A headache that aspirin won't cure

I enjoy finding old aluminum boats on Craigslist and restoring them to sell. There are quite a few of them to be had here in Florida.
However, many of the sellers don't have a title and want to sell them with just a bill of sale.
After checking with the DMV and FWC, I found out that YOU CANNOT get a title issued on a BOS.
If you buy a boat without a title, it is up to you to do a title search, sometimes from the manufacturer all the way to the seller. This will take a lot of time and money.
It just isn't worth the hassle.
I suspect that many states have the same laws.
Just my "Word to the wise"

Any of you guys experience similar problems?

Mostly true in texas. There is a bonded title process but it is not simple.

Outboards are a mixed bag because titles weren't required until 1994 and you don't have to register or display stickers on the motor. Many trade cheaper motors without titles.

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thedude said:

Mostly true in texas. There is a bonded title process but it is not simple.

Outboards are a mixed bag because titles weren't required until 1994 and you don't have to register or display stickers on the motor. Many trade cheaper motors without titles.

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You have titles in Texas for outboards too? Geeze!

Here in Wisconsin we have it fairly easy. Anything under 16' just has a registration card and you can register it under your name in the DNR's online system with a BOS or the card, or nothing really because they don't require any verification. If the boat is over 16' then it does have a title and is probably like most other states where it's a PITA if your buying the boat from someone who never titled it in their name. Trailers under a certain (heavy) rating don't require registration; it's pretty much for boats large enough to cruise the great lakes.

I know I shoulda moved to Baraboo!

Exerpt from my other thread.

I tried to register the boat to be all legal like only to find out that the original owner had titled the boat and I had no title nor was this fact divulged to me at the time of purchase. #-o

Called the guy I bought it from who bought it from the original owner only to find out he was deceased. I called the last known number and found it had been reissued, which lead me to believe the owners widow had moved. So I did some searching on line using the street address on the trailer title and found the house on google maps.

Once I had the house located In was able to look up the phone numbers of some neighbors and I called them. I mostly got answering machines but I hadn't given up hope yet. I left messages to all of the houses two doors up and down on both sides of the street figuring somebody know these people.


LO and Behold one night at dinner a week or so later the phone rings. I go look on the call ID and it shows the same last name as the original owner and in fact it was their daughter calling to see what was going on. =D>

When I explained the situation she told me that one of the numbers I left a message at was the mother of her childhood friend from across the street she grew up with who then contacted the PO's daughter.


Long story short I met with the widow and she helped me get her a replacement title and then transfer it to me so I could register the boat. I paid all fees of course and was able to take the boat out one time last year around labor day.

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I got lucky, but I would never suggest someone gamble on finding a PO or getting them to help you out if you do.

California surprisingly does have a process for creating a title. It requires the seller to complete some DMV form and I think it might require the seller's name to be on the registration that is in the system.

Anyway, I understand how it would be frustrating for a buyer. I cruise through Craigslist periodically just for the heck of it. Seeing "no title, bill-of-sale only" is fairly common.

This reminds me, I just got my personal property tax bill for the boat. Otherwise known as a luxury tax. $229 to the good old county tax assessor's office for the privilege of owning an 18' aluminum boat. Sheesh.

In some states, you simply state that you "made it" and they'll issue you what you need. Others? They castrate you for buying something that has no proof of ownership.

Personally, I won't buy if it's supposed to have a title and doesn't. Without it, there's no way to know who owns it-or how many liens are against it, or if it was paid off or anything. Thus, if the owner (or possessor) doesn't have enough responsibility to keep up with the title(s), then they have no way to prove that they actually own it. For all you (as a potential buyer) know, it could belong to whatever bank they financed it through....or it could belong to so-and-so from a different state where it was stolen from (which I have run into in the past).

Don't get yourselves caught up in the mess, and it is...an absolute mess. Or, more specifically it "can" be.

I once traded a pickup truck for TWO Mustangs, an '86 SVO and a '85 hatchback/5.0. It was a good trade until I found out that the '85 had no title from the "seller". After doing months worth of "legwork", I found out that it was reported STOLEN out of Indiana. I had to contact the police in that state, they contacted the local state police who came & verified the VINS, verified the seller's name & address, then got in contact with him, who then got in contact with the seller of the car who sold it to him. That one was a crackhead. Imagine that. Guy was wanted in 2 states for Pos/intent. They caught up with him, sent him to prison for a while (of course back out now). In the meantime, I'm stuck with a car I can't register, title, sell, it just was sitting there as a yard ornament. Finally after 19 months, the Indiana police contacted me via mail and released the car to me. The owner (who sold it to the crackhead) never "found" the title while the sale was made, then the crackhead just sold it to the guy I bought it from. Well the Indiana owner found the title and agreed to sign it over to me with a bill of sale, which was another ordeal....because this stupid state wants basically every single detail of all out-of-state vehicle (titled) sales, they might as well ask for blood and your first born. I finally got it titled and sold it the day the title showed up in the mail. All told it was over 2 years of fiddling with, a piece of paper. Yeah I know it was a car and not a boat, but a titled vehicle, it doesn't matter (here anyway) whether it's a small ATV or if it's an 18 wheeler, a title is a title and is THE legal proof of ownership.

turbotodd said:

In some states, you simply state that you "made it" and they'll issue you what you need. Others? They castrate you for buying something that has no proof of ownership.

Personally, I won't buy if it's supposed to have a title and doesn't.

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In my case in PA you dont need a title under a certain size (16' ?) but you can title any hull. The catch is that once it is titled it then has to be titled forever. #-o

I never expected the laws changed and even if I had known this......Who would want to title something and pay every year if they didnt have to?