Friday, July 10, 2009

Is It Ever Easy?

I made a trip to the License Branch this morning. I need to register and title the boat and trailer. I did some research last night, and brought everything that I thought I needed, but I was wrong.

The process for the boat was fairly easy. I had the original title that had been signed over to me, I had the right numbers filled in on the forms, I verified my address and flashed my Drivers License, and I had my watercraft stickers. So far, so good.

The trailer was a different story. I am the third owner of this boat and trailer. Obviously, I bought it from the second owner. The couple I bought it from have never titled the trailer, so they gave me a Bill of Sale. This is where the problem starts.

When the trailer was new (1984), Indiana did not require plates on trailers. When the trailer was sold to owner #2 (1986), Indiana required plates and titles. Owner #2 should have titled the trailer at the time of purchase. Here it is 23 years later, and I cannot title the trailer. The BMV cannot prove that the trailer was legally sold to owner #2 from owner #1.

My job now is to contact owner #1 and have him title the trailer in his name and then sign it over to me, as if he sold it to me. Another option is to have him fill out a Bill of Sale that would allow me to prove that he sold it. Luckily, his name is relatively uncommon. I would be in some real trouble if he was a Smith.

Update...

I found the original owner. The internet is great. He responded to my voicemail message with a voicemail message of his own. I called him back about 30 minutes ago, and spoke to him. I explained who I was, and what I was doing. I tried to express my desire to complete this task as quick and painless as possible. I was met with his desire to have nothing to do with the process. If I cannot persuade him to sign the papers and title the trailer that he hasn't owned in 25 years, I will have to go to Small Claims Court and seek a Court Order that would allow the BMV to grant my title.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

We got a Boat

This weekend, we took the next step to becomming "Official Lake People"; We bought a boat. We got a 1984 Rinker Open Bow. I picked it up on Sunday afternoon and parked it under the carport. We hope to have it in the water this weekend. I will take better pictures once it is out in the open.