Florida is P*ssing Me Off

[ssullivan]

And is the Bill of Sale enough to allow me to pass through the minefield of aquagestapos when transiting the boat out of FL? In all my other boat purchases, I had the bill of sale and some pending documentation papers. In this case, I'm filing a MARAD exemption, then documenting the vessel coastwise. It won't be done until after the boat is back up North.

This all worries me because the FL aquagestapos are sure to stop me at some point and I will have little paperwork to show.

[Tropic Cat]

Sean

It's currently 75 degrees at my marina. Winds out of the SW at around 10 knots.

Not bad for January.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by rickm505

Sean

It's currently 75 degrees at my marina. Winds out of the SW at around 10 knots.

Not bad for January.

Ok, Rick. I see your point. But I'm calling you to come bail me out of aquaJail down there if they decided to swarm on me! lol

Thanks... point is well taken.

[AnchorageGuy]

Sean, Once the ownership is transfered you start the clock to get out of the state and register somewhere else. In Maryland as a Broker I had forms to complete to certify the boat was leaving the state and being registered elsewhere. Not sure how that is handled in Floriduh. The wife was with the Monroe County Sheriff's office for quite some time. Don't think there is any data base for the fish fuzz to keep track of who is stopped and for what unless a citation is issued. The Coast Guard does have such a data base. It is very unlikely you will have any issues because of the previous owner unless the fed's caught him running guns or drugs.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

Sean, Once the ownership is transfered you start the clock to get out of the state and register somewhere else. In Maryland as a Broker I had forms to complete to certify the boat was leaving the state and being registered elsewhere. Not sure how that is handled in Floriduh. The wife was with the Monroe County Sheriff's office for quite some time. Don't think there is any data base for the fish fuzz to keep track of who is stopped and for what unless a citation is issued. The Coast Guard does have such a data base. It is very unlikely you will have any issues because of the previous owner unless the fed's caught him running guns or drugs.

Thanks, Chuck.

Very useful info, coming from an expert. Navigating these red tape water can be tricky.

We have no broker, so hopefully, the bill of sale will do it. See, a citation was issued here - a fine for $250 was assessed to the guy, so it's in some kind of record somewhere. Judging by the previous owners personality, I highly doubt he was running drugs and guns... ha ha If he was, he is very good at it... nice guy. You'd never suspect a thing!