My new FREE boat!

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Hoyt79

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
172
I just picked up a 1976 15' Roughneck with a '76 70 HP Johnson and an excellent trailer. Motor has 100psi compression on all three cylinders...only one plug has no spark, carbs need to be cleaned and rebuilt though, it will turn over all day but just not fire up yet. Anyways, I have all three of the Texas titles to it...boat, motor and trailer. Only problem is the guy I got it from never registered anything because he didn't want to work on it and it sat in his garage for 7 years and he bought another boat instead. Think I am going to track down the guy that sold the boat to the guy that I picked it up from and see if he can do it like he sold it to me and send him the titles and have him notorize and all....whatcha think?
 

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Huron Angler

Huron Angler

Admiral
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Apr 7, 2009
Messages
6,025
Re: My new FREE boat!

Free! Nice, that motor is a good one as long as compression checks out:D

The boat could be rotten but hopefully it's dry and you will be on the water soon. Good luck to ya:)
 
Woodonglass

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,932
Re: My new FREE boat!

I would think you would have to have the guy you bought the boat from Register the boat and pay for it. Penalties WILL apply. Whose name is on the title as the Registered owner? If you contact the Original owner and he says it was stolen then what are you going to do? You may have a problem on your hands. I would contact the guy you bought it from and tell him to either register the boat and give you good clear titles or get your money back.
But that's just me. In Oklahoma titles can really be a hassle and from what I understand Texas is even worse.
 
Last Mohican

Last Mohican

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Messages
573
Re: My new FREE boat!

Texas is a pain in the *** on boat titles. The boat and motor titles will go through TPWD. The trailer is through TxDOT. You will also have to have the titled owner sign a couple more forms. One each for the boat and motor. They are available for download from the TPWD website. Unless you can get in touch with the titled owner and he is willing to help you, you are going to wish you never saw that free boat.

Here is a good place for you to start.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/owner/
 
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Hoyt79

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
172
Re: My new FREE boat!

It's not a big deal to me if I can't make any of the paperwork good...I can part out the motor and modify the trailer and turn it into a good utility trailer. Preferably I would like to get it right. I do have all three of the titles in my hand.
 
Friscoboater

Friscoboater

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Jul 3, 2009
Messages
3,095
Re: My new FREE boat!

Mohican is right. Texas is hardcore when it comes to titles. If your name is not on the title and you are using it, they will take your boat. I have heard stories from guys around here of the TWPD busting guys on craigslist selling boats with no titles, or "open" titles because they were too lazy to get it transfered. They will flat out take the boat and take the seller to jail.

Here is what you will have to have to make it work.

1. Trailer might not need a title if it is under a certain weight. That is kinda easy.
2. You must have the PW-143 form and the title signed by the original owner for the hull and the motor. I think there is another form for the OB also. No forms... NO titles.

A word of advice on parting it out. You will not be able to dump the hull legally without a title in Texas.

If it were me, and the titles looked like it would be a problem, I would go put it back in his front yard. Texas is a PITA!!
 
Last Mohican

Last Mohican

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Messages
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Re: My new FREE boat!

Frisco is correct. You need a form PWD 143 for the vessel and for PWD 144 for the outboard in addition to signed and dated titles. All that info is available through the link I posted earlier. Seven years ago it was not as big a deal. Now is a different story. You can query the owner at the link below. First you have to put your info in then you can enter the ID from the hull or the motor. Looks like the hull is registered to a guy in Paris, TX.

https://apps.tpwd.state.tx.us/tora/legal.jsf
 
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Hoyt79

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
172
Re: My new FREE boat!

I don't live in Texas...my first step is to get in touch with the original owner and see if he can work with me. If not, I will part the motor or refurbish it and sell it...in Louisiana you don't need a title for motor.
 
MTboatguy

MTboatguy

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Joined
Jul 8, 2010
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Re: My new FREE boat!

Were the titles originally signed by the owner that sold to the guy you got the boat from? If they are signed and notarized, I would think that you should have very little trouble? Now take that for what it is worth, as I have never had to get anything licensed in TX
 
Cadwelder

Cadwelder

Lieutenant Commander
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Aug 30, 2010
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1,780
Re: My new FREE boat!

Finding out there is no such thing as a "free boat"
 
H

Hoyt79

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
172
Re: My new FREE boat!

MTboatguy said:
Were the titles originally signed by the owner that sold to the guy you got the boat from? If they are signed and notarized, I would think that you should have very little trouble? Now take that for what it is worth, as I have never had to get anything licensed in TX
Click to expand...

Yes, all three titles are signed by the owner that sold the boat to the guy that I got the boat from, just not notorized...so, that is what I am going to try to do is find the owner that signed the titles and see if he would get them notorized in Texas for me.
 
emoney

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: My new FREE boat!

I'd look into the boat, first, to see if it's something that you really want to keep and is worth the effort. No since jumping through a lot of hoops, getting titled, and then find out you don't plan to ever get it wet. If it is something that's a "keeper" or at least worth enough to sell or trade, then I'd follow the "Title Service" advice, pay them whatever it costs to get it fixed, and move on. From the one pic, it looks like it could be a cool little bass boat. Good luck.
 
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Hoyt79

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
172
Re: My new FREE boat!

emoney said:
I'd look into the boat, first, to see if it's something that you really want to keep and is worth the effort. No since jumping through a lot of hoops, getting titled, and then find out you don't plan to ever get it wet. If it is something that's a "keeper" or at least worth enough to sell or trade, then I'd follow the "Title Service" advice, pay them whatever it costs to get it fixed, and move on. From the one pic, it looks like it could be a cool little bass boat. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Yessir...that is the plan...clean carbs and diagnose top coil no fire issue and go from there.
 
Last Mohican

Last Mohican

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Messages
573
Re: My new FREE boat!

LA May be a little easier. Seems like they are always a little more laxed than TX. Have you checked with LAPWD to see what they require? Hopefully you can accomplish what you want to with it.
 
bouttime007

bouttime007

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 21, 2007
Messages
546
Re: My new FREE boat!

What would a boat like that cost to buy all ready to go near you Hoyt?

If it costs half that (or less) to get yours in the water all legal and running good, then its a no brainer to go through the work in my opinion. You figure to break even at least by re-selling it in a few years if you wish to do so.
 
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Hoyt79

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
172
Re: My new FREE boat!

bouttime007 said:
What would a boat like that cost to buy all ready to go near you Hoyt?

If it costs half that (or less) to get yours in the water all legal and running good, then its a no brainer to go through the work in my opinion. You figure to break even at least by re-selling it in a few years if you wish to do so.
Click to expand...

I'd say that it would go for at least $1000 - $1400 running...I see myself putting $500 in it and enjoying a nice boat.
 
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