"cavelamb" wrote in message
...
Edgar wrote:
"cavelamb" wrote in message
news
Department of Homeland Security, of all things...

So other than Bill of Sale and fill out the section on the back of
CG1270
(Certificate of Documentation) and of course, paying all the fees, what
else????

Make sure all the documents are notarized. If the boat is going into
Europe also get them with apostille as European govts. are very keen on
this when you try to register the boat with them and if a boat comes into
Europe without apostille all the documents will have to be returned to
the U.S. State where they were issued for that to be done..
Don't know if you are buying or selling but if you are buying it is
essential to get documented proof of title and that there are no
outstanding financial issues connected with the boat.

Thanks Edgar, Buying.

Europe? Not in my wildest dreams, unless it goes over as deck cargo on a
freighter. (Hmmm...)

Cuba, maybe, if it does open up. Otherwise just coastal US waters.

The documented proof of ownership would be the CG1270?

Owner would fill out the stuff on the back (like a state title) and send
it
back to the Coasties, who would transfer it and send it back to me.
At least that's the way I read it. The current owner has a current
certificate,
just renewed a couple of months ago.

But the real question is how to determine if there are any outstanding
liens.
(Great minds, Edgar!)

I've been through most of the stuff here...
(National Vessel Documentation Center)
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/nvdcfaq.asp#08

They can do a fax title search, but don't show anything about liens.
That part has me a bit concerned.

It's not a great lot of money by government standards, but it's a lot by
mine.

The Bill of Sale is your proof that you bought the boat. that document is
CG-1340.
However, it seems to me that the document itself is no proof that the other
guy had the right to sell it to you, nor does it in itself confirm that you
are not buying some debts that the boat has got hanging on it.
If you use a broker then that is his job to check these things, but I do
not know what the method is of doing so in USA.
I would guess that the coastguard are the people to ask about this because
they either do it or know how it is done. I know this because if you take a
boat out of US jurisdiction as I did you can get what they call their 'gold
plated' certificate of removal from US registry and they told me, when i
aked about this, that they never issue such a certificate without checking
that the boat has no financial ties going with it..
..