How would I go about obtaining a title for a 1973 Wellcraft Nova?
I recently found a project boat for sale that has been sitting for years
and the original owner passed away some time ago. I know the boat is going
to be a big project. There is some sentimental pull as my dad moved us all to Ft Lauderdale
In 1973 and worked at Everglades Marine rigging new Novas. I was 6 at the time and got to tag
along on a few test drives. I have been sold on the old Nova hull ever since the HIN on the. Boat in question is
Wel00267m73hn25 Thanks Murf

Depends on what state you are in but I would do a Google search on abandon boats in your area. Some states are real easy. Others are not worth it. If you have a friend in Kentucky you can anything titled in about 10 minutes.

I would start with the Dmv and see who it is currently registered to. Then you will have to track that person down and obtain a bill of sale or have them apply for a lost title. If not you would have to have it titled as assembled.

I'm in Illinois the boat is in Indiana. The story I got is the owner died a few years ago and left the boat on a friends property. That friend is now trying to sell it. It is all there and the engines are not locked up, but It will need a complete restoration as the bilge is currently full of water so I'm sure it will need new wood and most likely a new fuel tank. I'd also want to repower it. It currently has twin 302s (188Hp) and I'm a glutton for punishment so I want to run twin Chrysler 440s with Bravo drives. I'm trying to talk myself out of it as I know I would invest too much time and money on it and never get 1/3 of it back, but....

I think he needs to get hold of executor of friends estate, exchange title for storage of boat, then sell boat to you. if no executor would have to go abandoned property. death cert. may help speed up. check with dmv website or call. friend found car, left at dealership, he started fixing up while going thru process, owner tried to get car back after fixed, since he still had title. don't do anything til you get paperwork, over to you.

Kind of had the same thing happen with a boat trailer. Contacted the past title owner and he wanted more money then I paid for the trailer to the guy he sold it to. He pissed me off so bad over the whole deal I took it to a scrap yard and crushed it.

go on line, there are companies that specialize in obtaining titles for old cars and boats. it cost around 300 bucks, i did it for an old motor cycle once. took about two weeks...rm

some non-title states just take a bill of sale. some want notarized bill of sale. some want bill of sale with name matching registration. so first search the boat thoroughly, you might find an expired reg. then you need a bill of sale that matches it. i am not saying you should forge some dead guy's signature or anything like that...but i bet he won't come back and complain.

Google "surety bond", a friend of mine went this route with an abandoned boat and it worked out great, he received a state of MI title. It cost $100 for the surety bond plus the state of MI title fees.

........................ lee is right on , i did it with a exotic car , you can title just about anything thats not stolen with a Vin # or hull # verification form and a bond , you can do this in different states even if you live elsewhere, then later you transfer the title to your home state.