Help! We're Going Through Registration ****

[Miss Kat]

We bought a boat that we thought we'd be able to register as a salvage, because it sat on the seller's lawn for 12 yrs. The seller is very sick and never registered the boat himself. He can't remember the man who sold it to him and according to Wildlife and Fisheries, we need to know the name of the man who sold it to the man we bought it from -- or else we can't register the boat. Now we have a boat that we can't register and the shrimping season is passing us by. Any helpful suggestions out there?

 

[The_FoX]

Re: Help! We're Going Through Registration ****

Do you know the year of the boat? Does it have a hull number?

 

[Beach_Bum]

Re: Help! We're Going Through Registration ****

I'm sure you've discovered this site but just in case... Louisiana - Boat Registration <br /><br />I assume you weren't given a title and there's no hull number, is that right? Is there someone in this guys family that might have access to his old paperwork or know anything about it?<br /><br />We just went through an ordeal over the hull number on our boat. (older boat so not enough #'s) Apparently theft was becoming a big problem so they've really cracked down on registration/hull numbers/titles. <br /><br />Have you asked anyone is there are any options should you not be able to provide this info.?

 

[martinwinte]

Re: Help! We're Going Through Registration ****

I'm kinda going thru the same thing in NC (only hopefully I've resolved mine). In NC the wildlife dept. will allow you to "take Ownership of an Abandoned Vessel". In short you inform them that you want to do this and they will send you the name and adress of the LAST regestered owner. You then need to send the a certified letter (and prove it non deliverable...aka returned) and they will (after a grace period) grant you ownership. If you do get in contact with the past owner you can (if everyone is honest....most are) transfer ownership the normal way. Hopefully Louisiana has somethig similiar.<br /><br />If you have reason to belive the last owner may cause problems.... A (good talking)lawer, recipts, and witnesses often cure the problem without taking legal matters further.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Help! We're Going Through Registration ****

I had to do the same thing as Seaboo a while back here in WI. It is necessary that when the undeliverable letter is returned to you that you do not open it. This is to ensure that the envelope did contain a letter which should state something like: "Dear last owner, I purchased a boat which was last registered in your name with no paperwork. I need you to sign the enclosed receipt (write yourself a receipt) and return it to me with any titles you may have for this boat, etc. so that I may register it in my name and release you from any liability associated with it. Thankyou, etc." Enclose a SASE for the previous owner's convenience in order to speed up the results.<br /><br />One of three things will happen: 1 the last reg. owner will return your signed reciept which you take to registration authorities. 2 the last reg. owner will have moved or died and your CERTIFIED letter will be returned to you unopened. Again, do not open the envelope. Take it to authorities. 3 The owner will call you and the cops and come get his/her boat back.<br /> <br />You can find the last registered owner by asking the authorities with whom you register boats in your state. It worked very quickly here in WI but then we pay like 90% taxes so everything had better, right? Just document everything very carefully. This seems to be a universal method of claiming "abandoned property" and hopefully LA has a similar program. GOOD LUCK!