Question on proof of boat ownership and registration

[georginaisle]

I am interested in buying a vessel,I talked to a guy who said there is no boat ownership,just bill of sale and to register your numbers and name with transport Canada....is this true?

 I've never owned a boat and am a layman

[Fisherman]

Yes, a lot of people think the pleasure craft licence or registration is proof of ownership, it's not, the bill of sale is.  therefore you keep both in the boat with you.

This is copied directly from Transport Canada.

Does the licence prove the ownership of my pleasure craft?

A licence does not prove that you own your pleasure craft. You must carry separate ownership documents with you.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Fisherman

[Hack_Fisherman]

Hulls need to be registered if motors 10hp or greater. You transfer your hull registration online with Transport Canada, not MTO. You need to submit a copy of your bill of sale. You will also need to supply the sellers name and info. IIRC, there’s a downloadable transfer form you can print off and take to the seller to fill out when you do the deal, but I’ve done it without the form a few times. 
 

[georginaisle]

Thank you for the info guys!!

 Any way I could get a link to that form for transferring ownership?

[Fisherman]

Click on the link then go down to the "Select", click on transfer. Scroll all the way down to "Read privacy statement" and click, continue.  Carry on.

https://www.pcl-pep.snbservices.ca/1001/PubWeb/Default.aspx

[akaShag]

I have never been asked for my boat registration, but I do have a copy of it in the boat.  Surely to God a CO or cop asking me for my registration is NOT going to ask me to prove I OWN the freakin' boat???????????????  Like who else would own the thing, if I have the registration certificate?

Doug

[Fisherman]

Yes Doug I understand your logic, but it would be so damn simple if Transport Canada would accept the licence or registration as the actual ownership, but according to their website, they don't.  That's why I put the copy/paste part in my first answer to the original posters question.  I keep a copy of my bill of sale in my waterproof box in the boat along with the licence.

[Terry]

I must be missing something there first the only license is your operators and that has nothing to do with the boat you are in. 
on the  transport Canada website question and answer paper someone asked how to check for ownership of the boat and they answered if registration  numbers on are the boat that will give the name of registered owner.  The boat is registered to the owners, so how can it not be proof of ownership. I don’t get it

[Fisherman]

I know Terry,  just what I found in their website that's current.  They probably aren't aware of the anomaly (can't use bad word).

I'm wondering if it's possible that a boat can be registered to a person without them being the actual owner.  Don't shoot me.  Maybe we should make TC aware of this fudge bucket.

Edited September 26, 2021 by Fisherman

[Terry]

Yeah, it’s just strange and doesn’t make much sense 

of course it’s the government, enough said 

[DRIFTER_016]

I haven't seen by boat registration since I got it 30 years ago!!!  😝

[BillM]

You don't need a bill of sale, all you need is the Transport Canada vessel registration and your pleasurecraft ID.

All they are looking for is a discrepancy between who OWNS the boat currently and who it's registered to.  And this is nothing more then making sure the tax was paid with the transfer of ownership.   That's it.   Had a long convo with the OPP in HH about this last year.   

[Fisherman]

1 hour ago, BillM said:

You don't need a bill of sale, all you need is the Transport Canada vessel registration and your pleasurecraft ID.

All they are looking for is a discrepancy between who OWNS the boat currently and who it's registered to.  And this is nothing more then making sure the tax was paid with the transfer of ownership.   That's it.   Had a long convo with the OPP in HH about this last year.   

Well sorry Bill, I will keep mine with me and whether or not some of those OPP actually have read and know the rules is another ball of lint. 

[BillM]

41 minutes ago, Fisherman said:

Well sorry Bill, I will keep mine with me and whether or not some of those OPP actually have read and know the rules is another ball of lint. 

Oh they know the rules, that's why they're out there trying to collect tax dollars, lol.    Funny thing is they didn't ask me for anything else.   So much for boater safety and all that   

[irishfield]

$300 fine if you can't produce  your vessel registration..

[the spirit of fishing]

Irish is 100% correct.

I found out the hard way. Didn't have mine with me and the OPP checking gave no time to produce it, just wrote me a ticket for $300 plus the service fee.😡

[BillM]

2 hours ago, irishfield said:

$300 fine if you can't produce  your vessel registration..

Bingo.