Trailer Registration Question

[teneyckd2002]

Hi Guys,
Great forum, wonderful info!
I bought a 1977 15' Sportcraft boat with a 1985 80hp mercury outboard about a year ago. I love the boat, and have been working on it since I bought it. I replaced the floor, rewired most of the lights, put in new carpet and a new stereo.
Now we are ready to take this boat out, but I can not seem to find the title of the trailer anywhere? I bought it from someone down in PA, and I know he signed the title over when we made the transaction.... Since I bought this, we have moved into our first house! With the move I am sure this documentation is gone!!
I can not get in touch with him at all? I stopped by the NYS DMV, but they said I HAD to get in touch with this guy before registering this trailer?

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to register a boat trailer without a title?

Thanks,
-Denis

 

[Dakota47]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

Would a Bill of sale work?? they do here in Wyoming.

 

[tommays]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

The ONLY thing you can do in NYS is Go the HOMEBUILT route


Tommays

 

[teneyckd2002]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

Tommays,
What is the homebuilt route? Are you saying that I should try and tell them I built the trailer myself?
It stinks because the trailer is very new! What should I do?

 

[tommays]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

Well you SHOULD get a title

But if that is not gonna happen THEN you will have to fib a bit and go homebuilt

It took me 6 months to get a clean PAPERS ON A TRAILER I OWNED because i had not renewed the REG in 7 years and they had to search to sure it was still mine


Tommays

 

[Mark42]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

I take it you need a title in NY. In NJ you only need a bill of sale. The bill of sale is simply a document that lists the seller, the buyer, the trailer make, model and ID (vin) and the selling price. The seller needs to get the bill of sale notarized.

Given that info, if you can't get a title, then consider selling the trailer to someone in NJ, who will then sell it back to you. Because NJ does not require titles, then you will not get one. Check with NY DMV to see what is required when you buy a trailer from NJ. If NY does not require a title from states that don't issue titles on trailers, it may just be an easier and quicker means to an end than trying to get a lost title replaced.

 

[bowhuntrrl]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

As stated above, many states do not require titles for boats. New Hampshire is one, Maine another, MA (under 3000 lbs). In the past I have had this problem. It's pretty easy to come up with a bill of sale from one of these states .

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

Just go homemade. We do that with all our trailers. Course, all our trailers are either homemade, or are from the 50s and have been involved in 2 wrecks, and we welded enough new parts so you may as well call it homemade. Even though we had the title, it was just less trouble than transferring the registration. The one name brand trailer we had stayed with us less than a month, before reselling it.
In Ga, to register as homemade, all you have to do is go in and ask for a homemade tag. They will ask for estimated value, and the less you say, the less you pay. Then, they give you a small plate to rivet on the tongue, and a tag. Easy as pie.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Trailer Registration Question

Since you had the signed over title but did not register or have it transferred, it is still in his name. What about the boat registration and title? Are they still in his name even if expired?
How come you can't reach him? is he dead?
Do you still have his name and the town he was in a year ago?

When and if you find him, he will have to apply for duplicate titles and then sign them over to you again. Hopefully he will not like all the work you did and claim it as stolen and report you since you have no proof of ownership in hand.