I occasionally find boats - and always try to track down the owner, if there
is ANY identifying info. I usually tie them to the nearest dock, leave a
note in the boat (for the dock owner), and try to track down the owner.

One find was a Walker Bay 8' dinghy, almost new, awash on the shoreline,
maybe 1/2 mile from the nearest residence. No markings, painter undamaged.
I towed it home, but didn't get around to reporting it to authorities (there
are no local police, and county sheriff has been extraordinarily unhelpful
with other issues in the past). I put it to use in my little fleet, and
told some acquaintances, and word got back to the owner. Owner was
outraged, thought I had stolen it. Turns out he routinely left it, pulled
up on his dock, not secured - "it always stayed put before". I offered to
bring it back (10 miles by water), but that wasn't good enough... If he'd
put his name or phone number in, he would have had it back the day I found
it...

Sal's Dad

PLEASE write your phone number in a prominent place!

There exists a reasonable possibility that the boat got put there by
whomever
stole it. Trying to register a stolen boat could turn out to be quite a
headache
for you.

To annswer your underlying question: Salvage law requires reporting what
you
salvaged, and having either the property, or a fair price for your efforts
awarded to you in court. It's not as simple as "finders keepers".

CWM