I bought my boat from a marine shop. He had the boat because the previous owner abandoned it at his shop. Shop owner never bothered with a lien or anything so the original owner has the title.
I've tracked down the previous owner of my boat, thanks to Florida voter records being open to all I have his contact info, including email.
I'd like to do this correctly and get the title signed over to me as opposed to some of the sneakier methods of getting the boat in my name. However I absolutely hate speaking on the phone and I'm less than no good at cold calling people to ask for something.
Anyone have any tips?
Do you have any friends who can use a telephone?
If the original owner has the title, why is it assumed that isn't the chain of ownership? I'd be careful about alerting him as to the location or operational nature of the boat when he clearly has proof of ownership.
I think there are people you can hire in cases like this. They're called "thugs." 
Duke
MegaDork
9/9/20 12:49 p.m.
Yes, you are on very shaky ground here, thanks to the dealer who couldn't be bothered to file the Mechanic's Lien.
So, you now have a stolen boat?
I'd phone the guy, tell him the shop has his boat and is offering to you (You do not have posession of the boat, according to this phone call) and you sure would like it if he would sign over the title in exchange for the boat shop forgiving the storage fees and service bill.
If he says yes, cool. If he says no, return the boat and get your money back. Shop should have done all this already.
Phones don't bite. The guy on the other end can't shoot you in the face. Keep the conversation light. You will survive.
glueguy (Forum Supporter) said:
If the original owner has the title, why is it assumed that isn't the chain of ownership? I'd be careful about alerting him as to the location or operational nature of the boat when he clearly has proof of ownership.
Oh, I was planning on that anyways. I was going to use a friend's work phone to call, and say that I was interested in it but didn't want to buy it without a title. "It has potential, but I don't want to get into that without having it all straightened out."
Not much advise to give other than thread lightly as you have someone else's property.
The shop owner should not have sold this to you.
How much is this thing worth anyways?
In reply to Slippery (Forum Supporter) :
Boat was scrap when I picked it up, grass and a small sapling growing from the transom, floor completely rotten. Still is scrap, as I haven't gotten it water worthy and there is a hole in the hull. I paid for the trailer and the boat was on top of it.
I'd start the conversation with, "I am considering this boat that you used to own, what can you tell me about it."
Based on how well that question goes would dictate weather I went into question #2 of, "would you be willing to sign the title?"
Mr_Asa said:
In reply to Slippery (Forum Supporter) :
Boat was scrap when I picked it up, grass and a small sapling growing from the transom, floor completely rotten. Still is scrap, as I haven't gotten it water worthy and there is a hole in the hull. I paid for the trailer and the boat was on top of it.
Then why bother at all?
If you want the boat as a project, well, you'd be better off setting your money on fire. If you need a trifle for the trailer the boat came on, just send $60 to Maine for a 5 year plate and new title, and transfer it to yourself later.
You don't own the boat or the trailer. The guy with the titles does. But he owes money to the shop owner to get it back. Which he probably does not have.
You sort of have an option to possess and own them both if a Mechanic's Lien is successfully arbitrated, the titles go to the shop owner, and then to you.
Caveat Emptor is the only other thing I can say.
RevRico said:
Mr_Asa said:
In reply to Slippery (Forum Supporter) :
Boat was scrap when I picked it up, grass and a small sapling growing from the transom, floor completely rotten. Still is scrap, as I haven't gotten it water worthy and there is a hole in the hull. I paid for the trailer and the boat was on top of it.
Then why bother at all?
If you want the boat as a project, well, you'd be better off setting your money on fire.
Cause I wanted a project and the wife actually seemed interested in it as opposed to my other boats? Price was right as well.
Honestly, this seems like a kind of silly question and statement considering the forum we're on.
I think I would've tried to get the title before handing money over for the boat/trailer. At this point you're kinda hosed.
This boat have any sort of an engine on it?
Call, explain, ask for title. If he refuses, drag the boat and trailer back to his house and park it on his street in front of his house, with your trailer lock on the trailer. Leave it with a sign that says, I will remove for free when you find the title.
Let the home owners association or cops start ticketing the owner and have that do the rest.
For $50 I'll call you the earl of Florida for life.
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:
Call, explain, ask for title. If he refuses, drag the boat and trailer back to his house and park it on his street in front of his house, with your trailer lock on the trailer. Leave it with a sign that says, I will remove for free when you find the title.
Let the home owners association or cops start ticketing the owner and have that do the rest.
Nah, Florida is so much easier than that. I have a bill of sale, I just have to say it was never registered in Florida. The VIN on the title was the serial number for the outboard that was sold before i got the boat. The VIN on the hull isn't linked to anything in Florida's system.
Like I said, I'm just exploring the correct path, I can get it done without that route
Mr_Asa said:
RevRico said:
Mr_Asa said:
In reply to Slippery (Forum Supporter) :
Boat was scrap when I picked it up, grass and a small sapling growing from the transom, floor completely rotten. Still is scrap, as I haven't gotten it water worthy and there is a hole in the hull. I paid for the trailer and the boat was on top of it.
Then why bother at all?
If you want the boat as a project, well, you'd be better off setting your money on fire.
Cause I wanted a project and the wife actually seemed interested in it as opposed to my other boats? Price was right as well.
Honestly, this seems like a kind of silly question and statement considering the forum we're on.
A boat with a tree growing through it is only slightly cheaper than a free airplane by the time it gets on the water.
I mean I get wanting projects and all, but that just seems like starting to rebuild a model A with only a rusty chunk of a door as starting point.t
Man, even though everything is the same, typing here has become a royal pain since I switched phones.
It's not even like you have the title paper, you don't just need his signature you need him to find the title and sign it over? Yikes, my guess is he would tell you he doesn't even know where it is. Then what?
If you don't want to call, you can send a letter in the mail (I know...I forget this option exists too). I'd word it not unlike some have said above:
Introduce yourself. Explain that a boat shop has offered a boat to you that is titled in their name. You'd appreciate if they'd be willing to assist you in coming up with a legal title. It might help to mention how you plan to use the boat...that resonates with some folks.
I'd give ten to one odds you'll never get a response.
I'm assuming this is a boat that will be unusable without a title. Might as well ask the question and if you can't get the title sorted out pretty quickly, it's just junk.
To put an earlier post in perspective..."why even bother?" You seemed to kind of take offense to that, but if the person who wrote that had said "why take the risk?" would that have made it more palatable (less of a silly question)? I can't judge whether this is a worthy pursuit for you...but I can see why a lot of folks would think it is a waste of time and, on top of that, risking legal trouble. It doesn't matter what forum you're on. You'll get support and enabling on GRM to a point. But yeah...I'm still stuck at "10 to 1 odds."
I've done sketchier stuff. With risk comes reward...sometimes.
RevRico said:
Mr_Asa said:
RevRico said:
Mr_Asa said:
In reply to Slippery (Forum Supporter) :
Boat was scrap when I picked it up, grass and a small sapling growing from the transom, floor completely rotten. Still is scrap, as I haven't gotten it water worthy and there is a hole in the hull. I paid for the trailer and the boat was on top of it.
Then why bother at all?
If you want the boat as a project, well, you'd be better off setting your money on fire.
Cause I wanted a project and the wife actually seemed interested in it as opposed to my other boats? Price was right as well.
Honestly, this seems like a kind of silly question and statement considering the forum we're on.
A boat with a tree growing through it is only slightly cheaper than a free airplane by the time it gets on the water.
I mean I get wanting projects and all, but that just seems like starting to rebuild a model A with only a rusty chunk of a door as starting point.t
Man, even though everything is the same, typing here has become a royal pain since I switched phones.
On the boat, I'm right around $500 right now. I need to get fiberglass and associated resins/epoxies.
Trailer I'm at $100 +$200 buy in.
Around here you'll pay $500 for a trailer alone and it will need tires and bearings.
In the end I'll know how to work fiberglass (my main purpose with keeping the boat) and I'll have a boat the wife will like.
$800 in? Just go get the title the other way you know how and don't even bother calling the previous owner.
At this point its not worth it. Just get it titled.
84FSP
UltraDork
9/9/20 3:12 p.m.
Mr_Asa said:
I bought my boat from a marine shop. He had the boat because the previous owner abandoned it at his shop. Shop owner never bothered with a lien or anything so the original owner has the title.
I've tracked down the previous owner of my boat, thanks to Florida voter records being open to all I have his contact info, including email.
I'd like to do this correctly and get the title signed over to me as opposed to some of the sneakier methods of getting the boat in my name. However I absolutely hate speaking on the phone and I'm less than no good at cold calling people to ask for something.
Anyone have any tips?
Offer him $25 bucks to sign it over and mail it? Would motivate?
