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

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

First step is to use Auto Club instead of your local DMV office, they know who's footing the bill and are usually far more helpful .

There's always a correct, dedicated and detailed way to get what you want with the C. DMV but they don't like doing that, makes no sense to me....

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

What do they do with a new purchase or a home built? Or some old rig, there must be a date before which registrations were a thing.

Already tried that. If it was new or already had some kind of title it wouldn’t be an issue. They told me to kick rocks and take it to dmv. Unfortunately I get out of work late so dmv is closed. Kinda sucks all I wanna do is put a trolling motor on

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

.....Maybe ask a Chippie ? .

Or a Forest Ranger ? I assume they're the ones who will hassle you if not registration .

There's ALWAYS a way, I did used cars for decades and learned so many easy and legal ways to go, don't well remember all that now but they do have to have a way .

Maybe buy a damaged / scrap canoe and use that paper work ? .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

In Ohio, I bought some canoes from a rental place that was liquidating them. No title info was provided.

I ended up taking the boats to the ranger office and getting them 'inspected', where the ranger signed a form with the serial number (or lack thereof) which was sufficient for the boat registrar people.

-John

__________________
2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

I was curious so I went to the site: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/new-registration/register-your-boat-vessel/


"If you own a sailboat over eight feet long or a boat/vessel with a motor (no matter the size), you must register it with DMV in order to legally operate it on California waterways."

I am guessing that if the Canoe never had a motor on it, there is no reason why it would be registered.

"A documented boat/vessel is registered with the U.S. Coast Guard and has a marine certificate. These boats/vessels do not have to be registered with DMV." Looks like if you can register it with the Coast Guard you don't need to fool with the DMV.

"An undocumented boat/vessel is registered with DMV and does not have a marine certificate from the U.S. Coast Guard.
If you buy a new boat/vessel, it is automatically considered undocumented, so you have to register the boat/vessel with DMV before you can put it in California waters."

If you don't mind a white lie. Someone left a Bicycle in my yard. I turned it into the Police lost and found and after the time period when someone got to claim it and it was unclaimed I went back and I owned it. There must have been some paper work on that.

Don't know how the lost an found thing works with boats/vehicles. But, if it is the same you will end up with paper work saying it is yours.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel