Is there a list available online of stolen boats?

[kito]

I am hoping to get my H30 project boat splashed by next Spring and thought I would start now and try to get the paperwork all set ahead of time. After talking to the CG, trying to get it documented is going to be a pain or nearly impossible. It was documented back in 2005 but expired in 2006. Sounds like I would need Magnum PI to run down all the subsequent owners and needed paperwork. I decided just to register it in North Carolina instead. Sounds like it's going to be even a bigger pain dealing with these people too. First, they want a letter of deletion from CG which I ordered yesterday for $15. They are wanting a title but there is no title for this boat. It is my understanding that in NC boat titles were optional before 2007. He said my bill of sale is not good since it was signed by a witness but not a notary. That is my bad since there was no title being exchanged and figured a notary was not necessary. Anyway, back to my question, the NC wildlife commission has their rules and regulations and it sounds like this boat has a trail of owners that never had it documented of registered. I would think them knowing that this is not a stolen vessel and it is in my possession with a bill of sale from the last two owners they would work with me on this. Is there a database of stolen vessels listed by HIN numbers? Has anyone else have to jump through hoops to get their boat registered?. Just looking for ammo to use when I talk to NC again.

 

[Jackdaw]

A list like that would only prove that it WAS stolen. What you would need is a list that proved that it WAS NOT.

That's why lists like that typically don't exist, along with the management nightmare. Good luck getting that sorted out; I've know boats that have been junked due to the current 'possessor' not being able to sort out documentation!

 

[kito]

Thanks Jackdaw. It seems to me that their thinking is backward. If my registered boat was stolen you would think that my HIN number would be put on a list as stolen and when that number pops up down the road that it would be red flagged. Yes, sounds to me they would rather see my boat be put into a shredder than try to help a person.

 

[woodster]

take you HIN number and do an online search and see what pops up if anything and start from there..do you have any official documents cg or state

 

[kito]

No documents....only the bill of sale from my seller and the original bill of sale from my PO's seller. This boat has changed hands numerous times without being resistered or documented since it has been a project boat. I finally put the time and money in her to sail again.....it may end up being a permanent 5 ton lawn ornament.

 

[centerline]

sometimes it can be a good thing to NOT have too much information.... and play ignorant of some of the things you do know... this can sometimes be the best way to deal with bureaucracy


lets say this were true.....
if you never the knew the boat was ever documented, and you just bought it as a project boat from the guy, (it was his project boat, no numbers being found anywhere on the hull, and was on the hard, launched for the sale to prove it would float.... he can find no paperwork and cannot remember what the registration numbers were....

you would be tasked with getting a bill of sale, with ALL the usual information. then applying for a lost title..... the marine board (or whoever does that in your state) would do a title search, and if they find none, they may need a police or CG inspection of the vessel.
if all is found to be intact and not a stolen boat, you would be issued a new title and registration....

if the CG does an inspection and they find that the previous owner had it documented (but failed to tell you), both the CG and the marine board will likely have found enough information out by then to get it registered and titled in your name.... with THEM doing the footwork instead of you having to jump thru their hoops.

 

[Jackdaw]

Thanks Jackdaw. It seems to me that their thinking is backward. If my registered boat was stolen you would think that my HIN number would be put on a list as stolen and when that number pops up down the road that it would be red flagged. Yes, sounds to me they would rather see my boat be put into a shredder than try to help a person.

I hear you. But what you are describing is a concept called 'proving the negative'. Used in mathematical and logical proofs, its very hard or impossible. Think of it this way: Proving some IS stolen is easy. If its on the list, its stolen (or at least someone CLAIMS it it). But a boat NOT on the list? Does this prove it is NOT stolen? Nope.

 

[Ron20324]

Since the gov't agencies have no records on this boat, it may be just as easy to claim it as abandoned, and apply for ownership & title in accordance with whatever the state laws are. I did this to aquire a very nice dinghy for a total of $89, and that included a newspaper ad and parking at the DNR.

The first thing your (in MD) DNR would do is run the hin and any state registration numbers they may have. If there is a previous or present owner of record, you'd send them a registered letter of your intent to claim it. In my case, the owner moved, did not claim the letter at the post office, so I got it back to take to DNR after I placed an ad in the local newspaper. The newspaper was well familiar how to word the ad per the law. Lacking a response to the ad and registered mail (keep an actual newspaper with the ad therein) was sufficient proof there was no other claim to ownership, and should grant you a title. Just keep all your paperwork.

 

[stollo770]

Your lucky that your not trying to register the boat in NJ. Two years ago I purchased a boat in NJ with out a title and I had to go through hell to legally register it. Here is what I had to do as described by NJ's improper evidence of ownership packet, the total process took months to complete:

1. I had to do an official title search by HIN to make sure the boat was not stolen. The searches had to be conducted by the DMV in NJ, PA, NY, CT, DE, and MD.

2. I had to publish an official newspaper article saying I have the boat and I plan to title it. I then need a notarized affidavit to send to the DMV so they know I did this.

3. I needed to send a copy of the news paper article and the affidavit to my local PD via USPS certified mail with return receipt requested. Then send the return receipt to the DMV.

4. If anything is turned up by the title searches (which happened) I needed to send a "Notice Of Intent To Obtain Title" form to ALL previous owners of the boat via USPS certified mail with return receipt requested. Then send the return receipts to the DMV.

5. I needed to send the DMV a notarized bill of sale.

6. I needed three independent witnesses to make a notarized statement saying I owned the boat legally. Then I had to send them to the DMV.

7. I needed to pencil trace and photograph the HIN and send it to the DMV.

8. I needed to make a notarized statement describing when and how I bought the boat, and that I did so legally. This needed to be done in the presence of a witness. This needed to be sent to the DMV.

9. I needed to send the DMV photos of every angle/side of the boat.

10. I needed to fill out a lengthy form requesting a title for the boat.

11. I needed to calculate and send the DMV a check for the sales tax for the purchase of the boat.

12. I needed to send the DMV a check for the "work" they did to get me a title.

Needless to say I will NEVER buy another boat without a title. You shouldn't either. If it doesn't have a title it shouldn't be an option.

 

[Sumner]

... He said my bill of sale is not good since it was signed by a witness but not a notary. ...

Can you get the seller to write up another bill of sale and have him sign it in front of a notary this time and tear the other one up?

Are you in a smaller town or can you deal with this in one. Here the towns are small and so is the courthouse and they tend to deal with people on situations like this. I have a 38-39 Ford pickup body I dug up in the desert and I can get a title for it here whereas someplace else (big city) this might be very hard,

Sumner

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[jibes138]

I built and registered a small dinghy as a home built boat. Since you are totally refurbishing this boat perhaps you can claim it is home built? I had to have a wildlife official come to the house and inspect the boat. They assign you a new hull ID number and then you register it. You have to mount the new hull number on the boat.
If you can find what state it was last registered in there should be a record of a prior registration?

 

[kito]

Since the gov't agencies have no records on this boat, it may be just as easy to claim it as abandoned, and apply for ownership & title in accordance with whatever the state laws are. I did this to aquire a very nice dinghy for a total of $89, and that included a newspaper ad and parking at the DMV.

That's what I was thinking NC could do. That's why I wondered if there was a stolen boat HIN list. I am sure NC don't want to get their sack caught in a ringer by claiming my boat abandoned and later find out they assigned a new title to a stolen boat. I see you are in Maryland. You may have one more resident if NC drops the ball

 

[jibes138]

In NC the DMV does not register boats, it is handled by the department of wildlife (NC Wildlife Resources Commission).

 

[kito]

Your lucky that your not trying to register the boat in NJ. Two years ago I purchased a boat in NJ with out a title and I had to go through hell to legally register it. Here is what I had to do as described by NJ's improper evidence of ownership packet, the total process took months to complete:

1. I had to do an official title search by HIN to make sure the boat was not stolen. The searches had to be conducted by the DMV in NJ, PA, NY, CT, DE, and MD.

2. I had to publish an official newspaper article saying I have the boat and I plan to title it. I then need a notarized affidavit to send to the DMV so they know I did this.

3. I needed to send a copy of the news paper article and the affidavit to my local PD via USPS certified mail with return receipt requested. Then send the return receipt to the DMV.

4. If anything is turned up by the title searches (which happened) I needed to send a "Notice Of Intent To Obtain Title" form to ALL previous owners of the boat via USPS certified mail with return receipt requested. Then send the return receipts to the DMV.

5. I needed to send the DMV a notarized bill of sale.

6. I needed three independent witnesses to make a notarized statement saying I owned the boat legally. Then I had to send them to the DMV.

7. I needed to pencil trace and photograph the HIN and send it to the DMV.

8. I needed to make a notarized statement describing when and how I bought the boat, and that I did so legally. This needed to be done in the presence of a witness. This needed to be sent to the DMV.

9. I needed to send the DMV photos of every angle/side of the boat.

10. I needed to fill out a lengthy form requesting a title for the boat.

11. I needed to calculate and send the DMV a check for the sales tax for the purchase of the boat.

12. I needed to send the DMV a check for the "work" they did to get me a title.

Needless to say I will NEVER buy another boat without a title. You shouldn't either. If it doesn't have a title it shouldn't be an option.

Holy #*&% !!!!! That's a lot of hoops! Since NC was a vessel title optional state, maybe I will have half of those to jump through.

 

[kito]

In NC the DMV does not register boats, it is handled by the department of wildlife (NC Wildlife Resources Commission).

Yes, I talked to them yesterday.

 

[caguy]

Eh Stollo I though in Joisey all youse got to do is grease the right Guido and it's its done, Badda bing badda boom.
I agree with Sumner. Here in California I have registered two boats without title. They had been sitting around long enough that the CF (state reg. numbers) were no longer in the data base. I went to a big office in Glendale where a vey officious clerk tried to put me through the same hoops as Stolo. There was no way I was going to get through all those hoops and with no guarantee that that would be the end of it. After speaking to a guy who does this for a living I took the bill of sale to a small office in New Hall. They were much friendlier there and allowed me to sign an affidavit stating that the boat was abandoned. They issued a new title and license in my name.
I did the same with my other project that did not even have a hull number. This time she insisted that it has to have a hull number, so I went home and took out the number letter stamp kit and gave the old girl a hull number. The trailer also did not have a VIN but the DMV was able to issue a stamped sticker that the inspector applied to the tongue.
Came back in and the boat was issued a title in my name. Gone in 60 minutes.

Good luck and try and keep it simple. Affidavits are an inexpensive way of taking the responsibility off from the clerk.

 

[Benny17441]

I would say contact a marine titling agent and see what they could do for you. They deal with this sort of situation from time to time and may have access to state records and other tools at their disposal to procure a current title. The trick would be to find an agent willing to work on a small value transaction but at least you could get valuable advise on how to proceed.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

I've also had good luck with the home made boat and trailer option. Even when it has a vin/hid.

 

[down_shift]

How do boat yards assign mechanic liens on boats? That would be the list I would be concerned about. With that history, my guess there is some money owed on the boat due to repairs or storage and the PO(s) walked away. Property issues with divorces, in-laws, etc. This happens all the time. Even to that ~ $18M Ferrari 375 that sold earlier this year after being "abandoned" in multiples areas of Ohio. Good that you are being diligent with the paperwork.

 

[kito]

I am sure there is a simple solution to my problem. It just depends on whom I'm dealing with at the NC Wildlife Commission. Some people will just go by the book and not give a crap about the person they are dealing with. Some will be helpful and find a solution and understand not everything is done by the book or transactions are not always done correctly. It should not have to turn a perfectly good boat into a worthless piece of fiberglass because of the stinking paperwork. Another thing....this is a boat that needs to be moved professionally. It's not like it could have been stolen from someone's backyard on a trailer.