CG-1340 Official USCG Bill of Sale

[Tim]

Click on this link for the CG-1340 bill of sale form in PDF format. This is an excellent default choice for any boat selling/buying transactions, and is the form most favored by the Coast Guard if you want to begin or maintain a documentation.

Form CG 1340 (PDF File)

[cantstopnow]

Thanks Tim. I am in the process of purchasing a Morgan M34 and want to continue with its documented status.

[JohnD]

Very good to have, thanks. I am going to start this process soon and am not looking forward to it because of the horror stories I have heard.

[Ric in Richmond]

Updated link to forms:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/nvdcforms.asp

[Al]

JohnD:

If your boat has been documented before, it is really not that big a deal. When I bought my first documented boat, I was so intimidated by the process that I paid someone to do the paperwork for me. The next three boats weren't documented and I didn't bother to document them. My current boat was documented so I bravely decided to fill out the forms myself and save some money. It takes the CG about three months to get to recreational reissues and I've been dreading the letter telling me that I'd made a mistake. To my surprise, today Santa delivered my new documentation papers.

It is a bit harder if your boat has never been documented before, but I'm sure there are owners of documented Tritons who would gladly share the measurements and tonnage that confuses most people.

Happy Holidays to all.

Al Lorman

[ILikeRust]

I don't understand the fear and dread. It doesn't seem to me to be too terribly complicated, and so far, I've found the folks at the USCG vessel documentation center will work with you. Their website and the forms tell you everything you need to know - just read it all carefully. And you can do it all by fax and e-mail, which is nice.

My boat previously had been a documented vessel - I believe since new (1968). But the guy I bought it from apparently believed it was too complicated or whatever, so when he bought the boat he let the USCG documentation lapse and registered the boat with the state instead. When I bought it, some friends of ours who have a sailboat strongly urged us to renew the USCG documentation. I spent an hour or so reading the USCG's website and the forms and sent in everything. That was back in August.

A couple weeks ago, I received a letter telling me they needed something showing the transfer of title from the previous owner (who had documented it) to the guy I bought it from. No problem; I have the Virginia title from the guy I bought it from. So I scanned that into a PDF and e-mailed it to them, about a week ago. Haven't heard anything yet, but I have no reason to believe there will be a problem.

It's just a bit of a waiting game - apparently, recreational vessels are pretty low on the priority list.