Re: Getting screwed over on boat deals
His driving the 11 hours to meet you don't really set off too many bells if he has another destination there, and you may not be the only potential buyer.
He may be thinking that some exposure in another area might sell the boat too. He may also just be telling you that story so as not to look too desperate for the cash. He might very well need the money that bad considering this economy. I've bought two boats for pennies on the dollar lately, both were situations where people were out of work and needed money to make a house or car payment. I just picked up a 25 HP Mercury outboard for $400 that's less than 3 months old because the guy needed to raise cash fast or loose his truck. I'm sure next month it will be his boat for cheap or what ever he feels he can sell for quick cash to stave off creditors.
I'd either want the mechanic or someone very knowledgeable along for the ride, but too many people along might also be a distraction.
For me, I wan't as much of my attention on the boat and how it runs and handles as possible. In more recent months, with the economy being the way it is, most boats are for sale for one of three reasons, either they need the money, there's something wrong with the boat, or they are or already have bought a smaller or cheaper boat. The number of boats for sale is 10 times the norm this year, and it's not even warm weather yet. I've seen some real deals, some that seem too good to be true are totally legit.
The part of the Sheriff not being able to check to see if the boat is stolen may just be a matter of privacy laws. They won't do it here, until you have already bought the boat or are trying to register it. And even then most come back as not having any record or history. I just bought a boat that required a State Police Inspection for purpose of obtaining a title since I bought the boat out of state. The boat, which I know was currently registered in a neighboring state came back as "Not in system, not on File" both here and the state which it was last registered in. I had him run my current boats registration and HIN which has been registered here for 5 years, and it too came back "Not in system, not on File".
As far as not knowing where the old owner lives, won't you be getting a title and bill of sale with his name and address?
I'd also check with your state to see what they require for an out of state boat purchase. In this state, they've all but made it impossible to buy a boat from a non title state, especially if the boat's registration isn't current. They won't even accept a signed title without a notarized bill of sale notarized by a third party, and even then they make you wait 30 days to get your title.
I've been going round and round with one for 2 months now in which my state won't accept another states DMV procedure and won't issue a title on a boat that came from a non title state. They also refused to transfer a title on another boat, bought right here in town since the last owner no longer lives at the address on the title, which was issued 30 years ago.
Having a notary present for the transaction will no doubt protect you from a situation such as him not owning the boat or something. It will provide you with a legal witness that he showed you valid proof of ownership and ID at the time of the transaction.
What I would do is make sure that he owns the boat outright, and that there's no bank lean on the boat.
