Head banging - satisfying the VA DNR

Dave Diefenderfer

Dave Diefenderfer

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So the headaches begin...... yesterday I submitted the auction receipt, photos of the hull at auction time and at current time, an etching of the HIN, a signed and dated VA transfer form and my $$$. Today I got a response with the roadblocks. As this hull was last registered in MD in 2019, I need a signed copy of that title from 3 owners ago. When I looked at the MD registration, it shows the HIN number with an aluminum hull and different manufacturer. After some google effort, I find the MD owner's address, house sale in 2020, and find a phone and cell number and new town in TN, near Knoxsville. On-line data shows 87 yo. So I sent a photo and a long text to the cell number, thinking if I tried to call and explain everything that might be tough.

I immediately got a response that he was deceased.

So I searched harder for and Obit, but still come up empty. I then asked for a copy of death certificate. The response was that all paperwork they had was provided to auction house.

So I reached out to the auction house, though don't have much hope, as I am sure they would prefer to hand off everything at close of sale.

My understanding is that now I need to send a registered letter to the last titled owner. When it is returned unaccepted, then I can take that and add to it an affidavit, get it notarized and then maybe I can get a new title.

I get it, someone has to protect us from buying stolen property, but there always seems to be no discretion for common sense.

OK, I feel better, wish me luck, and I will report back when I get through this challenge.
 
It's probably not worth the headache Dave so I'll take the boat off your hands .
 
In Alabama, you would have had it registered in 15 minutes.
Florida would have taken about an hour.
Good luck, clearly this is a case of well intended rules that are not flexible and turn into a hindrance.
 
I would just ask a friend to get a duplicate for their South Bay.
 
Last edited:
Carl said:
In Alabama, you would have had it registered in 15 minutes.
Florida would have taken about an hour.
Good luck, clearly this is a case of well intended rules that are not flexible and turn into a hindrance.
Click to expand...

Bill of sale at the town office is all I've ever needed in Maine. As long as I pay the sales tax, they are happy. Of course this may mean that Maine and Alabama are the preferred markets for stolen boats . . . . .
 
think about registering in Maine. Very common here to see ME trailers pulled by local trucks. In my understanding, you can register from afar.
 
Well, today I send a registered letter to the last known address (MD) and alerted the family that if it gets forwarded to them in TN, to refuse it and let it come back. When I get the refused, registered letter, I then include that with a notarized affidavit and send that to the VA DNR, and that should suffice.
 
Just when I thought the worst part of waterfowl hunting in VA is the Blind Laws, this boat registration ordeal "takes the cake". Good luck.
 
In Virginia if you go to title a "homebuilt boat", they send and officer to inspect it to see if it is actually homebuilt. They want copies of receipts for materials and if they determine it is a commercially manufactured boat, they can charge you with perjuring a state document. That is a class 6 felony in Virginia. Not worth it. The proper scenario for what you need is sending a document to the registered order called An Affidavit for Transfer. That appears to be what you are doing. If the certified letter is sent back, you still have a 45-day waiting period before you get a title. The Virginia Conservation Police have a boat theft and fraud unit and I saw where that unit won the National Assoc. of Fish & Wildlife Agencies top law enforcement award for the best L.E. unit 2 or 3 years ago. That unit was formed as a result of discovering wide-spread fraud and thefts involving watercraft. Now, as Barney Fife would say, they have eliminated a lot of illegal activity by "nipping it in the bud". It is a bit of a process to go through but just be patient and you should get it straight. My son and I have had some similar experiences with going through that getting titles for boats. A bit frustrating at times.
 
When I had a trailer stolen at the boat ramp while out duck hunting back in 1999, local cops said most trailers, motors and boats stolen in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi ended up in Louisiana!
 
There are still a number of states that only register watercraft, not title them. It is easy to launder a stolen boat there as you only have to dummy up a Bill of Sale.
 
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