I'm not the one with an untitled boat in my yard, but I do think it's important to clarify that you haven't purchased the boat. You've paid the shop for the privilege of towing somebody else's property off of theirs.
I think your next move is to call the previous owner and see if they're willing to sell their boat to you.
I got title to a truck that was left in my apartment building's lot. It involved filing a storage lien on it, advertising for the previous owner in an obscure legal news paper and then having an auction to clear the title. I either got paid for the storage lien or I ended up with a clear title.
I used these people https://www.southerntitleliens.com/
They gave me options on how much they did for me, price was between $200 and $500 depending on how much they do for you. It took about a month IIRC
Tom Suddard said:I'm not the one with an untitled boat in my yard, but I do think it's important to clarify that you haven't purchased the boat. You've paid the shop for the privilege of towing somebody else's property off of theirs.
I think your next move is to call the previous owner and see if they're willing to sell their boat to you.
This is the most succinct response imaginable. I have nothing more to add, except that the shop owner is on shaky legal ground himself. He sold you someone else's property.
BTW, trailers in FL are not titled. Bill of Sale only.
ClemSparks said: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 an 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.
Not offense, more that it irritates me that people are focusing on the fact that I don't have a title for the boat rather than what I originally asked, y'know?
Ah, yeah. Now that you put it like that I understand what you're saying. And I can empathize.
Folks are looking out for you, though. Even it it's not on the original question. It's a pretty big red flag to see past.
Kinda funny everyone's so concerned when CARS without titles are advertised and sold here on the forum regularly. I've bought and sold cars without titles many times. Trailers too now that I think about it.
Mr_Asa just do it your easy way you're comfortable with.
In reply to Mr_Asa :
Wait a minute. Does he have tittle or is the bank a lien holder against the tittle.
many "scrap" boats wind up in dumpsters because they aren't worth the financed amount.
frenchyd said:In reply to Mr_Asa :
Wait a minute. Does he have tittle or is the bank a lien holder against the tittle.
many "scrap" boats wind up in dumpsters because they aren't worth the financed amount.
Shop owner never got the title just because it was not worth the condition for him to do so. I have a friend at the DMV and they checked the original title. It is a clear title and owned by someone one town over.
ClemSparks said:Ah, yeah. Now that you put it like that I understand what you're saying. And I can empathize.
Folks are looking out for you, though. Even it it's not on the original question. It's a pretty big red flag to see past.
Yeah, I get that, and I can appreciate it
In reply to Mr_Asa :
In tough cases I much rather do it in person than over the phone.
Figure out what he has to gain by signing it over to you. Is there a potential liability? Debt? Insurance issue?
Will a small cash reward make him go to the trouble of finding the tittle? What if he legitimately lost it? Can he sign a bill of sale over to you ? If so bring the form with you.
How about offering him a case of cold beer?
What sorta guy is he? Someone who's been in trouble with the law? Got a cop or Sheriff friend who would be willing to stand in the background?
If he doesn't know you why should he do anything for you other than slam the door in your face. But if you come across as a decent guy who will help him avoid trouble or make him an offer for his trouble. You have a decent chance of a ok outcome
I go with Tom's point of view, but if someone stepped up and asked me for a Title of an abandoned anything; first I would be embarrassed then I would get mad (at myself) but take it out on the guy. Have the marina owner do a Mechanics' Lien or ask him to have a cop escort him to the guy's house to ask for the Title. Let the seller take care of it but bring an authority figure. Cop, Lawyer etc.
Pictures of the boat?
Someone earlier suggested you contact the owner and tell him in exchange for the title the shop owner won't go after him for storage fees. The guy has probably written it off if it's been gone for a long time. I'm guessing you don't have much invested at this point, so it wouldn't sting too badly if you need to walk away. The shop owner should have done the paperwork the right way...so I'm hoping you got a laziness discount. Even if you wind up paying him a few hundred bucks it may be cheaper than having to go through a title service etc. Lost titles for cars in FL are much easier because you can just get a bonded title. Bonded titles aren't available for boats.
Trailers don't have paper titles in FL, but the prior owner is supposed to sign over the registration when you buy it. There's no visual inspection, and it's pretty easy to just say it's a homemade trailer and they'll give you a plate.
I don't like making phone calls. My hearing is terrible and it can be hard to carry a clear conversation over the phone. Still, it is often the best way to communicate. If you have the contact info, make the call. Confront your discomfort and work through it. Worst case, you will have an awkward moment and still be no worse off than you are already. Best case, you can get the title, relieve the anxiety, and get closure for both of you.
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.
Entitled much? What did the original owner do that justifies you demanding he give up the title?
I'd just flatbed it away so you have no boat, no trailer, no lock.
If i had something go bad with a shop and they sold something titled to me, id be pretty sour about the whole deal and pretty unlikely to be friendly to anyone poking me about it.
are you sure the previous owner hasnt reported it stolen? That mechanic really screwed things up by not putting a lien on it.
TJL (Forum Supporter) said:If i had something go bad with a shop and they sold something titled to me, id be pretty sour about the whole deal and pretty unlikely to be friendly to anyone poking me about it.
are you sure the previous owner hasnt reported it stolen? That mechanic really screwed things up by not putting a lien on it.
If the mechanic didn't go through the process of getting a mechanic's lien, odds are he didn't have the customer sign a repair contract stipulating storage fees or other provisions that would give him the right to acquire ownerhsip of the boat.
I personally would just make the phone call, I made one of my best car purchases with a phone call. Lady didn't want to pay the shady garage bill because they didn't fix the car properly. He had to hold it for so many months before he could obtain a title and sell it for much more so I just called her. Managed to buy a rust free 2 door 81 marquis for $442 and some change.
i would have tryed the call before bringing the boat home or exchanging money but I also hate phone calls and see we're your coming from.
NOT A TA said:Kinda funny everyone's so concerned when CARS without titles are advertised and sold here on the forum regularly. I've bought and sold cars without titles many times. Trailers too now that I think about it.
There's a difference between a lost title but a bill of sale, and a clear title still being held by someone else with no record of them selling it. There's a procedure for dealing with the former. The latter, well, the person with the title owns the property.
Steve_Jones said: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.
Entitled much? What did the original owner do that justifies you demanding he give up the title?
Left it at a mechanics to rot and decay, presumably without paying for services rendered?
mtn (Forum Supporter) said:Steve_Jones said: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.
Entitled much? What did the original owner do that justifies you demanding he give up the title?
Left it at a mechanics to rot and decay, presumably without paying for services rendered?
Well, I was trying to be tongue in cheek here, but apparently Steve Jones has his keyboard warrior hat on. (hugs!)
But if someone actually did this, all they are doing is returning a stolen boat to the rightful owner, and at the same time offering to remove garbage from the owner's property for FREE! Dunno how that is entitled, sounds like you are doing two significant favors for a complete stranger.
Normal times I would show up at their house and just ask nicely. Covid times change that a little but still worth the shot. I've shown up at people's house from tow auctions. I've gotten handed spare keys, parts, and shop manuals. One I offered them $20 for the key as it would save me money and I could tell they could use it.
I read through most of this... and I'm confused.
You don't have the title, but you know that the title lists the serial of the outboard... which is no longer on the boat, and the hull ID has no record with FL?
It sounds like you're trying to get a title for a motor you don't own. Or am I misreading something.
Why not just apply for a title with FL? You'll likely have to pay a research fee or something, but if it isn't on their radar, it should be easy.
Going through all the lien stuff will alert the title holder. I know in PA, I have to send a return-receipt letter to the three most recent owners and if none reply within X days, it's mine.
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.
UMMMMM.........so you need 2 titles , one for the boat and one for the trailer ????
Also since it was left at the shop a long time the "owner" may not have a title , or know where it is ,
We just did a lien sale on a pile of junk VW because it was left and we could not contact the owner , Yes we could have pushed it out on the street , but then the owner could have come back on us ,
We felt better to do it legal ( it was $75) then we did not have to worry about problems later ,
Did you get a bill of sale from the Shop ?
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
It is kind of convoluted, isn't it? I'll try to clear it up
Saw a boat and trailer ad on craigslist, lets call the seller Adam. Originally, the boat came with an outboard, however Adam put the outboard on craigslist before he ever advertised the boat. After I picked up the boat, I went looking for an outboard and found one on craigslist, call the seller Bob. Went to talk Bob and found out he was a fellow AOMCI member who has about 50-60 outboards of random sizes in his shop, he keeps the ones he wants and flips the others. Found out from him that Adam was not an AOMCI member, but knew a bunch of them, sometimes went to meets, and actually sold Bob the outboard. Had an opportunity to buy that outboard and reunite it with the boat, but I wanted more power and there were a couple warning signs with the motor. Picked up a bigger outboard from Bob and went home.
One day I checked on the status of the title with a friend who works at the DMV. He gave me some info on the title. The VIN that was stamped on the back of the boat wasn't the one on the title, but doing some digging on my own it looked similar to an outboard serial number. I gave Bob a yell and asked him to email me the serial number on the outboard when he had a chance. Turns out that the VIN on the title matches the one on the outboard, the VIN stamped on the hull is not in Florida's DMV system
Why the title VIN matches the outboard, I honestly cannot tell you. That isn't Florida's method of doing it, all I can say is that someone somewhere screwed up.
In reply to californiamilleghia :
Florida is BoS for trailers, transportation (cars, motorcyles, boats, etc) get a title.
I have a BoS for the trailer and boat, so the trailer is covered. Need the title for the boat.
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