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How to trace ownership?

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jbyers
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How to trace ownership?

Post by jbyers » Wed Sep 07, 2016 9:38 am

I'm just curious.....

My 58 Cavalier was purchased originally from an Atlanta area dealer. When I bought the boat last year, it was still located in Atlanta and of course I know who owned it at the time.

My question is to see if there is any practical way to trace the ownership between the time it was first sold and the time I bought it and be able to know where the boat has been located throughout the years.

I have found that most of it is still original and that it sustained what appears to have been significant damage to the transom area as well as damage to both sides just above the water line and in various places on the bottom. Clearly this boat has led a rough life, I'm just curious to find out all that I can........

Thanks in advance,

bflaherty
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Re: How to trace ownership?

Post by bflaherty » Wed Sep 07, 2016 11:40 am

Some state DMVs keep records of previous owners for quite awhile, however they are usually reluctant to share that information... Also, many states didn't even keep vessel registrations until the late 60's!

Finding ownership history is probably the hardest and least rewarding parts of boat restoration. Typically the boats have either been owned by only a couple people and always used in a small region, or they have been passed around like a Bic pen and become nearly untraceable!

Good luck!
Brian Flaherty
1969 Chris-Craft Cavalier 17 Ski Boat "TUPPERWARE"

"You'll never discover great lands, with your feet planted in the sand"

jbyers
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Re: How to trace ownership?

Post by jbyers » Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:12 pm

Thanks Brian......... it sounds like something I don't need to know that badly.......... :D

bflaherty
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Re: How to trace ownership?

Post by bflaherty » Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:08 pm

I did not mean to discourage you.

If you can make contact with the most recent previous owner or their family and get a little information than there is hope for the rest, especially since your boat appears to have been in the same region its entire life!

But if the PO is no longer available, then it becomes exponentially harder to track boat history.
Brian Flaherty
1969 Chris-Craft Cavalier 17 Ski Boat "TUPPERWARE"

"You'll never discover great lands, with your feet planted in the sand"

bflaherty
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:21 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA
Contact:

Re: How to trace ownership?

Post by bflaherty » Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:10 pm

You can reference this thread to keep on eye on how another fellow is trying to track information on his boat...

http://chris-craft.org/discussion/viewt ... =12&t=9994
Brian Flaherty
1969 Chris-Craft Cavalier 17 Ski Boat "TUPPERWARE"

"You'll never discover great lands, with your feet planted in the sand"

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: How to trace ownership?

Post by jbyers » Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:48 pm

Thx Brian

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Doug P
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Re: How to trace ownership?

Post by Doug P » Wed Sep 07, 2016 6:23 pm

Some boats are listed in http://www.chris-craft.org/registry/ and ACBS has member registries.

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