Documenting Vessel without Bill of Sale

[Surveyor]

When I bought my boat I was unaware of the importance of the USCG Bill of Sale in the documenting process and did not request one from the seller. I gave him the money and he gave me the title and the boat.

About a month after the sale I contact the PO and he agreed to provide a USCG BoS. I sent him the form completely filled out with a check for the notary and a self addressed/stamped return envelope. Fast forward 4 months to today and the spineless sh*thead will not return my calls much less sign the BoS.

I have read the FAQ page on the USCG site which says that I need to contact them concerning establishing ownership with the BoS. I did this two weeks ago tomorrow without a reply as of yet.

My question for you good people is: Do any of you have a clue to what is going to be required by the USCG office in order for me to establish my ownership? I do have a current state title and copies of the old signed title from the seller which shows the selling price.

Thanks in advance.

[Sailagain]

Can't you just get a title issued in your name from the state and register it with the state?

[MarkSF]

Was it USCG documented under the old owner, or registered through the DMV?

[Surveyor]

As far as I know it has never been documented.

I could just register it but I planned on leaving the country and state registration is not good enough for what I had planned.

[daddle]

I'd call the USCG directly. They are very understanding. My seller couldn't manage a simple notarized Bill of Sale or Doc. The Doc Center had me sign a waiver, promise it was legit...etc. It may not be a totally clean title but it's pretty good. Jump thru the hoops.

It's easier to just cruise with the state registration. People do it. You'll hear it's a problem but I've never heard a first hand account. The places I've been they barely look at the Docs.

[tandem tantrum]

I found this number to be very helpful. They have answered all our questions.

Documentation Officer at (800) 799-8362

[MarkSF]

Have you considered employing a marine titling expert? I did and for the $200 or whatever, it was money well spent. He even went and stood in line at the DMV for me.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

Have you considered employing a marine titling expert? I did and for the $200 or whatever, it was money well spent. He even went and stood in line at the DMV for me.

No issue with the CG -- they're really nice! But I'd pay a coupla hundred in a heartbeat to have someone else deal with the DMV!!!

[Surveyor]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

Have you considered employing a marine titling expert? I did and for the $200 or whatever, it was money well spent. He even went and stood in line at the DMV for me.

I have a title. I was hoping to have the boat USCG documented. I will try calling the Documenting Officer tomorrow as Tandem and Daddle suggested. I didnt notice there is a number to call well hidden on the USCG site.

Thanks for all of the replies

[Randyonr3]

very easy.. regester it in your name with the state.. once its in your name, file the papers to doc it...........
did the same thing a few years ago........ not for the same reasons but bought as boat, regestered it and later decided to take it out of the country, filed the papers and everything went smooth.......except, due to the closing of one of the doc centers and only leaving one for the US, its a pleasure vessel and could take months for the doc to go through....

[roverhi]

I was told the same info as Randyonr3 to get the boat documented. Unfortunately, the document company I was working with went out of business before they filed the paperwork with the CG. I haven't progressed further than State registration.

[Mike Sibley]

The last time I bought a boat (three years ago), I had the seller sign the then current documentation certificate on the reverse side, filled in the information on me, and sent it in to the USCG. They issued a new certificate in my name. It was pretty easy.