Title/Registering a dinghy that has never had a title - TEXAS

[PerfectCast]

Recently I had acquired a 9 foot dinghy boat that had come with a small motor from a seller out in the middle of nowhere. The motor is older than the dink and the combo had been used in a private pond. I looked the HIN# and the motor SERIAL# on the TPWD online "Ownership inquiry" and both motor and hull returned as an "Unknown Asset" (I assume this means it was never titled and/or registered). I have also checked many boat and motor theft (just to make sure) databases and neither of my numbers were there.

The dink is in great shape; the MSO is still on the boat too. I was thinking about contacting the OEM to try to see if they can issue a new HIN# for me but the original manufacturer, Leisure Life Limited, is no longer in business.

I have searched an read about boats that have been sold without the original title and how much of a pain it is to get it titled after it had switch 3-4 hands, but my dinghy has never been titled from the beginning. I cant for the life of me find any info on my scenario. I mean, I'm not talking about a big 24 foot charter boat... this is a dinghy.

I feel like I can just walk into the TPWD office and title it myself since I would be the first to do so, but I don't see any forms for this.

Again both my dink and my outboard motor do not currently have a title. How would I go about titling and registering it for use in public waters?

Can anyone with some knowledge about this give me a helping hand?

Additional info:
-Boat was manufactured in 1999-2000
-motor most likely made around the late 70's or 80's

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: Title/Registering a dinghy that has never had a title - TEXAS

I have titled many vehicles with no record or even having a record where I had no title, and the oem can do nothing for you. I don't see a location under your name but most states work the same way. You need to contact the DMV and the local circuit court and find the procedure where you live to acquire what is called a "Declaratory Judgement" which is an order signed by a judge awarding you ownership rights of said vehicle which is as good at the DMV as the title. You will need a bill of sale, possibly notorized, the written request and why you feel it should be awarded to you, possibly filing fees, and the boat will need to have no registered previous owner or stolen history record. If there is a PO things get more interesting and the last known owner can, if he is reached, come take the boat. No if and or but.

DO NOT use a title service. DO NOT use the "tow company" back door tricks or the mechanics lean tricks they come back to haunt you more often then not. Depending on population where you live it can happen in a few days or a few months. For example in St Louis it took 7 months for my affidavit to see a judge. In my home hick town I had a judgement and title in three hours.

 

[colbyt]

Re: Title/Registering a dinghy that has never had a title - TEXAS

Texas and Kentucky seem to have a lot of laws in common. Start at the County Clerks or DMV where you live. Here for a boat that was never titled or registered sworn documentation of 5 years of ownership and a bill of sale from the last owner in the sequence to you is all you need to get a title and tag. No courts or judgements required.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Title/Registering a dinghy that has never had a title - TEXAS

A Common Tale in Texas.

FriscoBoater is Legend here on iBoats.

 

[PerfectCast]

Re: Title/Registering a dinghy that has never had a title - TEXAS

Yes Unc Willie,

I do understand fully that I shouldn't buy a used boat without a title, and believe me I have watched Frisco's video a while back when I first wanted to buy a boat. I know that every boat that was taken out of the dealer should have a title with it (with the exception of a few states), but I am talking about a dinghy boat that you can buy online and get shipped to your front door. The dinghy I have was bought, shipped and used without every getting titled. It was probably used as a rowboat at first.

Hypothetically speaking, if you take out whoever had this dinghy before I did, I would essentially be the first owner that never got the dinghy titled in 10+ years.

What I am basically saying is, I have an untitled dinghy and I want to attach a motor to and get registered for public waters, but I don't see that kind of option available at the TPWD. Am I just not understanding something correctly? Can someone title a boat after the purchase was made 10 years ago?


BTW - I live in Texas and to title/reg a boat we actually have to go to the Parks and Wildlife Dept, not the DMV.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: Title/Registering a dinghy that has never had a title - TEXAS

I see nothing good coming from representing the boat as having been yours for ten years. Just tell them the truth and they can tell you what to do.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Title/Registering a dinghy that has never had a title - TEXAS

You may fall under the Texas Exempted Vessels Loophole.

Texas Registration Requirements

The following vessels when on Texas public water are required to have current registration, including when docked, moored, or stored.

• All motorized boats, regardless of length;
• All sailboats 14 feet in length or longer or any sailboat with an auxiliary engine(s); and
• USCG Documented vessels (New ? see section below).
• Exempted vessels ? Non-motorized canoes, kayaks, punts, Rowboats, or rubber rafts (regardless of length) when paddled, poled, or oared and sailboats under 14 feet in length when windblown. Adding an outboard or trolling motor to one of these types requires titling and registration.
• An exempt boat may have previously been titled as a motorboat.
• You can check whether a title has been issued for free ? Query Ownership