Ask a Maritime Attorney - Page 31 of 66

David Weil has been the proud author of the “Ask a Maritime Attorney” column in The Southern California Log Newspaper and Sea Magazine since 2006, with over 300 installments of the column. We have provided links in this section to those articles, covering a wide range of topics of interest to the California maritime and boating communities.

My Boat’s Buyer Is Not Making Payments. What Do I Do Now?

November 20, 2013

I sold my boat a couple of years ago and allowed the buyer to make payments for half of the purchase price. He signed a promissory note, and I recorded a preferred ship’s mortgage with the Coast Guard. He is now three...

Recreational Sailboat vs. Tugboat with Barge: Who Has the Right of Way?

November 6, 2013

I own a sailboat that I keep at a marina in San Diego. We had an encounter in the bay last month with a tugboat that was pushing a barge, and there was some disagreement among our crew as to who had the right of way. We were...

Trying to Sell a Boat When No One Is Alive to Sign the Bill of Sale

October 23, 2013

My father passed away last month and I am working to get his affairs in order. He owned a sailboat, which he purchased three years ago. But after his death, I learned that title for the boat is still in the name of the...

Must Marine Insurance Value Be Based on a Boat’s Purchase Price?

October 8, 2013

I am applying for insurance on a boat that I just purchased. The insurance applications require a lot of information, but I was wondering about the significance of the purchase price and the value. This boat is currently in...

Should I Sign a Release to Protect My Broker in Case of a Deficient Survey?

September 26, 2013

I made an offer on a 40-foot sailing yacht, and I now have two weeks to complete a sea trial and survey. I asked my yacht broker to recommend a marine surveyor, but he won’t do so unless I sign a release to hold him...