Clear title – This gets complicated.  The boat has no manufacturer’s plate and no sail number.  Not a hint of what year it might have been made or its hull number.  It also doesn’t have a title which would be fine if I only raced on lakes. But, I plan to race on Budd Inlet, navigable water, so I will need registration, a title, and some numbers on the bow.  Once got a ticket from the Coast Guard—don’t ever want another.

Glen meets me at the title agency, I talked to Maria on Monday, and when Glen walks up to the counter she starts laughing.  “What are the chances,” she looks at Glen, you guys are together.  I talked to you (Glen) last year.  How could two guys, talk to same person about the same boat a year apart.”  She is gently scolding Glen.  He is contrite—she laughs.

Of course I still have to pay sales tax, license fees, transfer, Derelict Boat surcharge (that pays for removal of derelict boats around Puget Sound), and other assorted fees.  The total for license and fees comes in at about $190.

I get a provisional title, and 10 bucks worth of flowers for Maria who was actually able to do a double transfer on a sailboat with an uncertain ownership, no title, no number, and an uncertain future.