Abandoned boats in Canada sit in a bit of an administrative grey area. That is, until someone finds it. Here’s what you can do if you want to claim an Abandoned Boat Title in Canada.
Claiming an Abandoned Boat Title in Canada
Have you found an abandoned vessel somewhere in Canada? Would you like to find out if it has an owner to reach out to? Or do you want to see if you’d be able to claim the abandoned boat title as yours? Either way, there is a very specific process to follow. Let’s take a look at it.
Find Out About a Boat’s Ownership
If you are looking to claim an abandoned boat for yourself, you will first need to confirm whether the vessel is actually without ownership or not. This means that you’ll need to consult with Transport Canada whether or not there are official ownership claims over the vessel. The best way to do this is to request historical research of a vessel. This process will provide information from the Ship Registration Computer System Database from 1984 to present, or from the microfilm registry if the vessel was registered prior to 1984. In order to do so, the process will require the official number or the vessel name in order to carry out the consultation. Remember, however, that this process is for registered vessels only, and it won’t include vessels licensed under the Pleasure Craft Licensing system.
What Can You Do With the Unowned Vessel?
Once you’ve consulted the registry to find out about whether or not the boat is registered, you need to figure out what you’re going to do with it. If you find out that it is indeed registered under an official owner, you have the option of trying to reach them. By definition, an abandoned vessel is one whose abandoned boat title has been relinquished, left, or given up by the lawful owner without the intention to later resume any right or interest in the vessel. This means that, should you find an abandoned boat, it has been relinquished to a certain degree by its owner. Of course, this abandoned boat might be a boat that has been lost or stolen, so reaching out to the registered owner is always a good idea. There will be another situation that you might need to take into account, though.
Interact With the Canadian Vessel Registry
No one likes to have to submit documentation applications, everyone knows that. However, that is exactly why we at the National Vessel Documentation Center have set up an easy to use platform that makes those filings everyone finds so tedious and inconvenient all the more simple and straightforward. Here you will find all the forms you might need in order to file for boat registration, a pleasure craft licence, or just about any other relevant vessel procedure. For more information about any of these applications, boating documentation regulations, or Transport Canada filing requirements, feel free to reach out to our team by way of our contact page. We’re here to help.
