Karma

[Boomstick]

This year, I purchased kayaks for myself and the kids. The plan was to modify a harbor freight trailer so I could haul them all cheaply, but they are literally unavailable and the cheapest similar option was running around $1000 so I decided to go with the Yakima Rack & Roll, which is a better investment in the long run. I ordered the trailer on April 17 and it arrived on April 24th and I built it the next day. But I had no certificate or origin so I could not register it, so I now have kayaks and a trailer that I cannot use. I contacted the company blah blah blah and finally obtained my certificate of origin just this Monday, and was able to get an appointment with the registry yesterday. Alright, maybe this will actually work out this time.

 

I get to the registry and they ask if I've been out of state. Not thinking they would make a big deal about it, I admit going to the gas station that's about 20 ft across the Vermont border. So they won't let me in, but they tell me if I have someone who can go in for me I have until 4. My mom was available, so she came down but they wouldn't register the trailer because the dealer didn't sign the certificate of origin. Now let me get this straight, there is no signature line on a the certificate of origin, so how can they possibly require a dealer signature? This seems like they just wanted to get rid of me because they were behind schedule, and kind of like harassment. Given how long it took me to get that certificate of origin, if I do manage to get it registered at all, it's likely to me midsummer by then. If the other RMVs were open, I have no doubt I could walk right in there and get it registered no problem, but unfortunately the nearest two that are open are the worst in the state. Several weeks have already gone by and it's just sitting out back unused because of nonsense.

 

At this point I am not sure what to do. To be honest, moving to another state sounds like a good idea. I'll be writing my state senator as well. At this point I'm even contemplating buying an old license plate and taking my chances -- it would certainly be cheaper than taking another day off just to get the usual runaround.

 

I'm not sure what I did to deserve this, but it sure is starting to feel like I just blew a lot of money on something I'll never be able to use.

[jbsoonerfan]

Pardon my ignorance here, but I am assuming by law you have to have a tag on the trailer? We don't have to have tags on our trailers here in Oklahoma so that is why I asked the silly question.

 

If that's the case, yea I would take my chances and get the tags when I could. Hopefully there are bigger fish to fry than some guy trying to take his kids fishing.

[Boomstick]

10 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Pardon my ignorance here, but I am assuming by law you have to have a tag on the trailer? We don't have to have tags on our trailers here in Oklahoma so that is why I asked the silly question.

 

If that's the case, yea I would take my chances and get the tags when I could. Hopefully there are bigger fish to fry than some guy trying to take his kids fishing.

Yeah they're overly strict up here in MA and you have to have a plate and registration on everything. And I'm fairly sure the RMV is giving me the runaround with this one -- that is if they were all open, I could go into another one and get it registered no problem. This wouldn't be the first (or second or third) time I've been fed incorrect information by a RMV employee because my being there inconvenienced them. But if it is a requirement, how ridiculous is that? You'd think they would put a "Dealer signature" line on the certificate of origin of it's required, plus the fact that it wasn't signed from a dealer who I assume this is not their first rodeo is rather telling.

[Teal]

So what do u do for a homemade trailer? Here in nc, a dmv inspector would check it, and put a number on it and thsts how you get it registered.  

[Boomstick]

45 minutes ago, Teal said:

So what do u do for a homemade trailer? Here in nc, a dmv inspector would check it, and put a number on it and thsts how you get it registered.  

In MA, you only have to get it inspected (and titled too) if it carries above 3000lbs or is completely custom made. I ended up getting the Yakima Rack and Roll trailer, which is expensive but I will admit is a very nice trailer and allows me to store one boat on a J-cradle and 2 others rigged and ready to roll, so in the long run it's much more practical than a utility trailer with a truck rack added.

[the reel ess]

1 hour ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Pardon my ignorance here, but I am assuming by law you have to have a tag on the trailer? We don't have to have tags on our trailers here in Oklahoma so that is why I asked the silly question.

 

If that's the case, yea I would take my chances and get the tags when I could. Hopefully there are bigger fish to fry than some guy trying to take his kids fishing.

We don't even have to have lights on the trailer in SC as long as you don't tow it in the dark. I love SC.

[jbsoonerfan]

Just now, the reel ess said:

We don't even have to have lights on the trailer in SC as long as you don't tow it in the dark. I love SC.

As someone who HATES chasing down a bad wire on a trailer and rarely hauls in the dark, that would be nice.

[Boomstick]

3 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

We don't even have to have lights on the trailer in SC as long as you don't tow it in the dark. I love SC.

I am sure some day I will either stay out late to night fish, or get up early to hit the water before the sun hits etc, but that makes perfect sense if you can avoid driving in the dark.

[the reel ess]

2 minutes ago, Boomstick said:

I am sure some day I will either stay out late to night fish, or get up early to hit the water before the sun hits etc, but that makes perfect sense if you can avoid driving in the dark.

I'm sure we did as well at some point. That's another thing about SC. Even the cops are big on personal liberties and look the other way a lot. We always tried to keep it wired, but you know how old wet trailers are.

[Sam]

I would send a letter to Charlie Baker telling him your story and asking him to pass your request to the individual who could change the law regarding registering trailers.

[schplurg]

7 hours ago, the reel ess said:

We don't even have to have lights on the trailer in SC as long as you don't tow it in the dark. I love SC.

No brake lights?

[Oregon Native]

Wow.....just Wow

[the reel ess]

8 hours ago, schplurg said:

No brake lights?

Now that I look it up it may have changed. Reading the law now it appears there's a lower weight limit of 3000 lbs. where only reflectors are required. That may be why my dad was never affected. Most boat trailers come with them now anyway-probably all of them. 

[Boomstick]

3 hours ago, the reel ess said:

Now that I look it up it may have changed. Reading the law now it appears there's a lower weight limit of 3000 lbs. where only reflectors are required. That may be why my dad was never affected. Most boat trailers come with them now anyway-probably all of them. 

One thing I gather that almost every state has in common  from looking up trailer laws is that 3000lbs is a fairly standard split, whether it be for titling the trailer and getting it inspected as it is in the northeast and California, or maybe requiring brake lights -- which makes sense because on the longer and larger trailers, you can't usually see the brake lights of the vehicle and that could be dangerous.

[NYWayfarer]

Reminds me of when I tried to register a canoe I bought off of Craig’s List. anything watercraft over a certain size has to be registered here even if it’s just a trolling motor you want to put on it.

What a nightmare. Common sense has gone out the window. The poor clerk I was dealing with was all about the “I don’t make the rules I just have to enforce them”

 

I wish you good luck. You are going to need it.

[Boomstick]

I have good news! I overnighted the certificate of origin to dealer who other than the honest mistake of forgetting to send out the title for a few days has been absolutely great. It wasn't supposed to arrive until Monday, but they just emailed me and told me that they got it today and got it signed and notarized and if there is no shipping delays will arrive on Tuesday, so maybe realistically Wednesday or Thursday. It's going to be abnormally cold and miserable until Friday the last time I checked as well.

 

I am going to try to get a RMV appointment on Friday which means I will have to take more time off, and they better not try any more fast ones with me!

[Boomstick]

Well I made it to the RMV and they didn't give me any trouble! I got plates! It feels like it's been forever (as well as the recent cold streak)! Tomorrow is going to be thunderstorms, but Saturday is going to be around 72 degrees. I came home, worked the rest of the day then rigged up my Bonafide SS127, added the anchor trolley. I got my new flippin' rod and with any luck, I'll get my new NRS Chinook PDF (I have some cheap basic model I can use in case I don't) and am ready to go fishing on Saturday (tstorms tomorrow)