Bought a canoe off Craigslist and I wanna put an outboard on it. To do this I need to tag the boat. The dmv wants previous paperwork for the canoe which I don’t have. I’m pretty sure it was never registered and just used as a paddle/oar boat. (Perfectly legal in ca). The only info I have on the boat is a serial number, make and model. To use a trolling motor or outboard I’m soppose to have cf tags. So has anyone gone through something like this? Or have any loopholes I could use?

Some options-

I can mock up a bill of sale from the “previous” owner hoping that the dmv clerk will buy the bs.

I think I can say I inherited the canoe but I’m not sure of the paperwork recourse they would ask. Seems like they’ll want some statement and info from the previous owners

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1993 e300
1995 e320
1994 e320
2006 s500 4matic
2004 Jeep wj overland
2001 Ducati 748
2004 Honda shadow aero