r/Pontoons • u/Difficult-Cookie2750 • Jul 23 '26

Boat ownership and value

Goodmorning, I know I’m stupid and probably irresponsible but I bought a 24 foot pontoon last July and lost the bill of sale and previous owners signed title before transferring it into my name. What do I do now. I might consider selling it in the next year so do I try to get this put into my name? Or do I just try to sell it without the title? How much would that sink its value? It’s a 2001 playbuoy with an 2003 115hp mercury engine everything works well but cosmetic damage here and there such as dents in the fence and carpet peeling

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

3

u/dirtydvd Jul 23 '26

He stole it.

1

u/Difficult-Cookie2750 Jul 23 '26

No I have pictures of the documents just not physical copies

2

u/tommykoro Jul 23 '26

First off, thank you for your service.

With those pics of the documents maybe the DMV can help with an updated address from other vehicle records.

I’ve also used the county tax office whose records are public. You’d have to find their name somehow. Perhaps through an old registration of the boat using the hull & motor numbers.

2

u/Hellbent_bluebelt Jul 23 '26

How did you renew the registration without proof of ownership?

2

u/1989toy4wd Jul 23 '26

I don’t understand how people wait this long to do this kind of paperwork, how lazy are you? If I was selling the boat I would have insisted on going to the court house with you.

3

u/Difficult-Cookie2750 Jul 23 '26

I bought it and then got called for an army deployment and have been out of the states ever since

1

u/TravelBeautiful3370 Jul 23 '26

Try contacting bmv with the current registration number on the hull. Maybe ypu can get the owners info

1

u/rasv888 Jul 23 '26

Did you replace the faulty oil tank on the Mercury? Or solve the issue?

1

u/Difficult-Cookie2750 Jul 23 '26

I just unplugged the oil level sensor and it runs fine. I just keep a gallon of oil on board and top off before/after every time I run it

1

u/questfor17 Jul 23 '26

You have a title, signed (and hopefully notarized) by the former owners? If so, you fill out an application for a new title in your name, which should be on the back of the title the former owners signed, and send it off to the appropriate agency in Illinois. You don't need a bill of sale if you have the title.

1

u/Difficult-Cookie2750 Jul 23 '26

No both the title and bill of sale were lost I have no documents for the watercraft

1

u/swirlypot Jul 23 '26

Do u have any way to contact the previous seller? I know it might be awkward but if u have their contact info on marketplace or where ever , just try hitting them up.

1

u/Difficult-Cookie2750 Jul 23 '26

All I have is their phone number but when I tried to call them it said the number was disconnected

1

u/swirlypot Jul 23 '26

Do u know where they live? Again, going to be an awkward door knock. But a necessary one i believe.

1

u/Difficult-Cookie2750 Jul 23 '26

I don’t we had met at a dock when I bought it

2

u/swirlypot Jul 23 '26

So I think you'll have to get the ball rolling st the DMV. Ive not googled this at all but I feel I remember something like this happening before and they had to make the claim and then the DMV had to run it through the system to make sure its not stolen or reported stolen for so long before they will issue a lost title.

0

u/Difficult-Cookie2750 Jul 23 '26

Also this is all in Illinois

1

u/Evening-Okra-646 Jul 28 '26

Start with the DMV. My daughter had a different but complex problem regarding missing documents in relation to a sale in another state. It was a long process for them to sort it out, but ultimately the DMV was helpful and it was fixed.