Canoe question- Titling without HIN (Illinois)

[Brokenrod]

I live on a small river. about 5 yrs ago, I had a canoe wash up in my yard during a flood. I posted lost and Found notices on the web and Local stores around the river up to 10 miles upriver. No one claimed the canoe. Its a 17' Michicraft aluminum commercial model- darn nice canoe. I am wanting to make this thing legal and start using it in places other than behind my house. There are remnants of a registration sticker, but nothing is readable on it , the really big deal is that it doesn't have any hull numbers. I see where the plate used to be, but its not there. How can I make this legal without a HIN? I thought about turning it into a flatback to make it "custom" but looking for any ideas you guys have. I'm located in Illinois

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

It's all determined by YOUR state's regulations.

Here, only boats with motors have to be registered, unless you put brush on it for jump shootnig and it become a floating blind and need a blind license. No motor, no registration. Here.

Most states have laws dealing with lost and abandoned property; ours even address "drifts" with a law going back to the 1850's. They can be very comlpicated and time consuming, and are usually better suited for large vessels.

 

[64osby]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

I once picked up a 14' tinny, bill of sale, no registration. ID tag gone (HIN), Under two layers of old paint you could see the old registration numbers if you looked close, 2 ft or less.

I took a picture and you could not see the old registration numbers.

Walked in to register the boat, showed the picture, showed the bill of sale, the woman asked a few basic questions.

5 minutes later I had new registration numbers, a state assigned HIN for future use and a legal boat.

Michigan requires a registration if you want to put a motor on it, otherwise you don't have to register the boat or canoe.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

Same is true in Tennessee - no registration required on a canoe. No shirt or shoes required either, but if you hear the banjos start playing ... paddle faster

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

I run a canoe with a Electric Motor and no registration. Haven't had trouble with Game and Fish Dept yet but they do require registration if you have any motor in AZ.

 

[Brokenrod]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN

Looks like I'll be calling the DMV and ILDNR to find out. I hope this is an easy process, but at least i have all winter to figure it out. Thanks for the info, I'll keep you updated.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN (Illinois)

How can I make this legal without a HIN?

From the IDNR website:

All watercraft operated on the waters within the jurisdiction of this State shall be registered and titled.

STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE PURCHASER OF A WATERCRAFT SHALL, WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, MAKE APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR REGISTRATION/TITLING.

Their is info about doing a title search but you would have to have numbers. Yep your going to have to call.

GOOD LUCK

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN (Illinois)

check the state law definition of "watercraft" while you are at it.

 

[DJ]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN (Illinois)

Michicraft is still in biz, via Meyers. I knew the owners of Michicraft (Formerly Aerocraft)-very well.

See link.

http://www.meyersboat.com/michicraft/

 

[drrpm]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN (Illinois)

You can go to the Illinois DNR site and down load tthe application. If there is no hull number then you write "none" in that space. I'm glad I don't live in that over regulated state anymore.

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN (Illinois)

First, find out (dnr site) if a canoe needs to be registered. Hopefully not because if you look at the hoops they want you to jump through for an abandoned boat, (per dnr website, state police take possession of craft, they do stolen craft search, you get it if clean and no police want it) it might be easier to make a planter out of it. BTDT

 

[drrpm]

Re: Canoe question- Titling without HIN (Illinois)

The DNR site lists canoes and kayaks as class A watercraft.