Registration N ightmare in Florida/Georgia

[HeartofGold]

I am having a registration nightmare in Florida. I purchased a vessel (trailered Ensenada 20) from my wife''s aunt from Atlanta, but am unable to register the vessel in Florida. Georgia does not title boats, and their registration office changed to the jusisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife department within the last 2 years (the vessel has been located in Florida for 3 years). The original registration did not have a 12 digit serial number on the paperwork. Florida will not recognize the bill of sale without without said 12 digit number. This number is not on the vessel (I have scoured every inch of the boat, it is not there.) Florida says it will assign new numbers only for vessels built before 1973. Current paperwork indicates the boat was built in 1974. I am at a loss. The only way Georgia will issue a new number upon inspection, and they will not recognize my wife and I as we are not Georgia residents. The previous owner is 400 miles away and uninterested in going out of her way to assist.

I invite anyone with suggestions, ideas, or addtional questions to repond. We are getting desparate!

[dshearn]

hello Heart

I dont think i can help you much. But i had a bit of the same problem recently as well. I understand how you must feel. Only sugestion i can give you is contact a Document specialist in your area and look to regester with the US coast guard. ( BTW in the state of Mississippi the state will send a W&F officer to look the boat over and if they cant find the number the state issuses you a new one) It will prob run around 300-400 to have it documented but that will superceed any numbers the state will or will not give you. This is how i understand it . Keep in mind i am bout one week old to this so i could be missunderstanding it or just flat out wrong.

[HeartofGold]

dshearn,

Thanks for the sympathetic ear. I am running down a couple of inside lines (a relative who used recently retired after 30 years with the state licensing office in Tallahassee and a church member who is the county tax collector). I am hoping to have some answers by tonight.

Interestingly, the local agents at the tax collector''s/tag office are affixiated on the fact that all boats manufactured after 1973 (mine is a 1974) will have a hull number. One person even accused me of intentionally destroying the number (to what end I cannot imagine), and another suggested that we simply burn the boat, because without the hull identification number, it was worthless.

Nice folks, these civil servants, and eager to please as well.

Doug

[DirtManly]

Ok here''s an idea for you, first find a lake in Ga just across the line there somewhere, find out all about keeping your boat there for a short period of time. Then, call the folk''s in Ga. and tell them that you intend to keep the boat on X lake in Ga and need to register it in X county Ga. That will allow you to use your current address. I promise they will respond with all the appropriate info. Then once you have the boat in your name you will have no problem bringing it into Fla. The state of Ga has no particular interest in your boat if your not a resident or if you don''t intend to keep it there.
Best of luck to you
Dirt

[obiec]

The problem with US documentation will be you have to have the boat titled in your name before they will document it. I am guessing that you have not been able to get the total in your name. And that will be the same problem you will have with registering it in a different state. They will wont to see the title in your name. I am kind of bull headed an would be wonting to just give them the bird and tell them to take a leap. After all you did try and do the right thing. But of cores that never actually gets me any were.
I am kind of doing that now. My boat is documented, but the state thinks I should pay for a state registration also. Well I don’t think I should so I haven''t. But sooner or later I will get a ticket and have to pay both.
The other thing is, My tender that I use a 2.5 hp on is not registered. They wont it to be. I was at the Seattle boat show this year and the Sheriff and the cost guard had both right nest to each other so I asked both of them. If My tender of a US documented boat had to be licensed. Well Coast guard said no, and Sheriff said yes. Bottom line is Sheriff would right me a ticket and I would have to go to court and argue my point.

[deseely]

I believe that the 12 digit number will be on the transom, near the top, starboard side and usually half covered by a piece of trim, if it has one.

[HeartofGold]

We are making progress. But the problem is the stubbornness of the local office. As it turns out, Ensenada never assigned 12 digit numbers. Unfortunately, the local office will not accept that fact. We have contacted some high level individuals at the state level, one of whom says that if Georgia provides a 3 digit number, then it is the obligation of the local office to accept it. Allegedly she will be calling the county office and informing them of what they are to do (yes, that high up). We''ve been out of town for over a week, so we will pick up the process again this afternoon. Hopefully we can resolve it this week....

Doug

[FRRizzo111]

Have you considered contacting you local state representative. You''d be surprised how their office can sometimes help move paper work along. If they refuse to help be sure to let the local papers know and CC the Reps. office.

[HeartofGold]

Frank,
That is certainly a reasonable option, but I would like to save that for a last resort. As of now, it looks like we may be on the right track here. I''ll reply once the (correct) papers are in my hands, hopefully before the week is out.

Doug

[colehankins]

Whos to say its not a boat manufactured in 1972? That way, fla would have to give you a new 12 digit hin. And register it