Buying a Boat with Expired Documentation

[Sailorman375]

Trying to purchase a boat in Texas. The boat was documented but documentation is not current. Boat was last documented in FL and now is in TX (Never regeristered in TX though). The only proof of title is the expired documentation. What is the proper process to reinstate and transfer title?

[djmarchand]

By documented in Florida I suspect you are not saying that the title was issued by the state. I assume you mean that the home port was Florida and the owner registered it in Florida to pay taxes but relied upon the Federal documantation (title).

Now the boat is in Texas-which as I recall (used to live there) doesn't register documented vessels.

Have the owner reinstate the Federal documentation (forms are online- Google it) and then transfer it to you. He has to pay a penalty fee, but them is the breaks. It will take a long time to get through the USCG bureaucracy and get a good title.

If you don't go through all of that BS then use a documentation service to get through this conundrum. They will know how to apply for the reinstatement simultaneously with applying for your new document.

If you go this route, then I would check with Texas and Florida for state titles which now that the Federal one has expired, may be valid and for all you know the boat may have been sold to ????

The best way would be to wait until a current Federal document is in hand. That trumps any state title.

David

[Sailorman375]

Yes it's Federal documentation.

[forsailbyowner]

You need to get the proper cg transfer of ownership papers from all owners that possessed the boat since the last time it was documented then apply for documentation in your name. I did this myself in my case it was very complicated as the boat had traded hands four times and I needed to get proper coast guard forms from three parties who had never heard of me. Cost was minimal $85 and $10 a page filing fees if I remember right.

[Sailorman375]

Current owner has expired documentation in his name.

[vintageray]

On the reverse side of the documentation certificate is a bill of sale. Have the seller fill it out and have it notarized. download the application for documentation from the CG vessel documentation center (google it). fill out the application and mail it along with the bill of sale on the back of the documentation certificste, along with the proper fees to the GC vessel documention center and wait for your new documentation. If you look at the CG vessel documentation website, it will answer all of your questions. Gee, they also have a phone #. Why on earth would you ask such an important question on a forum with as many armchair experts on it as this one has?

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by vintageray

On the reverse side of the documentation certificate is a bill of sale. Have the seller fill it out and have it notarized. download the application for documentation from the CG vessel documentation center (google it). fill out the application and mail it along with the bill of sale on the back of the documentation certificste, along with the proper fees to the GC vessel documention center and wait for your new documentation. If you look at the CG vessel documentation website, it will answer all of your questions. Gee, they also have a phone #. Why on earth would you ask such an important question on a forum with as many armchair experts on it as this one has?

Contrary to the above, they don't list a phone on their website, but if one calls directory assistance and asks for the USCG documentation Center in Falling Waters W. Virginia (I think that's the correct name), they will get the number for you. The number is also on an older, related thread I started, so you can search all threads written by me using the search system and find the number that way as well. Good luck - G2L.

[vintageray]

They DO list the phone numbers on their website, right after you click on where it says address and phone number on the left hand side of their home page. USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Home Page
The numbers are: Toll free, 800-799-8362, 304-271-2400.
I called them last week to verify that the check I was sending them was in the correct amount. They even answered the phone with no wait and were very pleasant.

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by vintageray

They DO list the phone numbers on their website, right after you click on where it says address and phone number on the left hand side of their home page. USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Home Page
The numbers are: Toll free, 800-799-8362, 304-271-2400.
I called them last week to verify that the check I was sending them was in the correct amount. They even answered the phone with no wait and were very pleasant.

... Actually, you're right. I just remembered. What happened in my case was that I was calling from the Philippines, and the Philippine telephone companies do not provide a service which allows folks to use 800, toll free US numbers. Consequently, I had to get the actual non-800 office number in Falling Waters. And, in fact, one of the guys writing on the thread provided the number to me.

Sorry for the confusion and for doubting your word.

G2L

[vintageray]

Originally Posted by Gone2long

... Actually, you're right. I just remembered. What happened in my case was that I was calling from the Philippines, and the Philippine telephone companies do not provide a service which allows folks to use 800, toll free US numbers. Consequently, I had to get the actual non-800 office number in Falling Waters. And, in fact, one of the guys writing on the thread provided the number to me.

Sorry for the confusion and for doubting your word.

G2L

Thank you for that. You're a gentleman. (had me sputtering like Donald Duck)