When I bought my boat last month, I had asked how long the seller had owned the boat, and the broker told me it was a one-owner boat. I've since discovered in some old paperwork buried among some of the musty manuals and maintenance documents on board, that the seller was in fact the SECOND owner, and that the boat had been documented under the original owner's name (along with a different boat name)! Lo and behold, I found the numbers down below in the bilge.
So what do I do with this information? Is there a protocol I need to follow or be aware of? Should I find out if the change of title and boat name was ever recorded from the first to the second owner? Do I notify the USCG as the new owner?
The surveyor seemed to shrug it off when I mentioned it to him, as if it wasn't important and was totally up to me if I wanted to spend the money for the documentation or not. What exactly are the benefits of being documented, and would it be to my benefit to follow up on this?
Any suggestions, answers or advice welcomed!