Title and registration of a found boat

[SpeedifourButch]

hello,<br />a few weeks ago, i found a small 10' 6" inflatable "Zodiac" type boat, without a motor that had drifted to shore in The Florida Keys. I drug it to shore and have since put a little outboard on it. I searched the web right after I found it to see if there was a state I could register it in and then transfer the reg numbers and title to Florida. I could not find the site someone was telling me existed that would do that. does anyone know of a site or service and in which state that is possible? It is an Itiatian raft that most likely blew off of the deck of a large boat as it was going past The Keys. It is brand new and I'd like to get it legal so I can use it, <br /><br />Thanks in advance,<br />Butch

 

[Tufan]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

You can registered in any state (to my knowledge). A friend did it here, DNR required noterized sworn statement (as he found the dingy) and that was it.<br /><br />DNR = Department of Natural Resources, in Puerto Rico they handle the boat registry and title issues.<br />Which they are very serious, I must say.

 

[BillP]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

Originally posted by GhostRider23:<br /> You can registered in any state (to my knowledge). A friend did it here, DNR required noterized sworn statement (as he found the dingy) and that was it.<br /><br />DNR = Department of Natural Resources, in Puerto Rico they handle the boat registry and title issues.<br />Which they are very serious, I must say.

Are you saying he had to "swear" he "found" the boat and that gave him legal posession and title? There is NO way that will work in Florida. <br /><br />In my neck of the woods honest people turn in the "found" item to the local police...or, if a person wants to "salvage" a found vessel, the USCG is the one to contact for the legal process.

 

[Tufan]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

Yes - thats what he did.

 

[SpeedifourButch]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

For whatever it's worth Billp, I advertised in the local paper that it had been found. The circumstances are it is a brand new boat that had obviously never been in the water, Made by an Itialian company no one has heard of and does not have a web site. I do not want to go through the long process of the USCG salvage. What I asked for, and will ask again, is if anyone knows of the state that will allow you to register a vessel, and, yes, SWEAR under penality of perjury that it is not a stolen vessel. Please allow me to post at this time I am not looking for members to post their opinions, correct follow up posts from other members, nor provide their sister's favorite recipe for meatloaf.<br /><br />Thanks for your help,<br />Butch

 

[kcole683]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

Not looking for opinions ????<br />Thats all you are going to get on these forums.<br />There is alot of good info around here but opinions will always vary.<br /><br />I would say you need to look up your state salvage regs.<br /><br />Finders keepers may not work out to well.<br />Good Luck to you.<br /><br />and thats my opinion LOL

 

[Terry H]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

 

[SpeedifourButch]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

No, I am not looking for help to register a stolen boat. I don't steal, and do not appreciate the inference you make as to my intentions. I was told of this process by someone that has restored older boats and cars years ago, (my father), and he doesn't steal either. More remarkably, he also taught me not to judge someone until or unless you are sure of their intentions. Have fun spinning around the site being judgemental, hateful, and most likely miserable. The time we both spent responding to each other without producing something worthwhile could have been better spent...just another thought.<br /><br />Spark-chaser, I suppose I will have to go through the salvage process, thank you for your advice.

 

[Gus Mortimer]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

this boat was never registered before?

 

[Tufan]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

Butch, <br /><br />Chief may be a little out of line, I don’t want to believe he said "you are a thief"... we can say, that is a bad joke. I suggest you should be a bit nicer too, this is a informal site for boaters. <br /><br />Think of it this way, you are a legal and registered boat owner... (I don’t know about Florida but here in Puerto Rico, they ask for every single bit of information, when you do want to register your boat - they don’t even accept "copies" you need to submit original document(s) with legal stamps on them, they make copies for themselves right there) So DNR here assumes if you are a boat owner and if you did stole that couple of hundred (or whatever $$ worth) dingy – you would not go there at the first place. Now if you were not a boat owner, would they treat you the same way – I don’t know.<br /><br />Sparkchaser is right, this is a forum,all you get opinions. Nothing more.<br /><br />And this is my opinion.

 

[SpeedifourButch]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

jr boater,<br />there are no reg numbers, stickers, etc. on the boat. If I had to guess, it was a "liferaft" for a big boat. It looks like it was never in the water and has two marks on it where it looks like it was strapped down to a deck.<br />Thanks,<br />Butch

 

[BillP]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

Originally posted by SpeedifourButch:<br /> For whatever it's worth Billp, I advertised in the local paper that it had been found. The circumstances are it is a brand new boat that had obviously never been in the water, Made by an Itialian company no one has heard of and does not have a web site. I do not want to go through the long process of the USCG salvage. What I asked for, and will ask again, is if anyone knows of the state that will allow you to register a vessel, and, yes, SWEAR under penality of perjury that it is not a stolen vessel. Please allow me to post at this time I am not looking for members to post their opinions, correct follow up posts from other members, nor provide their sister's favorite recipe for meatloaf.<br /><br />Thanks for your help,<br />Butch

Advertising in the paper is part of the USCG salvage process.<br /><br />Ask or not here's my opinion of your situation...The fact that you want to go outside of Florida and then transfer back to Florida is irregular and would be frowned on if ANY state knew what you are doing. If you don't believe it contact the following source...or any other state agency.<br /><br />The State of Florida Bureau of Vessel Titling and Registration.<br />3900 Commonwealth Blvd. <br />Tallahassee, Fla 32399-3000<br /><br />Don't let your meatloaf.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

I would say that it probably has a VIN # on it somewhere, If it doesnt you have no problem, If it does, the Department of vehicle title can trace it and find who owns it, even out of state. It sounds to me that you really do not want to find the original owner.

 

[jhoude]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

buth,<br />hey great for you on the find, but I hope you don't want to use it.... Coming from law enforcement's eye's you need to do it the right way. All tenders are registered to the larger vessel it is with by either the HIN numbers (HULL IDENTIFICATION). These can be found on the back of the transom or somewhere perminatly affixed to the hull. They can also be identified by documentation through either those pescey hull numbers or like you see everyday on the side of the vessel as in state registration. In any case if you try to go around it the crooked way and the coast guard or any other law enforcment agency catches up with you and runs the HIN numbers or finds any other markings and traces them back to another owner foreign or domestic, they will then take your lovely new boat and you will be in a bit of a bind. Sorry that is just a little heads up... I would rather see you in the boating community than in the clink....

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

I agree with Jhoude, Im sure you didnt snatch it, but someone else may have and abandoned it when they were done playing or after stealing the engine off of it, If you are found with it, you may be held as the crook. Honesty it ALWAYS the best coarse of action.

 

[Terry H]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

Butch...sorry for the misunderstanding on the first post I made. After I reread what I said I can understand why...you don't register a rowboat or paddleboat...that includes rafts, canoes, kayaks...etc. So unless you install a motor of more than 4hp there won't be a registration #, or a sticker...that's is the way it is here...according to the Coast Guardie I talked to yesterday...sompin to think about...

 

[rwise]

Re: Title and registration of a found boat

the info you seek has been posted before, use the search, put in title for what to search for or registration, and select all forums. you'll get about 13 pages but the info is here, somewhere. There is a post with a link to an on-line place to get titles! I was thinking of useing it myself rather than go through all the red tape in my state to get title to a boat and engine that was given to me, then the guy called and said I found all the papper work and sent it to me!