COD!

[dasein668]

Dasein got her Certificate of Documentation in the mail today! Woo-hoo!

Yeah, I know, who cares? I just figured this was the only place where anyone might share the excitement! hehe

The ridiculous thing is that they billed us an extra 31 dollars because we requested a waiver of having to prove clear title all the way back to the builder... whatever.

[Rachel]

Of course we're interested :-)

Congrats Dasein!

--- Rachel

[Figment]

So, no more registration numbers required on the bow! Anything that makes the boat prettier is cause for celebration in my book.

[george]

Can someone explain this to me? I am looking for ways to NOT put numbers on my boat.

If I get a COD I don't have to have the state registration numbers?

[Figment]

This may vary from state to state, I dunno.
In CT, if you're a USCG Documented Vessel, you are therefore "registered" with the federal government and not required to display state-specific registration numbers. The name on the back of the boat is the identifier.

You still need the annual tax decal, though, so it's not a totally scot-free deal.

[Rachel]

George,

If I remember correctly, your boat has federal documentation numbers carved into the bulkhead seperating the anchor locker from the V-berth. I believe the consensus was that they were probably expired, but perhaps they can be renewed or otherwise resurrected?

Before you do that though, do check with the state in which you intend to keep/use the boat - I think Figment is right and you sometimes have to stlll register with them and in some cases display numbers.

Here's a link to a website where you can look up names of federally documented boats; perhaps you can research yours there:

http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/commercial/l ... ssel2.html

--- Rachel

[bcooke]

I believe the consensus was that they were probably expired

I think I have heard stories about new owners finding those documentation numbers years later and having no problems getting the paperwork updated. I don't think the numbers expire.

Congrats Nathan but was I being inattentive?... I don't remember seeing numbers on either yours or Tim's boat this summer. Then again I have a penchant for overlooking the obvious. Glad to hear it worked. Now I will go ahead and do it to :-)

-Britton

[dasein668]

Congrats Nathan but was I being inattentive?... I don't remember seeing numbers on either yours or Tim's boat this summer.

Um, yes. Well...

[bcooke]

Um, yes. Well...

Only in Maine... hehe

[bcooke]

Hey Nathan,

I had a documentation question that either you or your lawyer should be able to answer.

When the instructions say that the Seller needs to sign the form CG1340 "Bill of Sale" and then be acknowledged by a notary public...

Exactly how serious are they about the seller's signature. I am pretty adept at signing for the seller with my left hand. Or is this not going to fly.

Warning: this is a public forum and could be monitored by the Department of Homeland Security, parent organization of the USCG.

This could be the clincher for me as I don't believe the former owner of my boat is present in this time/space continuim.

Or am I reading this wrong and applying under the Simplified Method allows me to submit my generic bill of sale?

Anyone else?

-Britton

[dasein668]

This is Nathan's almost-lawyer. [Please note that I am entirely unqualified to give legal advice on any topic at all. Indeed, I may be unqualified to give any sort of advice at all.] That said, I'm not exactly sure what a "generic bill of sale" would be, Britton. If you've got a signed document that says, "I hereby sell Britton my triton," then you're probably part of the way there -- even if it's not on the right coast guard form. But, the lack of notarization could be an issue. Signing with your left hand... and then getting it notarized would be something I would advise (strongly) against.
I haven't read the regs closely since last summer when I was doing our doc filings. Fortunately, we had a signed, notarized bill of sale. Don't know exactly how picky they'll be about that, but my guess is: picky. On the other hand, they sent us our documentation even though we had apparently sent the wrong amount of money. Nathan paid the difference with a CC over the phone, but they had already mailed the documentation anyway!

Cheers,
Heather

[Tim]

Britton,

You bought your boat from a broker and didn't receive a notarized bill of sale, like CG-1340? Tsk, tsk. (I'm still not quite sure what, exactly, brokers are supposed to be doing for their 10% commissions, but obviously there must be invaluable services rendered, or else why would anyone use them? I just must be missing something obvious, that's all.)

A basic, un-notarized Bill of Sale will work for you in nearly all circumstances, but probably not with the Coast Guard. They like nothing better than to receive their own forms, properly filled out. Generally, they even want the Bill of Sale to be "filed", which means that you send them the original, they charge you a fee, and return a photocopy to you, generous souls that they are. I had to do this when I changed the documentation for Pixie to my name last year.

(An aside: I wish someone would pay me a filing fee. Then maybe I'd actually get some paperwork into the file cabinet...I hate filing.)

One of the worst things about applying for documentation is that you pay up front, and it's non-refundable. So if you make a mistake, one that you cannot correct (such as not having an appropriate bill of sale, for example, or proper history of title, as another example), you are stuck paying the fee...and you don't get your documentation. While they give you the opportunity to correct any mistakes in your application, you cannot receive a refund on the fee if you are unable to properly satisfy the requirements for application. I learned this the hard way once.

Obviously, in your situation, the best thing to do would be to contact the Coast Guard documentation office and ask whether the bill of sale you have in your hand will be sufficient for documentation purposes. If not, and you can not obtain a correct, notarized version, then don't even bother applying for documentation. Lack of documentation isn't the end of the world, anyway.

In Maine, we like documented boats because here, we're not required to display registration numbers if the boat is documented. But I know that in Mass, you need to put the numbers on regardless, so the main benefit (to me) is negated anyway.

As to forging the seller's signature...well, I'm sure you know the correct answer to that quandary. It would be a stupid thing at which to be caught.

[Figment]

Is it just me, or does the system have one HUGE loophole?

You're not required to show notarized bills of sale for the entire history of the vessel, right? Who (with a 40 year old boat) could?

Sell the boat to a family member (In CT anyway, family-family transactions aren't taxed) for $5. Buy it back for $6, with a notarized bill of sale.

As I read the CG requirements, that should suffice.

[bcooke]

Mike, you are brilliant!

-Britton

[dasein668]

You're not required to show notarized bills of sale for the entire history of the vessel, right? Who (with a 40 year old boat) could?

For a recreational endorsement, you need to, I believe, show clear title but you do not need to trace your lineage all the way back to the original build certificate. Dasein was titled in Florida 3 owners prior to us. That title was signed over to the owner who bought it in Florida, then was passed along with the vessel to the owner from whom we bought the boat.

We had to pay an extra 31 dollar fee for a waiver of build certificate or some such.

[dasein668]

Ah, here we are. From the "Instructions for Initial Vessel Documentation" on the National Vessel Documentation Center

Ownership may be established from state title or state or foreign registration. A copy of the title or registration must be provided WITH the bill(s) of sale from the registered owner to you. If the boat had a foreign registry similar to U.S. Documentation, provide a copy of the registry and evidence of removal from foreign registry in addition to the bill of sale.

There is no mention in that document of "waiver of build certificate" but I believe Heather found that when she read that actual documentation sections of the Federal Code.

[Tim]

You're not required to show notarized bills of sale for the entire history of the vessel, right?

No, but you do need clear title. That means that at a minimum, you, the new documentee-hopeful, have to show that not only did you buy the boat from the PO (with appropriate bill of sale), but also that the PO had clear title from the owner before him--in other words, you have to show that the PO actually owned the boat somehow, and that he could therefore be legitimate in selling to you. I believe this is as far back as one need go to satisfy CG requirements.

Clear title takes many forms, as indicated elsewhere in this thread, and there are surely loopholes. State registrations from the PO would be sufficient to establish his clear title, so it's not exceedingly difficult...though if you can't obtain this evidence, it might as well not exist.

The point here is to make sure you have sufficient evidence before filing an application for documentation, lest you waste the application fee for naught. Better to ask the questions up front and be sure what is needed as a minimum, rather than to find out later on that what you thought was OK really wasn't.

[bcooke]

[Please note that I am entirely unqualified to give legal advice on any topic at all. Indeed, I may be unqualified to give any sort of advice at all.]

Spoken like a pro! Hehe. Thanks Heather. I was hoping you would push Nathan away from the keyboard and chime in.

The way I was reading the instructions suggested that the seller needed to fill out the forms and have them notorized, not the buyer and since I don't know the nuances of having something notarized I am a little unsure on that point. What's the big deal, I take a piece of paper and pay money and someone stamps it. Exactly what is being accomplished here?

You bought your boat from a broker and didn't receive a notarized bill of sale, like CG-1340? Tsk, tsk.

I seem to remember soliciting my surveyor for advice seeing, as I had never bought a vessel in the 'proper' fashion before. He was oddly silent on the need to get an official bill of sale and notarized at that. One could argue that giving such advice is not the surveyors job but then reminging me afterwards that I had screwed up isn't part of the job description that I know of either :-) I guess I am still getting my money's worth! The bill of sale I got looks almost the same as the USCG form but there isn't a block reserved for USCG use and there is no form number. It might work but whether I, as the buyer, can initiate the notarization is a question.

In my experience, asking a governmental organization for an answer is fraught with hazards. They often give the wrong advice and once given, I can never claim to have "not known" and beg their mercy.

This is probably more work than it is worth. I only want it for the absence of numbers after all. There are a few other benefits but the silly numbers thing is the most important for me which begs the question, why am I bothering? I do know that while some people in Maine may be able to sail without reg. numbers, attempting that in Massachusetts would be a mistake. Bored environmental police are known to drive through the boatyards looking for out-of date and missing registrations. Woe to those that get caught. Going through the inspection process in order to get my initial registration had me pleading with one of these local officers (who was very suspect of a 40 year old boat and my intentions) and I learned that the less I can bother these people the better. A silly thing like no numbers can really get some people upset. (people with guns at that - I have to ask, why o why do boat inspectors need to be so heavily armed?) I thought he was going to draw his gun when he saw the boat name on the bow, a leftover from the PO. I had to scrape it off before he would sign my papers. I avoided an injury but I got quite a lecture...

I was just looking into the Massachusetts rules on registration numbers and it seems a documented vessel is not required to have registration numbers by my reading. I also learned that a vessel that stays in Massachusetts waters more than 60 days is required to be registered. Knowing what I how of the registration process it will never happen until you can prove residency. Good luck with that. Which brings up my final and most frivolous point.

As to forging the seller's signature...well, I'm sure you know the correct answer to that quandary

<sigh> You guys obviously don't live in as corrupt a state as me. That technique was the only way to legally operate my great-grandfather's aluminum skiff. Document forgery was the only acceptable way to avoid becoming an even bigger and (in their eyes) more dangerous criminal.

-The Felonious Boat Driver...

[dasein668]

This is probably more work than it is worth. I only want it for the absence of numbers after all. There are a few other benefits but the silly numbers thing is the most important for me which begs the question, why am I bothering? I do know that while some people in Maine may be able to sail without reg. numbers, attempting that in Massachusetts would be a mistake. Bored environmental police are known to drive through the boatyards looking for out-of date and missing registrations. Woe to those that get caught. Going through the inspection process in order to get my initial registration had me pleading with one of these local officers (who was very suspect of a 40 year old boat and my intentions) and I learned that the less I can bother these people the better. A silly thing like no numbers can really get some people upset. (people with guns at that - I have to ask, why o why do boat inspectors need to be so heavily armed?) I thought he was going to draw his gun when he saw the boat name on the bow, a leftover from the PO. I had to scrape it off before he would sign my papers. I avoided an injury but I got quite a lecture...

I was just looking into the Massachusetts rules on registration numbers and it seems a documented vessel is not required to have registration numbers by my reading. I also learned that a vessel that stays in Massachusetts waters more than 60 days is required to be registered. Knowing what I how of the registration process it will never happen until you can prove residency. Good luck with that. Which brings up my final and most frivolous point.

I've asked before and I will ask again. When are you moving out of that ridiculous state?

[bcooke]

A better question is "Why do I get started on these silly rants!..."

To answer your question though. I dropped anchor here because my main goal was to make as much money as possible to give to my boat. I thought with my connections, cheap housing(the right connections), and the generally more vigorous Massachusetts economy that this would be the place for me.

I was wrong.

It is not the first time.

I have had some good job offers/leads in other locations but they would all involve long term boat storage and no boat work; something I am not willing to consider at the moment.

Someday this will all be worth it.

If I didn't love my boat so much my life would be much easier and people wouldn't look at me so funny...

-B.

[JonnyBoats]

The way I was reading the instructions suggested that the seller needed to fill out the forms and have them notorized, not the buyer and since I don't know the nuances of having something notarized I am a little unsure on that point. What's the big deal, I take a piece of paper and pay money and someone stamps it. Exactly what is being accomplished here?

The point of a notary is that the notary seal means that the notary personaly watched the person sign the document. The notary should also ask to see an ID from the person signing to ascertain he/she is who they say they are.

The point of having the notary is that i in the future someone should challange the signature (as in it might be forgery), the notary can testify in court as to its aucinticity.

[Tim]

It's useless to try to notarize anything that you currently have. You can't do it after the fact. The bill of sale is something that is signed and prepared by the seller, not the buyer; the seller is indicating that he is transferring the boat to you, the buyer, and then signs the form. You'll note the CG-1340 has no place for the buyer to sign. And John is right, that the point of a notary is to witness the signature. So you need a new form, and the actual signing needs to be witnessed by the notary. I'm sure there are unscrupulous notaries who would knowingly notarize a document the wrong way, but...well, whatever.

If the seller is still with us, you could conceivably obtain a properly notarized bill of sale now. If not, then you cannot.

I agree with you about not wanting to ask questions of a government entity, but I also implore you to be wary of sending in your application if it is not complete, and cannot be completed to the USCG satisfaction. It's an annoying waste of the application fee (whatever it is...I forget, but it's not insignificant).

By the way, it's not necessarily your responsibility as buyer to ensure that you are obtaining the proper documents. While everyone is ultimately responsible for their own well-being and so forth, in cases like this it's really the broker's job to ensure that both parties are getting what they need: that's what they're supposed to do, acting as they do as an agent between two parties while representing one of them more than the other. Most buyers don't frequently do these transactions, but brokers deal with this routinely and should know what the generally accepted practice is. Given the CG-1340 is an easily obtained, universal, and extremely simple form, I don't know why anyone would sell a boat without using it. I used it twice last year to sell two stupid little boats that weren't worth anything.

There's nothing wrong with the form you have. What should have been done, however, is for the broker to have obtained a notarized copy from the seller. That's his error, but since I avoid brokers maybe it's not as common as I think it should be. (It just seems that buying and selling through a broker should be as "official" a means as exists in the boating industry, and therefore it seems that simple notarizations should be commonplace. Yet another disappointment in the brokerage business, I guess.)

The point is you need the notarized bill of sale only if you're bothering to document, and then only because the Coast Guard, being a bureaucratic (yet still very worthy, lest anything think I'm bashing them; I'm not) governmental agency, wants to have its paperwork in order, period. You certainly don't need a notarized bill of sale for almost anything else, though it's generally a good idea anyway. Many large purchases have been made on cocktail napkins and such. As society trends towards the overbearing need for legal protection, unnecessary paperwork, and undue complication--as well as the proliferation of fraud and other "scummery" (to coin a word), however, the notarized bill of sale is becoming something that is more and more expected.

You can fight this all you want, but in the end you shouldn't bother trying to document your boat if you can't get a properly notarized bill of sale. It might be stupid and annoying, but that's just how it is. You can't fight city hall, and trying to do so only makes it harder. Some fights, however principled, are just entirely futile.

All banks have notaries at the ready, should you require one for some future endeavor. If it's where you have your account, it doesn't even cost anything. Otherwise, it's $5 or something.

[Tim]

To answer your question though. I dropped anchor here because my main goal was to make as much money as possible to give to my boat. I thought with my connections, cheap housing(the right connections), and the generally more vigorous Massachusetts economy that this would be the place for me.

I was wrong.

It is not the first time.

I have had some good job offers/leads in other locations but they would all involve long term boat storage and no boat work; something I am not willing to consider at the moment.

Someday this will all be worth it.

If I didn't love my boat so much my life would be much easier and people wouldn't look at me so funny...

If you're looking for the right relocation opportunity, I know of a nice house with a spacious boat barn that is coming on the market soon... ;<)

He was oddly silent on the need to get an official bill of sale and notarized at that.

I've heard your surveyor is oddly...well, oddly-a lot of things. Just plain odd, I guess.

[bcooke]

You were just saved a long and rambling reply. The recent forum troubles just manifested itself and ate my post.

In summary:

Okay, now I know what a notary is supposed to do. I have used them several times and I have never signed anything in their presence nor had to provide identification. I am just lucky I guess.

I wish you wouldn't broadcast that barn with attached house going up for sale near you. I am trying to drive a hard bargain and the competition is only going to hurt me. My main problem is that I am spending my down payment at an alarming rate. The barn in question has room for two boats so what I really need is a partner, preferably someone with good credit and lots of cash, and possibly a well financed renter since I am only interested in the barn (house = unnecessary luxury). Since I am sure to be in violation of several zoning ordinances, my partner should be well versed in real estate law.

I wanted to move to Portland several years ago and took a job at the airport. I took a corporate jet apart (removed wings, tail surfaces, landing gear, control systems, etc.) did some heavy structural repairs and modifications, performed other maintenance, put it all back together and got paid $12 an hour for the priviledge. I lasted three months before deciding that I would rather be sailing... If I could find a way to earn a living in Maine I would be there today.

Far be it for me to insinuate that someone else is odd. Read my last several posts again if this isn't clear enough.

Good thing this thread is in the Ramblings section.

-Britton

[Tim]

Maine is a tough place to earn a living while working for somebody else. Wages are generally low compared to other areas. The cost of living used to be low enough to make it worthwhile, but that's been changing significantely in southern Maine over the past 5-10 years. That's why so many Mainers end up being self-employed: it's the only way to earn a decent wage in many lines of work. (It also has to do with a typical Mainer's independent streak and unwillingness to put up with BS.)

This isn't to imply that it's easy to make a good living working for oneself, either. But at least you can earn a decent wage for the work you actually do do. (I know, I know...I said "do-do"..)

Get that boat redone, and then bring her up and live aboard. It's certainly an inexpensive way to live, and allows one to pursue some of the underpaid job opportunities here.

I took a corporate jet apart (removed wings, tail surfaces, landing gear, control systems, etc.) did some heavy structural repairs and modifications, performed other maintenance, put it all back together and got paid $12 an hour for the priviledge.

But aren't you leaving out the part where the plane fell apart while taxiing down the runway shortly thereafter? hehe (just kidding...)

The recent forum troubles just manifested itself and ate my post.

Tip: if you get a "page not found" when submitting a post, hit the back button to return you to the posting page. I usually find that actually the post DOES submit itself despite the "page not found" error message, but if you go back you can either try again (which leads to some of the double postings we've been seeing), or at least copy and paste your hard-won manifesto so that you don't lose the work.

I now routinely copy the text out of the posting box before I try to submit, as I have lost long posts myself in the past and find it a little annoying. I usually paste the "reserve" copy into my email program or word processor, just in case. It's saved me a few times.

[Jason K]

Does anyone know how CG documentation works when the seller's existing registration is expired?

I've read the CG documentation site thoroughly and I'm not finding an answer. I know that I need to document a chain of title, but how is that done when a boat's registration lapses? Louisiana is not a title state, so there is no title to the boat.

I'm hoping that the CG will treat the new registration like a new request/renewal of expired documentation. I'm hoping that they do not require the previous owner to renew first. That would be tough - he can't do that if he no longer owns the boat - right?

I can register with LA, but then I would have to put the numbers on the bow of the boat. I wonder if I would have to register with the state and then apply for CG documentation? LA only requires a bill of sale and it can be written on a bar napkin in crayon as far as they're concerned.

Any ideas?

[JonnyBoats]

Does anyone know how CG documentation works

Give them (USCG National Vessel Documentation Center) a call at (800) 799-8362 and ask to speak with a documentation officer. They are very friendly and will be happy to answer your questions.

[Hirilondë]

I put my registration number and decals on pieces of sign board which I can hang from my lifelines if I ever remember to remove them from the locker.

[Tim]

I've read the CG documentation site thoroughly and I'm not finding an answer. I know that I need to document a chain of title, but how is that done when a boat's registration lapses? Louisiana is not a title state, so there is no title to the boat.

"Title", as you know, is an abstract quality that has nothing to do with the slips of paper provided by some states. Title is merely documentable proof of ownership.

You can show clear chain of title for a boat in terms of USCG documentation if you have a bill of sale showing that you bought the boat from Joe Schmoe, and if Joe Schmoe has a bill of sale or other legitimate proof that HE bought the boat from someone else.

A boat that's been previously documented, and for which records exist, must necessarily have clear title up to and including the owner named on the document. So if the PO had the boat documented, but let it lapse, you, as a potential new owner, should be able to easily show your own clear title and therefore renew and transfer the documentation. The specifics of how to proceed in this instance are beyond my scope of knowledge, and only the documentation guys can really give you the specific answer.

If you want to document the boat, be sure to get the USCG CG-1340 bill of sale form when you buy the boat. The seller needs to fill it out and have it notarized. If you have this form, your experience with the documentation center will be that much more smooth. And this form is accepted everywhere in the industry as the standard. Simple bills of sale work for many transactions, including boats, but if you anticipate dealing with the Coast Guard/documentation office, you really need this form. It makes them happy; happy bureaucrats are helpful bureaucrats. You'll need to send it to them; they "file" it and return you a copy. There's a fee for this arduous task, but it's all part of the documentation game.

If you can't transfer the document because it's expired, then you should still have the applicable information at hand to prove your own clear title and therefore receive a new documentation.

Beyond these generalities, I agree that you need to call the documentation center to find out their own specifics for your case.

[catamount]

If you can't transfer the document because it's expired.....

I don't think you can ever "transfer" documentation; rather the previous owner's documentation is cancelled and "new" documentation is issued in your name.

When I bought my boat, the broker involved sent a letter to the documentation center (with a copy to me), informing them that the boat had been sold and that the previous owner's documentation should be cancelled. He also provided me with two copies each of both the USCG CG-1340 bill of sale form and another standard yacht broker's bill of sale, among other paperwork. Finally, they also filed registration and title paperwork with the state.

A month or two later, I sent in the CG-1340 form along with the appropriate application form and a check of the required fee, and my new COD was quickly issued. The official number was unchanged from the previous owner's COD. What I did have to do to be legal was remove the old owner's hailing port and put on my hailing port. If you're going to change the name of the boat, do that before applying for documentation.

Regards,

[Tim]

I think it's semantics. The official number remains the same during the process, so I called it a "transfer". Technically, the official number always remains with the boat, so I think it's appropriate to call re-documenting the boat in a new owner's name a "transfer" of the documentation. The document is all about the boat, not really the owner.

[catamount]

I think it's semantics.

Agreed.

I think the main point is that if a boat has been previously documented, it should be relatively easy to re-document the boat.

Regards,

[Jason K]

I just spoke with the Coast Guard documentation office. If the boat was previously documented, then you can essentially pick up where it was left off. If there were no liens recorded at the time of the expiration, then all you need is the CG bill of sale or the completed transfer form on the back of the old documentation. If there is a lien, then you need the transfer as well an abstract to demonstrate the satisfaction of the lien.

It sounded pretty straightforward. I'll do the bill of sale on the Coast Guard form and go from there.

[fusto]

Hypothetical situation:

Say a couple of years ago you purchased a boat that had been previously documented earlier in life, but the people you bought the boat from didn't re-document it while they owned it, and when you bought it you didn't use a coast guard bill of sale or get the actual bill of sale notarized. The owners you bought the boat from have disappeared, but they were able to give you enough official paperwork to title the boat in your name in your state.

Would this mean that as far as getting a COD I'm... I mean you are pretty much out of luck?

Or am I not understanding the process correctly?

[Rachel]

Nice of you to take the time to ask the question for a friend ;-)

[fusto]

Nice of you to take the time to ask the question for a friend ;-)

I do what I can to help out.

:)

[Tim]

Hypothetical situation:

Say a couple of years ago you purchased a boat that had been previously documented earlier in life, but the people you bought the boat from didn't re-document it while they owned it, and when you bought it you didn't use a coast guard bill of sale or get the actual bill of sale notarized. The owners you bought the boat from have disappeared, but they were able to give you enough official paperwork to title the boat in your name in your state.

Would this mean that as far as getting a COD I'm... I mean you are pretty much out of luck?

Or am I not understanding the process correctly?

Impossible? Not necessarily. But decidedly more difficult. Sometimes, a local office that handles documentations--much like a real estate title company--can dig deeper and find what is needed. There's a fee for this, of course, and no guarantees that you can acheive clear title. And the lack of a notarized bill of sale is a challenge in any event.

Each case is different. But BE SURE to contact the documentation office to find out if you have the necessary paperwork BEFORE you submit the application and fee, because if you don't have what's needed, and can't provide it after the fact, you don't get the documentation...and you waste the fee. So be sure to have all your ducks in a row before truly initiating the process, whatever you do.

My own paperwork situation is, and was, quite similar to yours. No notary, no suitable evidence that the person from whom I bought the boat had clear title (which means no suitable evidence of clear title for me), and no way to contact the previous owners to try and get better information.

I found this out the hard way when attempting to document Glissando several years ago. I couldn't produce adequate documentation of clear title (though, like you, the paperwork I had--a hand-written bill of sale--was sufficient to allow me to register the boat in Maine), so I was out the application fee--not high enough to produce bankruptcy, of course, but high enough to hurt a lot considering I got nothing in return.