how to find boat owner

I bought an old beat up spectra a while back and got a bill of sale for it and trailer . Went to dmv today and they say that name doesnt match but they wont tell me who does legally own it. The guy has sold it to friends a few times and got it back years later and doesnt remember whos name it was in when registered last. It was only a few hundred bucks to buy but ive been working on it a ton for over a year so im keeping it. Lol.i have the hin number on boat and trailer but thats it. How do I use these numbers to find out who owns it??

Welcome to the mess . I have had a good friend sell a boat out from under me once . Good luck . Your lucky it has not come up stolen

Take the boat and trailer to the DMV and get them both inspected for a bonded title. They will give you a print out of the last owner that you have to send a certified letter to.

Now you have a name and address.

I had this happen years ago on a boat. Can't remember exactly the process but I do remember the basics

A California boat has personal property taxes accessed on it. Just like the property taxes on your home
These property taxes are public record. Just like I can find the owner of any real estate with just the address , you can find the owner of the boat through the same record keeping system. Bummer I can't remember the exact process. I think you need the ID# or. CF # and the county it was last registered in or you have to check ALL counties till you find it. I kew the county and went to I think the LA county recorder. That's the only clue I got

aka619er said:

Take the boat and trailer to the DMV and get them both inspected for a bonded title. They will give you a print out of the last owner that you have to send a certified letter to.

Now you have a name and address.

Click to expand...

That sounds a lot easier.

Hopefully it is off the property tax rolls. If not you could have years of taxes penalties and interest to pay to get it registered.

Sounds like this will be fun lol. Thanks for the advice

That tax stops when a boat falls under 5000 dollars I be leave

Take it to az....might not even need to do that. Game and fish titled 2 boats for me with nothing more than a bill of sale with a hull number on it...and both came from out of state and one didn't even have the last registered owner. Boats 79-81...less than $30 and 20 min. From there getting paper in ca. should be easy.

Throw up a pic of the boat, maybe someone will recognize it