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Unfortunately, it sounds like you are driving a boat you don't own.

I follow the rules.... so I'd try to contact the seller and get your money back. Probably never going to happen.

Then I'd go buy another legal boat and have it registered.

Finally, I'd probably scrape my reg numbers off of the possibly stolen boat and leave it in the yard of the guy who sold it to you improperly.

Lucky it is only $150. If it was much more, I'd call the sheriff and tell him you were sold a boat by a guy who didn't own it.

Strange things happen! I bought a boat and trailer this past spring and all was OK, when I received the title for the trailer the state had the wrong make of trailer on the title they sent me! If I wouldn't have looked and caught it there could have possibly been a problem if I ever were to sell it.
In your case it may be as simple as the guy gave you the title for another boat, he may have still the title for yours, I would try to contact him.
Then I would do as Rich said, if he can't come up with the correct title or refuses to refund your money.

I bought a sailboat from a guy once. Failed to look at the HIN plate until I got home ( dumb, I know).

There was NO PLATE. It had been chiseled off. That is often the sign of a stolen boat. Duhhh

Called the guy and told him I was bringing the boat back and to have my money ready. He laughed and said "It's your problem now". "Ha Ha..."

I said, "OK....next phone call is to the sheriff reporting you for selling me a stolen boat". .......... I had my money in an hour.

richg99

richg99 said:

I bought a sailboat from a guy once. Failed to look at the HIN plate until I got home ( dumb, I know).

There was NO PLATE. It had been chiseled off. That is often the sign of a stolen boat. Duhhh

Called the guy and told him I was bringing the boat back and to have my money ready. He laughed and said "It's your problem now". "Ha Ha..."

I said, "OK....next phone call is to the sheriff reporting you for selling me a stolen boat". .......... I had my money in an hour.

richg99

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Had similar experience with a former boss. Bought a used ATV from his business, with title. Get home, realized that the title was for a completely different ATV. Called after hours and told him what I seen, he calls me a liar. I didn't like him anyway, so I got the DMV involved, they said call the police department. An officer and I went to work the next day and I had money in my hands in no time flat. ATV itself was clean but the titled ATV was reported stolen. It was a simple mistake by the person who traded it in and he made it right, but there was no title for the one I bought. Thus I had to pass on it, even though I really wanted it.

I think people sometimes "forget" how important the paperwork is. You wouldn't believe how many vehicles I run across that the owner doesn't have a title or registration for. Then when you question a lot of them, you get the "you can file for a lost title". "LOST" means the owner has the responsibility to file for it, not the person who's buying it. Red flag goes up. I normally call them out on it and they get mad most of the time, but honestly I dont' care. If you buy something that's supposed to be titled and the seller can't cough up a title, then you take the responsibility of everything that goes along with it. In other words, don't do it. Most states it's an absolute nightmare to title a vehicle that originally had a title but does not currently. Title could be lost, it could be burned up, or a bank may have it in a Lien. There are a million reasons and it still amazes me that people will just blindly buy stuff without it. Title proves ownership and if the seller doesn't have it, he doesn't own it.

Before you act, consider that at least three other possibilities might apply, which might give you some additional options:

1) The seller gave you the wrong registration card when (s)he sold you the boat.

2) The registration numbers were messed up by the authorities

3) A second registration number may have been issued (several states, including Georgia, do this)

Options:
Assuming you cannot square things with the seller:
1) If you have a LEO buddy, you may want to ask them to quietly run the HIN to see if there are any issues.
2) You may want to contact the authorities and advise them you have noticed a mistake and ask them to correct it.

YMMV

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Boy, if they do that, you are one lucky guy. Good luck.