years ago to capture more tax revenue. "Welcome to Wa, hand over your cash".
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
It has been already said but let me share a story about just going to another DMV office. I once purchased a Coronado 23 from a guy in SC. He told me that in SC you don't register trailers so all I had was a bill of sale for the trailer.

First DMV would not let me register the trailer without the title. So I went to another office and the lady there said.... well if you want to rivet on a VIN I can give you a title for a homemade trailer. So that is what I did.

Try another office at a time when they are not so busy. Then ask for their help if you run into a jam. Ask them directly what they need to make it right. A survey seems like an option or you can find a few other quotes for a lancer.

I typed "Lancer" into the "make" field on www.sailboatlistings.com and I found several Lancer 25 sailboats. Several for less than yours. Have that website open on your phone when you go to the DMV.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
What if the OP took the boat to a dealer for an apprasial? Not so much a Marine Surveyor, but a dealer?
 
May 8, 2011
189
ODay 25 Cambridge
Check with Boat U S insurance to see what they will insure it for. That is a good indicator of value.
 
Oct 26, 2010
1,882
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
1982 Lancer 25 - I recently purchased one and am trying to find a dealer that can provide a quote for less than 5k. I paid less than 5k but dmv (dol) won't honor the bill of sail and my registration/taxes are way too high for what I paid for the boat. Any help is greatly appreciated
In reading the original posting, it sounds like the OP has gotten the boat registered and the issue that he/she is referring to is the registration/taxes are too high? In other words the dmv has issued a state license for the boat but he/she feels that the value assigned is too high. Where we live (SC) the value for sales tax purposes is based on the bill of sale, however, the property tax (we have property tax on boats) is based on a book they use, probably the NADA boat values. My response about the "legal looking paperwork" was based on not being able to get it registered at all. There is probably no way to dispute the value for property taxes unless the conditon of the boat justifies it.

So if the Original Poster will clarify what he/she is seeking input on it would help focus the discussion.
 
Nov 15, 2019
3
Lancer 25 quartermaster marina
I am in WA state. The dol, because it was so busy and she seemed annoyed, gave me a quote (fair market value) for a similar boat. Since it was under 5k, they honored my bill of sale and it all worked out. Thanks for all the replies. Much appreciated in trying to help