Buying a boat.

Deeky

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Hi, recently bought a boat (private party). I’m a ND resident, and intend to primarily use it in MN. The previous owner was a MN resident. He had it registered up to the end of the year. Do I need to do anything or wait until it expires? Should I be registering it in ND? If I occasionally use it in ND does it need to be registered in ND as well? Will sales tax apply? If so, how & where do I go to pay for that? TIA
 


5575

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Register it in ND.
You bought it from a private party so no sales tax!
 

Deeky

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Thanks. No need for any MN registration is used on MN lakes?
 

SDMF

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Mn if it is staying on a lift

Yep, if you're putting on a lift for the majority of the summer in MN, you'd best have MN registration. Yes, MN DNR will look under your awning/lift-cover.
 


Kentucky Windage

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I’m not 100% sure, but I believe you may have a boat on a lift in MN for up to 30 days before it must be removed or registered in MN. I’ve heard of the DNR dropping warnings/tickets on watercraft with expired tags or prolonged stays on lakes. It’s actually stupidly impressive how they go through the work of targeting people that way. It’s MN though, so it makes sense.
 

DakotaGreg

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Try not to give MN a dime if you can help it. Order following redcoats and traitors.
 

Migrator Man

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Looking to buy a new boat ,Alumacraft Dominator 175 Sport with a 125 Merc Optimax and a 9.9 pro kicker all for a decent price.

Only issue is the boat has sat for 3 years with old fuel that has been stabilized. The boat was winterized before it sat for 3 years. All the batteries are dead from not being maintained and were all new. The boat is in near perfect condition and barely looks used. Any big things I should look for? Any issues common from sitting so long?
 

701FishSlayer

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Find out why its sat for 3 years if you haven't yet. Parked for a reason? Somebody trying to slip their bad problems off on ya without mentioning it? Stuff to think about.
 


Allen

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If the fuel tanks were at a 1/4 or so, I'd just fill with fresh gas and add a can of Sea Foam, charge/replace the batteries and let'r buck. If the gas tank was full, yeah...I'd probably try to drain a fair amount before refilling. Check the lower units by pulling the bottom plug to see if they have any water in them, or just change them for the hell of it.
 

SDMF

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Look deeply into the compartments with a BRIGHT flashlight for signs of mouse activity.

Before you buy it, bring your own functional 12V battery and see what electronics, pumps, lights, and switches work, and what doesn't. It takes <2Min to swap a main battery and at least you'll know what you're getting into.

Pull the lower unit drain plugs. If all is well it'll be a really slow drip of gear lube. If it comes out fast and/or is "milky" then at a minimum the seals are bad, and at worst the lower unit is shot. Should take about 30sec/motor to check this.

Without moving the boat, stick a bottle or floor jack under the axle, lift it off the ground and spin the tires. If the bearings are good, they'll spin free and quiet. If they're rusted, you'll hear/feel them grinding.
 

wslayer

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Personally I would drain that tank regardless . 3 yrs, the shit is just gonna cause problems. Not that hard to pull fuel line and pump it out. Would almost bet the impellers ( water pumps ) are all dried out also. And yes, check lower end units, if milky drain.
 

Migrator Man

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If the fuel tanks were at a 1/4 or so, I'd just fill with fresh gas and add a can of Sea Foam, charge/replace the batteries and let'r buck. If the gas tank was full, yeah...I'd probably try to drain a fair amount before refilling. Check the lower units by pulling the bottom plug to see if they have any water in them, or just change them for the hell of it.

The guy who sold it to them fully serviced the motors and winterized them at a dealer ( have paperwork). Brand new Batteries were also installed and look great but are deader than hell. They honesty never used it once since buying it. Never transferred the titles, never registered the boat, their shop is clean and didn’t see any signs of mice. It has been stored in that shop since it they bought it so out of the elements. Seals and impeller could be dried out from sitting in the dry climate down here. Barely even a scratch on the boat or motors. Honestly looks new.
 

SDMF

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So in a time of the strongest "Seller's Market" for boats in recorded history, you've found a cherry used boat for a good price but the only potential issue is that the fuel is old and the batteries are dead so you can't actually see/hear if anything on the boat actually works?

What could possibly go wrong???????
 


Migrator Man

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So in a time of the strongest "Seller's Market" for boats in recorded history, you've found a cherry used boat for a good price but the only potential issue is that the fuel is old and the batteries are dead so you can't actually see/hear if anything on the boat actually works?

What could possibly go wrong???????
Right! That’s why I’m asking the questions now. They still are trying to get the titles figured out so I have some time. I was the first one to answer the Facebook ad and I think they were testing the waters to see if anyone was interested. I don’t think they are on all of the walleye boat groups like the rest of us looking for boats and are going off of what they paid for it. They send me the hours report they found, less than 100 on the big motor and less than 20 on the kicker. No wonder why the boat is so clean. Lots of room for repairs costs so will see how it goes.
 

SDMF

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Any way to see if there’s been an Ins claim on it? I’d be wondering if it’d been sunk.
 

AR-15

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They its not to hard to change the water pump on a Mercury motor 115hp?
 

risingsun

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Any way to see if there’s been an Ins claim on it? I’d be wondering if it’d been sunk.

I find it really hard to believe the previous owner would put 3 new batteries in it and have it winterized at a dealer if that was the case.
 

SDMF

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I find it really hard to believe the previous owner would put 3 new batteries in it and have it winterized at a dealer if that was the case.

And anyone who's got the discipline to keep a shop clean and mouse-free has the sense to charge batteries now and then.

I hate being such a cynic, but, you know the deal about "Too good to be true".
 


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