Hi 82rude, ain't that a fact. I talked 2 buddies into finally registering their boats, they had 2 each. 1 had it for 23 years and never switched over the boat or the trailer. I bet if 65% of boats aren't registered to the current owners 90% of trailers aren't. Here in Ontario it is basically the plate that is registered and it's a 1 time deal. The Feds could care less about your trailer as trailers are a MOT Provincial issue and as long as they all got their taxes they could care less about what serial number is on a trailer as if you can find one that isn't rusted off after all the salt they put on the roads. Guy sells the boat and trailer or just a trailer and just takes the plate off and slaps it on his next trailer and you slap yours on the new one. I don't have a clue where my ownership for the trailer is after all these years. I just tell them it's a home made Frankenstein and they give me a serial number I think. A boat is a bit more difficult to register without paper work but not by much. I feel for the OP, it can get so convoluted when it comes to red tape down there in some states, and I thought our Govs are bad. I had a place in Florida, I have stood in line at the DMV for days there it felt like when I bought a car. Try paying a parking ticket, wow.
Where are you by the way? The last time I asked a Canuck here on iboats.com it turns out he lives down the road from us and I know him, he is the Home Insurance inspector for our broker and has been here twice, big country small world.