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John boat registration...

bowhunter1023

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Appalachia
I did some horse trading for a John boat a while back that came with no title or registration info. It's an older Apache and has been in my uncle's barn for as long as I've been alive. He horse traded for it years ago with no documentation. What will I need to do to get it registered so I can put her on the water in a couple weeks?
 

jagermeister

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Ohio
Hmmm... I sold a couple John boats last summer that I picked up cheap at a local auction. They also didn't have title or previous registration. When I sold them, I just wrote up a bill of sale for each one (with buyer, seller, boat, serial# information) and the buyers took that to go get a title for them. I really don't know how you'd go about it for a boat you got for free. Although, I don't see why you couldn't just write yourself a "fake" bill of sale and use that... or if that's even necessary.
 

Dannmann801

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Springboro
How long is it? don't need a title if it's less than 14 ft I think....there's another thread on here with a link posted to the Ohio website with all the info about that stuff, wasn't too long ago....but I suck at searching on here
 

jagermeister

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You don't need a title but you will need to get it registered. Looks like all you need is some form of "proof of ownership" and take it to a boat registration agent, wherever one of those is in BFE southeast Ohio. lmao
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
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You don't need a title but you will need to get it registered. Looks like all you need is some form of "proof of ownership" and take it to a boat registration agent, wherever one of those is in BFE southeast Ohio. lmao

The only place to get a title for a water craft w/out propolsion used to be at district headquarters....I'll ask dad the story tomorrow but he went through a hell of a time making my granddad's canoe legal
 

bowhunter1023

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Appalachia
Maybe a better question is what the fine is for not having my registration on it? LOL. I mean damn, I just want to fish on the local lake with my dinky old 10' John boat and 5 up trolling motor. Whys it gotta be so hard to do that?!?
 

jagermeister

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The only place to get a title for a water craft w/out propolsion used to be at district headquarters....I'll ask dad the story tomorrow but he went through a hell of a time making my granddad's canoe legal

My guess is it'll have propulsion... just not "fixed" propulsion. You can register the watercraft by mail but, like every other government agency, the turnaround time will probably be a while.
 

jagermeister

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Maybe a better question is what the fine is for not having my registration on it? LOL. I mean damn, I just want to fish on the local lake with my dinky old 10' John boat and 5 up trolling motor. Whys it gotta be so hard to do that?!?

More than it's worth. The first thing WO's and watercraft officers look for is the white registration letters/numbers on the side of the boat. If you don't have them, you might as well plan on getting called back to shore by an officer on a regular basis. And I can guarantee there will be no warnings about it... You'll be getting a coupon no doubt.
 

DJK Frank 16

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Hardin County
Jesse, Mine was under 14ft and less than 10HP motor, I did it all at the BMV with just a Bill of Sale from the seller. If you don't have that, you will need Make/Model, Length, and any previous sticker numbers or serial numbers that you can find on the boat. I'm thinking if it has never been stickered before, you will have to get it registered, but that should be just a little more paperwork at the BMV.
 

Fluteman

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7,094
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Southeast Ohio
Jesse, since the boat is under 14', you do not need a title. All you need to do is go to the BMV and have it registered. The process is the same as what I went through with my kayak earlier this year. You will need a notarized bill of sale first off. They will ask you to fill out a paper that asks where you bought the boat, the previous owner's name and address, and some basic information about the sale. Since you don't have the paperwork for the boat, you will need to be prepared when you go in with the make and model of the boat, the length, the serial number, and if there ever was a HIN number on the boat, you will need that also. The paperwork also asks the main body of water you intend to use it on, and if it will be handpowered, etc.

Here is a flow chart from the DOW on how you go about registering the boat:

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/reg/regreqs/tabid/2782/Default.aspx

Also, here is a link on titling requirements, and how to affix the Hull Identification Number (HIN) on the boat:

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/laws/tabid/2751/default.aspx

And last, here is a chart that lists the safety equipment you will need in order to be legal:

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/reg/tabid/2727/Default.aspx

Let me know if you need help with anything or have any questions. I will help you out if I can.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/reg/regreqs/tabid/2782/Default.aspx
 

bowhunter1023

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Appalachia
Thanks for the info Greg. The flow chart was helpful. I'm in the process of getting some sort of proof of ownership thrown together...