Buying a Boat with NO PAPERS..

M

Mortician

Guest
Hi.

I'm seriously considering purchasing a boat from an acquaintance.

He purchased the boat about 2 years ago from a guy who had owned the boat for the past 20 years. The boat has "K" numbers on the side, and it appears good all round.

However, my acquaintance has no papers for the boat as none were given to him when he purchased the boat.

I know I'm required to register the boat, and I'd like to have the boat registered.

Where do I go from here?

Do I contact Canada Border Services/Service Canada?

How do I make sure this boat isn't "hot"?

Please respond.

Thank You.
[?]
 
Service Canada can set you up with a license for your boat.
Go on to their website, and you will get a good idea.
they will register your boat and give you a new set of numbers.
(if neccessary)
I sent them a copy of the bill of sale and about 3 weeks later, i had my new licence.
 
you know longer have too deal with canada customs for boat registry, it is all done by service canada,very easy, go in to their office with all the info you have, and you should be on your way,..best of all its free to register your boat..good luck
 
Noted.

So basically you can register the boat in your name without any documentation---other than the serial number of the hull?

Basically all I'd get from him is a bill of sale stating that I paid $X to him for said boat bearing XXXXXX serial number on some date. Even though this boat is still registered in someone elses name?

I have the old K number which is on the boat but he has no contact to the old owner etc.

Seems weird that I can register a boat from an owner 2 owners ago with no papers?

Hmmmm...this is definitely different than buying a car????

[8]
 
You need 2 Bills of Sale.
One for the Boat and the other for the Trailer.
When I purchased my boat, both the previous owner and I completed the Transfer of Ownership section on the back of the Pleasure Craft License Form (Form with the K number). If you don't have that form, I don't know what hoops you may have to go through. After the Boat is registered you will get a letter from the Prov. of BC wanting you to pay the pst. That is why you need a separate bill of sale for the boat. The bill of sale for the trailer is used when you register the trailer. Good luck.
 
quote:Originally posted by Mortician

Noted.

So basically you can register the boat in your name without any documentation---other than the serial number of the hull?

Basically all I'd get from him is a bill of sale stating that I paid $X to him for said boat bearing XXXXXX serial number on some date. Even though this boat is still registered in someone elses name?

I have the old K number which is on the boat but he has no contact to the old owner etc.

Seems weird that I can register a boat from an owner 2 owners ago with no papers?

Hmmmm...this is definitely different than buying a car????

[8]

Yup, that's all you need, take my word i have done it myself
and you need not more...
 
Wow...

It's JUST that EASY!

I just bought myself another boat! :) :)

Woo Hoo! :)
 
Any experience on what you have to do when you've got nothing?I bought a boat some years ago from a guy, and he was going to get me the registration and a bill of sale. Well... he skipped town for various reasons and I ended up with what looks like a hot boat. (I do know the history of it though and it was not stolen.)???
 
Go to Services Canada and they will give you 2 forms.

1 is a declaration that you fill out with all of the information about the boat which you need to get signed by a Notary. You are swearing that it is your boat and that the original papers are missing. Cost $20.00 to get a Notary to sign.

Second is your registration. You can use the existing numbers on the boat. I assume they will run them to make sure it was not reported stolen. This is free.

Well worth doing as the RCMP will ask you to produce your registration if you are pulled over. Which happens. Also if your boat is found capsized or floating a drift... They will know who to contact.

I did this on my last boat and am having to do it again with my new boat. Very simple procedure.

Tips
 
I registered my new to me boat last year and have not received a letter from the province asking for money (PST). Not sure why but I heard that the new privacy rules don’t allow Service Canada to tell the province that you just registered the boat. Bottom line is the province has no idea and can’t send out a bill. RCMP stopped me last year to check paperwork and I didn’t have it. I was pulling my friends boat. They gave us a warning.:)
Make sure your paperwork is in order. I made copies and keep one in the boat and one in the truck.
GLG
 
good now sell them and buy my boat its a 3288 bayliner @ bananabeltboats.com
 
Need to register boat with no serial#??

I am about to acquire a boat with no serial number on the hull. How do I register this boat? I have proof of purchase but previous owner has never registered boat, HELP?
 
Are the "k" numbers ever an issue?.......they stay with the boat for life, no matter how many times it's sold......
 
Are the "k" numbers ever an issue?.......they stay with the boat for life, no matter how many times it's sold......
I can't agree with that.... The last DE I owned I had to change the numbers on it. It was such a pain getting 20 year old numbers off.

And it was a 1982 hull and motor.

I was at the time able to do it at the services Canada office the same day. Can't do that any more.
 
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I just went thru this with my boat, i had the k number and previous owners bill of sale, we wrote a new bill of sale signed buyer and seller,stating cost you can pick up boat lic transfer papers from most insurance dealers, you will have to make photcopies of the bill of sale and mail then to ...get this.. newbrunswick or sowhere very eastern, i spent the extra and sent them priority post had the new lic in 3 weeks. you will also need the serial id of the boat unless it is before 1980.
 
hmmm..........when I traded my last boat in at the dealer.......the "k" numbers that were on it stayed on....and I gave him the original number registration doc.....

Had to get new ones for my new boat though.
 
If old boat, no papers or can't for sure determine what the old K numbers are or if they are still valid- perhaps consider applying as a newly licenced (aka registered) vessel and get the new version of the Transport Canada numbers starting in BC, eg. BC12345. Application here: http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/wwwdocs/Forms/84-0172E_1308-08_E.pdf They will want a copy of bill of sale and copy of gov't photo ID, checklist lists all the other items they want covered off before mailing to New Brunswick for processing. Good luck!
 
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