Boat registration, Need a bit of help.

Hello. This may sound like a dumb question but I'm at a bit of a loss. My Father passed away two years ago. He left me his boat. I have driven it a million times downrigging with my dad but am finding now on my own it's just too big for me. Docking is a complete nightmare. Forget off loading and reloading it onto the trailer. Lol. I used it all of 2014 but brought it home 3 months ago from his trailer up north that I am selling. The boat is currently sitting in my back yard doing little more than killing my lawn. I don't want to sell it as it is a nice boat. its a 1999/2000 Lund 19 foot 7 passenger with a 100 Yamaha. It was my dads baby. But,,,,as much as I hate to,,,it's what is best for me right now. It's just too big for me and is going to waste in my yard. I just spent 45 minutes in line at the MTO only to find out they don't "do" boats. I know I should have done this before,,,,,,,but,,,,I didn't.
So here is my question. The only documentation I have found while sorting through my Father's papers is the bill of sale. I can't find any registration,,,or ownership or whatever documents there should be. No idea where he put them or if he lost them or what. I simply can not find them. I don't even know what there should be.Do I have to put this boat in my name before I can sell it and if so where and how do I do that ??? Especially with only the original bill of sale. Any advice or help will be soooo appreciated. Would like my backyard back. Lol.

If he left it to you in black and white in a will, it's easier. Go to Service Canada on line, it shows you how to change the vessel licence and what is required. Once it's registered to you, then put up the For Sale sign.

I went through the same paper work nighmare with my previous boat. I bought it from my father , paid cash. No paper work was exchanged. Hey, if you cant trust Dad, who can you trust , right?

In fact I didnt even have a bill of sale. When I went to register it at the customs office, they told me I couldnt get it registered until I went to city hall and got a Commissioner of Oaths to issue a paper saying that the ownership papers were" misplaced" and I "swear" that I bought this boat legally and I am the rightful owner.

.........I seem to recall there was an exchange of money as well. Long time ago, dont really remember though.

Anyway , after I got this sworn oath signed by the Commissioner I trudged back to the customs office and they then issued me another piece of paper with the registration in my name.(all the while, I get the impression theyre not believing me at all, but, whatever.) Also, typically when dealing with govt paper shufflers they seemed to be put out by having to deal with this.Like I was inconveniencing them.

All in all its just a way for Govt to keep track of whose buying what, as about a year later I got a bill from Rev Canada for $500 for buying a used boat.

Good lord. I hope I don't have to go to city hall and do all of that ???? I will start off with trying the Service Canada web site first and see how that goes. His will doesn't actually specify the "boat",,nor does it specify each and every asset but I am the sole beneficiary of his "estate" so I'm assuming they classify the boat as part of his estate. Thank you very much for helping. :-)

Ok well not off to a good start. I just looked at Service Canada web site and can't find anything. It was actually a Service Canada place now that I think about it that said they don't do it. I will go back to the site and check again though.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/oep-v...n-menu-2311.htm

I believe you download a form from here and mail it to the East coast..

If it was your late father, just write your own bill of sale.... post date it of course.

I didnt say that, but it maybe alot easier and quicker.

Lol. If I thought it would work I would write my own bill of sale. Lol.

I found this,,,,, " If you do not have documents to prove that you own the pleasure craft, you will need to make a declaration under oath stating why you cannot produce the bill of sale or proof of ownership"
Then on the next page I found this ,,,,"The Declaration must be made before a lawyer, Notary, Justice of the Peace or a
Commissioner of Oaths, or before any person authorized by law to administer
oaths in the Province or Territory wherein the Declaration is made.

Now I remember why I put off doing this !!!! Lol. Sounds like this will be fun.

I agree. They just need it on file with all the requirements. If the boat rings up stolen they know where to go. But if it does not... all the will see is that it is registered.

Gord did it the right way but I am sure it was a real waste of time. But to all there own. Get it registered on your name and carry on.

............well, isnt that what I said? lol

It's just like you said. So far the fee seems to be at $150 to transfer ownership. Be interesting how much more it will be with everyones "registration" fees. Ok,,,,,,,,,,well I guess I'd better start printing off all these forms.

Hang on just a bit, this vessel was owned in the family and there is no bill of sale required, you inherited it. Does the vessel have the numbers on the side? If so you fill out the transfer request, see here: Transfer and get a Public Notary or likewise to give you the document to have proof of ownership. Take a copy of the will to the Notary, to show you were the chosen one. Then you can send everything off by mail. There's no charge for the transfer of ownership.

There won't be any tax charged either, the vessel remains in the family until you sell it and then the next person takes the hit.

That is correct as I has similar experience whn my Dad passed away.

Donna. Fisherman is correct.

Google vessel registration transport canada and I think you will find what you need.

I did google vessel registration and that's where all this info came from. There was a section about obtaining the boat by death and it went on about needing a letter from a lawyer to prove the will didn't need to be probated etc. Then it said it was a $150 to transfer ownership and I had to mail in all this paperwork. Geez what a nightmare just to sell it. It would be very very helpful if there was an actual office where you could go to talk to person and show them what you have. This seems a bit crazy that there isn't an office anymore to do this sort of thing.

Fisherman yes there are the numbers on the side of it. I'm going to click on the link you gave and give it a whirl and try that. Thank you very much. Fingers crossed.

Can't she just put the boat up for sale, create the bill of sale along with the paperwork you download from the Services Canada website in her father's name and move everything along to the new owner? She can sign her own name and bracket it with "on behalf of" and put her dad's name or just sign her name and see what they say.

I bought a boat where the owner wrote me a letter of sale without having the proper ownership for the boat or the trailer and I had no problem submitting the paperwork and receiving the boat ownership and plates for the trailer.

Food for thought.

You can do many things in life, some are legal and some are not. She owns the boat through inheritance but the paperwork is not completed. do it right and it won't bite you in the donkey.