registering a trailer

[oldiesrocker2001]

Hey out there!
Last fall I bought a boat at auction from a charity orginization complete with trailer but not complete with titles. While it took me 10 months to sort out a paper trail necessary for titling the boat. the trailer is still in limbo. Perhaps obviously, I am in NJ which needs both titled and registered. Anyone in NJ that has simply said they had built the trailer as home made and gone from there? Pics needed? I'm about ready to just keep swapping the plates from my 21 to the smaller one and then back again when I need to move it on the road - I'm guessing once a year when they lower the lake water... :cussing:

 

[watercolors II]

DMV

Check with your Department of Motor Vehicles and see what is required for a reconstructed title. I would think that a title would be needed first before they would register it for the highway. Pictures and some kind of certified inspection would be required.

Here in Pennsylvania a title is needed plus the material receipts must be shown for taxing purposes for registration.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Many years ago, I raced a Snipe, which I kept at a local marina on a trailer. Since it was private property, the trailer was never registered. When it came time to sell that wonderful little boat, I needed to register the trailer. Of course, I, too, had incomplete paperwork on it. I simply stamped some new and notional serial numbers on the frame with a punch set and claimed it to be homemade. Obtained a title and registration for it a few weeks later. No harm, no foul....

 

[oldiesrocker2001]

I was fortunate enough to find the e-mail of the previous owner a couple of days ago. It turns out that Wisconson doesn't require the registration (hence, no title reqrd.) on trailers that small. I think that if I don't have any luck with the agency I've been dealing with for the months I've had the boat, I think I'll go with Warren's route at an agency that doesn't know me and claim I built the trailer to match the boat. Did they require any pictures?

 

[LordNelson]

in nys i have heard you are better off taking your chances without a plate, rather than put on a plate from another trailer. i've been told that could be a felony.

 

[okawbow]

Repaint the trailer, and call it home made.

 

[RobertG-NJ]

Being from NJ also and having bought a H23 with its original trailer, and having registered it with the NJDMV, I can tell you with certainty that you do not need a title. I did not have a title for my trailer and was told that there was none. I can't say if Hunter ever issued one with the original sale. The Marina was acting as broker for the seller so I did get the title for the boat (required) and a separate bill of sale for both the boat and the trailer (with the price allocated) for NJ sales tax. I was told the bill of sale was all that was required as proof for my trailer and the DMV gave me no problem. Unlike the hull with a HIN, I do not believe there is a VIN number on the trailer(as far as I can tell) for registration identification purposes anyway.

 

[oldiesrocker2001]

Thanks for the insight, Robert. I thought I finally had it squared away after the last 3 hr stint at dmv right up till they claimed that any vehicle/trailer registered had to have a title in Wisconson so we needed the WI title. Now to convince them that the trailer was never registered at all hence no title. I'd hate to have the PO send a notarised letter about the trailer never regestered.
If it doesnt work, I will repaint the trailer and go to a different agency to claim homemade(if they ask about the boat I'll say I had it flatbedded in and then mounted on the trailer).
Lordnelson, how would a 'Statie' know if a plate was on the wrong trailer if both show no vin# ?

 

[RobertG-NJ]

I would still definitely get a bill of sale for the trailer with the make if known and year. The charity may have been lax whereas the Marina knew what to do. I am certain my registration says Kenmar which I believe was the OEM for Hunter, which was stated on the bill of sale. I don't have it on me but I will check my registration and let you know what it says as far as detail.

 

[oldiesrocker2001]

You're right Robert. While the charity sells many items and many boats the Marina knew what to do. My trailer bill of sale(notarized),which shows the trailer as homemade is included on the boat bill of sale. This makes it doubly difficult to get them legalized seperately. This makes the aggravation factor climb pretty high, and since I purchased the boat to make life easier when the powers that be(who also don't care) drain Spruce run, I can still sail the smaller boat by simply dragging the 21 home and bringing up the 15 on the same trip thus avoiding the anger level when we find the water 2 feet away from the dock in august.

 

[Dan H]

In Michigan I had to surrender the origin receipts for the steel used to make the trailer, the axle, the wheels and tires. I also had to provide a drawing of the trailer and a weight ticket.
In Michigan they want you to prove you built it and didn't steal it and call it homemade.

When you buy an axle it comes with a serial number. I used that number for the registration for the trailer.

I was ready to buy a boat from a fella in Michigan. No registration. He said, "no problem." I said, "Go get a registration and I'll buy it from you." He never called me back and the boat and trailer is still sitting there.

 

[RobertG-NJ]

Registration update

Getting back to you, I checked my paper registration card for the trailer. There is VIN # on it, however as I said there was no title so this may have been a random generation by the DMV nor can I find a VIN anywhwere on the trailer. Doesnt mean there isn't one - this is the original for the H23- Does anyone know where it would be? Another possibility was a carryover from the VIN on file with the P/O, as it was already NJ boat title and registration along with the trailer, as was the original owner. I may have lucked out.

I would think the DMV would give you the answer as to needing a title. This may be a clue also. I have a 19ft canoe I bought in 1976 and I was in college that I leaned in the safe boating course had to be registered. I had never heard this before. I explained I did not even have a sales receipt much less a title. I was told it wouldnt be a problem. I have yet to register it as I am not using it.

Good luck with the DMV

 

[GearWhore]

I bought my Hunter 240 just a few weeks ago, and everything seemed like it was going to be easy, but as soon as we started the loan paperwork, the headaches started. The factory Hunter trailer has no VIN or even a mfg stamp, so the bank wasn't willing to do the loan because apparently the underwriters have to have a trailer to do a boat loan (so they can repossess it?). The loan officer was trying to call Hunter, the DMV and anyone he could to figure out what he had to do to get the trailer VIN. Ultimately, he looked all over the trailer too just to make sure there was no VIN, took pictures for the underwriters and told me he'd make it work. The trailer was never registered and the Utah DMV doesn't require trailers of single axle, under 750lbs to be registered. Good thing!

I was cautioned though that if I want to tow it out of state, I will need to register it, which can take months I guess. I'm headed up to Montana with it in a couple weeks, but I think I'm just going to chance it. Even though those Idaho cops can be a major pain in the ass, hopefully my 3 hours of that state will go by without incident.

 

[Dan H]

Is the Hunter 240 new?
Is the trailer new?
Every trailer built in the US comes with a Manufacturers Certificate of Origin (MCO) and a VIN. The Mfg installs a sticker on the trailer that has a VIN that is listed on the MCO. Once it is registered, the owner surrenders the MCO and is given a title, or a registration depending which is required. In some states, registration or title is not required so the owner throws away the paper work and the sticker falls off the trailer. If you buy one of these trailers, be prepared for a big headache.
I bought a trailer and boat, no paperwork on the trailer. However, I was able to track down the previous owner of the boat and he had the title for the trailer. He didn't throw it away out of pure laziness. I was very lucky!

I have number stamps and I stamp the State Issued VIN number into my home made trailer, in more than one place.

The moral of the story is never, ever, buy a trailer without paperwork.

 

[GearWhore]

The 240 is a 2000. I would guess from looks and everything else the trailer was the one that originally came with the boat. The guy I bought it from gave me all the paperwork he had, including the boat registrations from the previous 2 owners, but he said he had never seen anything to do with the trailer. I'm just planning on winging it this summer, then after the sailing season is done I might try to work out whatever I can with the DMV. At least the trailer is under 750lbs and single axle.

Thanks for the heads-up though. I will have to re-check the axle to make sure there isn't a serial number stamped on it, though I never saw one before when I looked (and neither did the loan officer or the previous owner).

 

[Rick Webb]

240 Trailer

Unless it is aluminum I'd bet it is over 750#. It is closer to 900# if it is the standard trailer from Hunter that came with the boat.