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Barn boat without a title

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:28 pm
by Lazybeaver
How difficult is it to get a title for a old chris Craft that has been stored for some 30 odd years and there is no paperwork for.Only a bill of sale from the present person in possession of the boat. the boat was abandoned and fortunately put in a corner inside a barn for over 30 years after repair work was done The owner could not pay and abandoned it.

Would like to restore but need a title first. The boat is to good to part out. :?:

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:47 pm
by tom king
given the age of the boat should be pretty easy to get a new title. talk with your dmv. they understand restoration of old untitled antique boats and cars.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:26 pm
by Bill Foley
You do not indicate your home state, but here in Washington the worst scenario is they give you registration only for three years before issuing a title. I have a 1959 Volksboat going through this procedure currently because if does not have a hull number. Now with my Chris Craft Rocket they issued a title because it did have a hull number. It also seems to depend of which DMV office you visit.

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 6:43 am
by drrot
I'm going through it in Illinois right now. They sent conservation police out to inspect my U-22. He seen the hull number and ran it on his radio. Came back as "No record" He then gave me a form to send in for a title. Currently waiting but they cashed my check. Another route in your case might be a storage lien for title.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:20 am
by Matt Smith
It is a state by state deal. If your state has issues doing it. You need to find someone in a state that can do it, and then sell it to you.. This is a very normal issue in this passion. 30 yers ago many states did not issue a titles for boats.. I have bought 2 in NY and could only use a bill of sale here in VA, but that was only because in NY they did not issue a title.. There is a book at the DMV or here in VA fisheries dept that tells them the rules in each state..

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:01 am
by WoodenRookie
I did what Jim did in IL here in Missouri. Water Patrol was shown my hull number and researched surounding states, with a clean record and bill of sale I was able to title with the signed form from the water patrol.

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:13 am
by drrot
I'm happy to report that after 5 months of jumping through hoops my title arrived :D