documentation

Otis311

Charter Member
I need info on how to document a boat thru the coast guard. I dont want to use a Doc. company unless im forced to do so

I went to the CG website and didnt see anything about it...HELP !!
 
I dont think you need to use a company... I dont see any reson for using them and paying all that money when you can fill out the form and get it into the CG and have them handle it...Am I thinking wrong here.... Is there a hitch that would make me use a Doc company ??
 
I dont think you need to use a company... I dont see any reson for using them and paying all that money when you can fill out the form and get it into the CG and have them handle it...Am I thinking wrong here.... Is there a hitch that would make me use a Doc company ??

Aren't we talking 30-50 bucks? It is only for the first one, after that it becomes for all intents and purposes, automatic. Your time is worth something, right? :sifone:
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Since you already own the boat it shouldn't be an issue. I'd use an agent on a new purchase simply for the E&O insurance coverage in the event of an error in the title search.
 
Since you already own the boat it shouldn't be an issue. I'd use an agent on a new purchase simply for the E&O insurance coverage in the event of an error in the title search.

Fill us in Chris, I have a documented vessel to change over now.
 
That's who we use....The bomb! And sends you a reminder every year too. It's your responsiblity to keep up with it, unlike registration renewal. It's nice to get the reminder every year from them.


got a number ?
 
A CG documentation is like buying a house. They do a "title search" so to speak. If you buy a boat and accept the paperwork the seller is giving you, and someone later comes up with paperwork proving precedence, you're out- completely. It's their boat. The doc company does the search and (if you check in advance) if they are correctly insured and screw up, you're covered under their Errors & Omissions insurance.

Finance companies like USCG documentation because it's fairly bulletproof. As we all know, there are a couple of states that you can walk in with a cocktail napking receipt and leave with a title. Then you can transfer the boat into a different state and now you have free & clear paperwork- but a still-encumbered boat. Now you can sell the bank's liened security and split with the cash. Obviously illegal, but since when does that matter to some? Trouble is, the guy that bought the boat is out the cash.

You can switch from a doc boat to a titled boat legitimately, but I'm not sure how. Financing companies typically insist that you use an agent to transfer documentation.
 
Thanks,

So if you are buying a documented vessel, have an INSURED title company do all the due diligence for you, and tthen have the same company do the transfer because if they screwed it up, it's their dime and you're insured with no loss.
 
Yes- virtually the same as with a real estate transaction. But the real estate people are so smart, they figured out a way to get the customer to grossly overpay for it outside of the scope of the service.

Any time I do anything with any professional (attorney, accountant, insurance agent, etc) I ask for an E&O certificate. That's the equivalent of asking a subcontractor for an insurance certificate. I wouldn't do business with an uninsured physical services provider. Nothing different here.
 
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