# Is there any legal way to claim an abandoned boat?



## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

just as the title says.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

If it's abandoned on your property it is as simple as a trip to the Secretary of State.


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## frenchriver1 (Jul 5, 2005)

Pretty sure you will need a bill of sale at the SOS to register the craft.


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## sparky18181 (Apr 17, 2012)

I believe you will have to go thru a process of attempting to locate the owner before it is turned over to you similar to,what is done with an abandoned auto


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Kinda a sticky situation.Boat was left on a foreclosed property.I know the owner just lost contact with him after he moved.I have had a third party give him my contact information.The bank has had it moved out to the road.I would like to move it before it gets impounded and offer to bring it to him.I don't know why he did not take it when he moved.May not have had a place to move it to or didn't have a way of moving it.And if he don't want it ask him for the title.I just don't want to break any laws doing this.


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## Midalake (Dec 7, 2009)

junkman said:


> I don't know why he did not take it when he moved.May not have had a place to move it to or didn't have a way of moving it.And if he don't want it ask him for the title.


Maybe he owed money on the boat too, maybe it is stolen?

If the boat is not actually on your property [abandoned] there maybe no way to claim it. If on your property it starts with a call to the sheriffs dept. It took me three months to gain control to an abandoned car on property I own. Property I bought in foreclosure.


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## 357Maximum (Nov 1, 2015)

junkman said:


> Kinda a sticky situation.Boat was left on a foreclosed property.I know the owner just lost contact with him after he moved.I have had a third party give him my contact information.The bank has had it moved out to the road.I would like to move it before it gets impounded and offer to bring it to him.I don't know why he did not take it when he moved.May not have had a place to move it to or didn't have a way of moving it.And if he don't want it ask him for the title.I just don't want to break any laws doing this.



If the bank had it moved to the road, it is most likely and technically an EVICTION. Do not worry about the boat, from what I have seen the pile of property will be strewn all over the lawn and the boat and anything else "metal" will be long gone by morning.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Midalake said:


> Maybe he owed money on the boat too, maybe it is stolen?


As far as being stolen or money owed I know that's not the case.Like I said I know the guy and his ex-wife.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

357Maximum said:


> If the bank had it moved to the road, it is most likely and technically an EVICTION. Do not worry about the boat, from what I have seen the pile of property will be strewn all over the lawn and the boat and anything else "metal" will be long gone by morning.


It's been sitting for a few days now untouched.And there is no pile of property Just the boat and some stuff inside it.I'm really trying to get in contact with him.If he just needs help moving it I would be more than willing to lend him a hand.Some times people just don't have a place to move something to or just don't have a way of moving it.But if he don't want it any more I figured I would ask him for the title.But if he says take and he can't find the title and don't want to mess with getting a new one.What do I do then?


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## 357Maximum (Nov 1, 2015)

junkman said:


> It's been sitting for a few days now untouched.And there is no pile of property Just the boat and some stuff inside it.I'm really trying to get in contact with him.If he just needs help moving it I would be more than willing to lend him a hand.Some times people just don't have a place to move something to or just don't have a way of moving it.But if he don't want it any more I figured I would ask him for the title.But if he says take and he can't find the title and don't want to mess with getting a new one.What do I do then?




What type of documents are taped to the windows and doors? If it was an eviction there should be a court officers name on one of them. That would be the first call I would make if there is such a number. I simply dunno about the rest I just helped a feller a few times to do evictions in a former life. Normally the jackals and buzzards get what the homeowner does not and we had to legally leave it there for that to happen. ???????????????? maybe things have changed too ?????????????


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

junkman said:


> It's been sitting for a few days now untouched.And there is no pile of property Just the boat and some stuff inside it.I'm really trying to get in contact with him.If he just needs help moving it I would be more than willing to lend him a hand.Some times people just don't have a place to move something to or just don't have a way of moving it.But if he don't want it any more I figured I would ask him for the title.But if he says take and he can't find the title and don't want to mess with getting a new one.What do I do then?


Why not move the boat to your property and let the owner know you have it for him and you are keeping it safe. Send a letter, email and phone call with proof you tried to contact him.

Is the boat and trailer worth anything?


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

petronius said:


> Why not move the boat to your property and let the owner know you have it for him and you are keeping it safe. Send a letter, email and phone call with proof you tried to contact him.
> 
> Is the boat and trailer worth anything?


No matter who owns the boat, if you don't wouldn't moving it to your property be theft in the eyes of the law?


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

Guy across the road bought five acres and a couple of barns for storage.
All of a sudden all his friends had things they wanted to store.
When he started to think about selling he notified all concerned.
A lot of large things were abandoned on his property. One was a pretty good shape Ford pickup on a massive trailer. The owner had died and his relatives were being $#!tty about it. (?)

He called the place on Howell/Mason with all the stored equipment and told him to come get them.

(I first put in the Howell/Mason guys name and then thought better of it.)

Don't let your friends store stuff on your property!


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

Typical terrible internet advice. You can absolutely claim abandoned property. There's different rules depending on type of property and value but it can be done. And it's actually fairly easy. 

Now realize anytime during the wait period the owner or the bank of there's a loan can claim the property. If there's a loan on the boat it can get real sticky. Otherwise it's actually much easier then people think. 

If I was you I would grab it and pull it over to your place then try to contact the owner. It's not theft, who's going to report it stolen. If the owner shows up give it to him no questions ask and tell him you assumed he doesn't want it left on the side of the road. 

If you don't hear from him for awhile file an abandoned property claim.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

ESOX said:


> No matter who owns the boat, if you don't wouldn't moving it to your property be theft in the eyes of the law?


That's what I would think.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Still trying to contact him.


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## Midalake (Dec 7, 2009)

ESOX said:


> If it's abandoned on your property it is as simple as a trip to the Secretary of State.





Lumberman said:


> There's different rules depending on type of property and value but it can be done. And it's actually fairly easy.


1. It is not easy
2. If it has a title through the state and you are not the owner or do not have the title you MUST call the sheriff's dept. and it HAS to go through their abandonment procedure.
3. The Secretary of state will ONLY recognize the procedure from the sheriffs Dept. 

It sounds like you are trying to be nice and do the right thing but it can get you in trouble. Also if this property is in foreclosure or has gone through foreclosure ALL associated property [the boat] is the new owners items to do as they please.
Good luck


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

After many years of dealing with impound yards I know that a lot of backlash can come from having something towed.Towing and storage charges can pile up very quickly.Then if it goes to auction and sells for less than towing and storage you are on the hook for the balance.If you don't pay that you get a surprise when you renew your licence.It's like not paying a ticket.The state won't let you renew until it's paid.This guy was a friend until I lost contact with him.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Problem is that if he owes, it's not his property. You are taking and concealing the lenders property.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

junkman said:


> Kinda a sticky situation.Boat was left on a foreclosed property.I know the owner just lost contact with him after he moved.I have had a third party give him my contact information.The bank has had it moved out to the road.I would like to move it before it gets impounded and offer to bring it to him.I don't know why he did not take it when he moved.May not have had a place to move it to or didn't have a way of moving it.And if he don't want it ask him for the title.I just don't want to break any laws doing this.


My thoughts on the matter.
Some are saying there may be a loan on the boat and a lien placed on it. Let's assume that is true. Would the bank that foreclosed on the house have checked to learn is there is a lien and who owns it? If there is a lien, can you find out who has it and contact them? If there is no lien, I would still move the boat to a safe place and document that you are trying to contact the owner. 
Have you tried looking up this guy, his wife or other family members on Facebook or Twitter? Do you know any of his other friends or where he works? 
You can do a search on him through one of the search sites and for a very small fee, like maybe $10, you can get his current address.
http://www.peoplefinders.com/
https://www.intelius.com/
http://www.ussearch.com/

There are other search outfits. Do a web search for people search or something similar.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Made contact today.He said he did not want it.He told me to take it and he will send me the title.So if it still there when I get off work tonight I will have a new to me boat.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

junkman said:


> Made contact today.He said he did not want it.He told me to take it and he will send me the title.So if it still there when I get off work tonight I will have a new to me boat.


:woohoo1:


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Once I get it home and cleaned out of all the junk that's in it I'll post a picture.


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## 357Maximum (Nov 1, 2015)

junkman said:


> Once I get it home and cleaned out of all the junk that's in it I'll post a picture.



Cool deal, was it a "technical" eviction? An eviction can take place months or even years after the occupant/owner moves out....at least that used to be the case. Just curious for the sake of curiosity.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

I was at SOS yesterday. Guy in front of me was trying to get a boat that was abandoned on property he just bought in the UP registered in his name. He had no idea how big it was or what kind it was other than aluminum.
The clerk was going through a bunch of questions when she finally said that she'll give him MC#'s and neededto know how big it was. Guy said he wasn't sure but it might be 16'. She said if you register it as a 16' it will cost you 40 some dollars. But if you say it's 15' 6" it will only be 17 or so dollars. He jokingly said it might be only 12' then.

He did walk out of there with MC#'s.
I did hear him say he was putting a small outboard on it.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Boat is in my possession.It's a Chaparral inboard/outboard deep v open bow.Not sure on the length probly around 18 ft.


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

junkman said:


> Boat is in my possession.It's a Chaparral inboard/outboard deep v open bow.Not sure on the length probly around 18 ft.


That's pretty close to 15' 6"!


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

ibthetrout said:


> That's pretty close to 15' 6"!


19'8"


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

junkman said:


> Boat is in my possession.It's a Chaparral inboard/outboard deep v open bow.Not sure on the length probly around 18 ft.


What about the trailer? Get the paper work for it so you can get that transferred too.


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

petronius said:


> What about the trailer? Get the paper work for it so you can get that transferred too.


Grinder will take the #'s off. Just get it weighed at a certified scale.
Or so I've heard.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Every trailer I own is assembled.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Well got home after work tonight at about 11:30PM and I filled my 4x8 utility trailer.Looks like I have about one more trailer load to go before it's all the garbage is gone.Unfortunately looks like ***** got into the garage and chewed a lot of the interior up.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Two trailer loads of garbage later and it is everything is gone.Now I need to clean out the engine compartment where the **** was living.Then I can start checking out the engine.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Why would a **** go under the engine to sheit?


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Going to take it to the quarter car was and use their vac to suck the **** turds up.Well worth the $1.00 in my mind.By the way any body know how to remove the mouse pee stink.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Pull the plugs and spray oil in the cylinders. Let it sit for a few days to a week. Work the engine by hand before attempting to start it. 

Fox pee will cover up mouse pee odor. In lieu of that ammonia will help. Try bleach after that.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

junkman said:


> ................
> 
> By the way any body know how to remove the mouse pee stink.


Fire.

L & O


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Liver and Onions said:


> Fire.
> 
> L & O


That will be the last resort.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Not too bad for a freebee.


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## bheary (Dec 29, 2010)

Heck no


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Kitty litter will absorb smells after you've cleaned. Put a pan of it over winter in your covered boat to keep the smells away.


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## Winterover (Jan 22, 2001)

Ground coffee is a fantastic odor absorber. A one ounce packet sprinkled in a 48' semi trailer will remove a bad odor from the whole trailer.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Winterover said:


> Ground coffee is a fantastic odor absorber. A one ounce packet sprinkled in a 48' semi trailer will remove a bad odor from the whole trailer.


The odor capabilities of coffee is amazing. I had no idea that one ounce of coffee could eliminate all of the odor from a 390 sq. ft. semi trailer. That would come down to about three specks of coffee for every square foot. WOW.


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## 357Maximum (Nov 1, 2015)

junkman said:


> Not too bad for a freebee.



Most definitely worth some sweat equity and some cash. Good save.


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## Winterover (Jan 22, 2001)

Petronius,

It is actually just over 425 sq ft when you take into account the extra ~2' behind the last pallets. This sounds far fetched and I was skeptical at first until I saw it done. Sprinkled,sit about 5 minutes than sweep it up. It cleared up a bad seafood smell that even powerwashing the trailer had not removed. Used it several times after this.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Winterover said:


> Petronius,
> 
> It is actually just over 425 sq ft when you take into account the extra ~2' behind the last pallets. This sounds far fetched and I was skeptical at first until I saw it done. Sprinkled,sit about 5 minutes than sweep it up. It cleared up a bad seafood smell that even powerwashing the trailer had not removed. Used it several times after this.


I just thought it would take more than an ounce, which is very little.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

When I checked the mail yesterday I found a notice for Blighted property.Code enforcement came by the morning that I got it home.So I went to city hall after reading the notice and talked to the officer.She said all was good now that the trash was out of it and it is on tires that are round now.I just need to move it into my yard behind my gate.She was actually happy to see someone was going to rehab it instead of letting it go to the pound and wished me luck on the project.


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