buying a german registered boat

[roam]

does anyone have experience buying a german (or foreign) registered boat? how do we ensure that there is no mortgage, loan or other charges on the boat. we would be buying privately.
any other advice?

thanks

 

[wingdiver]

See your other post (and watch out for complaints of duplicate posts!)

 

[roam]

yes, apologies for duplicate post, i wasn't sure which one would be best. thanks for the info.

 

[Jake]

Hi Roam

I bought my ferro-cement boat from a German. The boat was in Spain, and the owner appointed a local German agent ( a boat-owning resident) to do the deal.

I simply downloaded the RYA standard Bill of Sale documentation which attempts to cover all bases. It asks the owner ( or agent) to sign a declaration saying the boat is free from encumberances, and to confirm they have the right to sell it.

One good thing about this sale was that the boat had all the paperwork, including receipts, going right back to when she was built. This allowed me to trace it's history of ownership. She also had a German registration number still on the bow (ugly, or what) , and corresponding paperwork that agreed with that number. (Description, colour etc.)

That still doesn't say that she was debt-free, but it shows I bought it in good faith. I had the signature witnessed by a UK couple, along with the handover of the cheque.

The receipts also prove the boat is deemed VAT paid, as she had an unbroken record of use in the EU. Also RCD exempt due to her age and resident EU status.

There is only so much you can do, unless the boat is registered under part 1 ( what used to be the blue book.) Basically, it's just a case of gathering as much evidence as you can, as far back as you can. Unbroken trails from launching are the best.

The RYA can advise further. Speak to their legal department (Neil Northmore - 02380 604221)

Hope this helps!