Boat Title Troubles

[hedghawg]

I have recently been given a 1967 Starcraft 16ft. Aluminum boat. It did not have the TX number, HIN or anything to track it back to its last registered owner.I have talked to a few of the Texas Parks and Wildlife folks about it and registering it in my name and all they do is tell me how many laws have been broke by each person that has had this boat in the past all the way up to me. I was told by one after the talk was over with her about getting the game warden to inspect it and let him decide IF it will be re-issued a title. I would really hate to think this boat is going to be a beer an one day because I could not find a way to register this thing in my name. Is there another way to do this that they aren't telling me about?

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Generally the tax assessor willlet you do a "rubbing" of the plate and it will suffice for ownership purposes. i have a boat that was done that way. I didn't have the previous owners name, numbers, or anything. They told me to take a piece of paper and place it over the plate. Then I had to rub a pencil across it where it would show the numbers listed. I had no problems after that.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Have someone write you a bill of sale that says it was previously registered in another state, like Wisconsin. There were no titles required on boats that old in WI. Just make sure you have all the TX registration decals off the boat just in case they want to inspect it.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Not a good idea to lie to them folks Roscoe. Whenever they say don't mess with Teaxs, they mean it! It would be very easy for them to see who all it has been registered to in the past, thereby blowing his claim to pieces. The game warden would then take the problem off his hands.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Has it ever been registered in TX? How will they be able to tell who it has been registered to if it has no HIN? And it sounds like it has not been registered in a long time, if ever in TX.<br /><br />Ok then, let's do this the legal way. You sell me the boat, I'll register it, and then sell it back to you. You pay the expenses, should be about $33. They won't issue a title on a boat that old but you will have a current registration from WI. <br /><br />I recently registered an old (1958-60) Alumacraft that was sitting in a barn for 25? years, no HIN, no sn#, no registration, just a tag that said Alumacraft 60 hp. All I needed was a bill of sale to register it.<br /><br />Why in the world would TX make it impossible for you to comply with the law? I think maybe you could get an answer if you took a drive over to Crawford and asked da Man.<br /><br />I'm curious as to what laws they say have been broken? If the boat has not been used, it doesn't have to be registered, well at least not here. <br /><br />I think you bought that boat at a yard sale when you went up to Arkansas on a fishing trip, didn't you?

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

You'll get a lot of intimidation talk from the girls who think they run Texas Parks and Wildlife these days...mostly those at the regional/local offices. Just go to their website, read the boating regs, and download the forms you need...one for sale of a boat, another that it an affidavit of facts. You have to explain the circumstances, sign and have it notarized (affidavit). Send the paperwork to Austin and be prepared for an inspection if they want to see it. The girls in TPWD are becoming tax nazis in my opinion. Can't do anything without paying a fee....too much NE influence coming into this state. May be time for the second Tejas revolution.

 

[FlyBoyMark]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Tell them its a home built boat from parts and they'll issue a new title.....

 

[RICKRICK1]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

hedgehawg-- Your best bet is go to the parks and wildlife office and tell them what you got and ASK for there assistance. In your dealings with them always talk to the same person. That is the best way to keep everything straight. You will need to have a statement from whoever gave the boat to you (notary). Also they will want a etching of the manufactures plate. This is usually on thr right side of the transom. Also some of the earlier TX numbers can possibly be detected by the faded areas around where they went. Do not lie to people at TX parks and Wildlife as if they feel you have they will do everything to stop you from getting a title.<br />Also if this boat has a motor on it it will have to be titled also.

 

[scot]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

I live in NY state and had the same problem on a boat i bought at auction, minus title.<br />I had to sell the boat to my brother in Vermont.<br />If over ten years old and all you need is a bill of sale there.<br />He regestered it and sold it to me with that title and i was able to register it in NY.<br />What a hassle, but it worked.<br />scot

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

What Tim is saying is right. I wasn't trying to bust your theory Roscoe, just know how the system works. I where a badge too so I know that as long as you try to do right they will help you out, lie just once, and you're hung on the nearest tree. Your method of selling it to someone else would work but it does create what is reffered to as an "arms length transaction". For this to not be noticable and aviod questioning the new "buyer" would have to own it for a couple of months before he "sold" it.

 

[Seaboo2]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

there are "legal" ways of doing it (much like Roscoe was stating) and then there are LEGAL ways of doing it (like Rick or Tims...and my own thoughts). <br /><br /> The officials have rules to follow and will help you out (although it may be a PITA process) when it is done you will have NO fear that you are regestored legal and no one can revoke it (or claim that it is their boat).<br /><br /> Texas (like all states) want you to be able to regester the craft (so they can get revenue off of it). Go thru the official route (when you find the right person to talk to it is amazing how easy it can be. Just have all you paper work in hand (be perpared and don't lie). <br /><br /> If this doesn't work then you can explore "other options".<br /><br />My .02 worth.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

We could go round and round on this forever. But the fact is that there is not a Boy Scout clean legal way to do everything. The beaurocrats that wrote some of the laws just never thought of all the real world senarios that would arise, so no "legal" way was created to deal with them.<br /><br />I had to register a brand new in the crate motorcycle (1982 CBX-auction)as homemade because no title can be issued without a Manufacturers Certificate of Origin. The DMV told me "we're not going to mess around with searching for a clean title on a bike that old". <br /><br />Sometimes you have to do what you can to come into compliance with the law.<br /><br />Does this sound familiar? , "Is it ok if I overpower my boat?"

 

[hedghawg]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Hello there! Roscoe, if I went the way your talkin about in getting it registered, what would be required of me to get it started on your end?<br /><br /> (My appologies for just now responding, race week was upon the dfw area and I work for Budweiser and I was a little busy!)

 

[mattup]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

register it in Delaware no title no sales tax just $60 and its in yer name <br />then head back to TX with your DE registration This is how alot of stolen boats get re registered by doing this (said the guy who registered my boat) I asked for a title and he laughed he said you want to pay sales tax on that 25k boat I said no and he said when we pay sales tax on the boat we will then get titles this was 3 years ago when i registered my boat so things might have changed our title/ registration is a credit card written on with a sharoie marker

 

[roscoe]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Hedghawg, you should be able to go to this site:<br /><br /> http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/boat/forms.htm <br /><br />Down load forms:<br /><br />pwd736<br />pwd143<br />pwd504<br />and maybe pwd314<br /><br />Or pick them up at a local TPW office.<br />Fill them out, make copies, mail them in. Once they have them in hand, they have an obligation to process them.<br /><br />Many of the blanks will be n/a, but there is a place to state the boats age and reason for not having a number.<br /><br />There, clear as mud and easy as a Rubics cube.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

Tell ya what guys, that ole Roscoe is a heck of a guy. Thats above and beyond the call of duty of an I-boats member. Great job Roscoe!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

No big deal. I have no life, well, not till the ice melts anyway.

 

[dstuard]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

So did you get your boat registered? I am looking at the same type thing on a really old boat.

 

[hedghawg]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

still in the process....

 

[JARED T]

Re: Boat Title Troubles

im in louisiana and yesterday i called the wildlife and fisheries dept to regester the boat i bought,i have a bill of sale from the dealed .The boat has the numbers on the hull. i gave that to them.,the woman asked me for the number on the hull i gave that to her then she asked for the persons name on the bill of sale and it wasn't the last person who the boat was regesterd under and she said i have to get the person whos name she pulled up under the hull number and i dont know who they are.i contacked the boat dealer and he said just bring the paper he gave me .the boat is a 1967 kingfisher i paid 300.00 for the boat and trailor.where do i go from here ???