How Do I Find The Owner of This Boat?

[clausont]

I hope this is the right place to ask this question.
Recently I was looking at a boat at a marina in the North Bay Area (SF) and when I was leaving, I saw another boat whose tags had expired three years ago (Does California license boats yearly or for two years at a time?) I would like to contact the owner to ask if the boat may be for sale. (In the past, I had not tried to find the owner of a similar boat since there was no for sale sign on it, and then the next thing I knew, it had been sold).
The only information I have on the boat is the CF number. So my question is:
How can I find the owner using the CF number?
I did email the marina to ask but have not received a response.
Thanks

[Ex-Calif]

Does the boat "look" abandoned?

The reason I ask is that I have had marinas tell me that the information is private and they won't supply it - fair enough.

Another person told me to have some "plastic" business cards made up stating something like, "I am a private party and am interested in buying your boat. If you are interested in discussing a sale, contact me at XXXX, XXXX, XXXX"

Then stick these on boats. If the owner comes by at all he may see it and may be prompted to discuss.

You can also give these to the marina operator and ask them to give it to the owner or stick it in with the owners monthly bill...

[lannen]

Take the registration number to your local Department of Motor Vehicles. The information is public record. They may charge a small fee, but your the public... and it's a record.

You know the irritating mail you get telling you that your vehicles warranty is going to expire, credit card offers... all sorts of stuff? Well, the DMV provides a massive database for junk mail.

My drivers license, vehicle registrations and the like, all go to the post office box. None of that has my physical address on it.

[clausont]

Thanks Dan - great idea.
lannen - I live out of state so I don't think that the DMV here in this state would work. Maybe I am wrong? I will try to call them and find out.

As a follow up though: The manager of the marina did respond to my email with the information that the boat owner does want to sell the boat along with the price.
I was probably just too impatient and should have waited longer for him to reply to my email.