Ask a Maritime Attorney - Page 47 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.

Can My Boat’s Buyer Force Me Into Arbitration Over a Dispute?

October 27, 2010

I am in a dispute with the person who bought my boat earlier this year. The boat needed some work after the deal closed, and the buyer claims that I should have disclosed the problem prior to the sale. He has filed a claim...

If I Start a Yacht Charter Service, Am I Legally Required to Repower My Boat?

October 13, 2010

I am purchasing a charter yacht that I plan to put into service as a dinner cruise and harbor tour boat in Southern California. I have heard that passenger boats in California may be subject to additional pollution control...

Can the DMV Prevent a Boat Title Transfer Because of Unpaid Taxes?

September 30, 2010

I have been advised that the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will not transfer title to me on a boat that I recently purchased, because the previous owner was delinquent on his property taxes. It is relying on...

Will Changes in Laws Following the Gulf Oil Disaster Affect Pleasureboaters?

September 17, 2010

I have read some news reports about pending changes to various provisions of federal maritime law as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil well disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Can you shed some light on this? Will the changes...

What’s the Owner’s Liability, If His Rotting Private Dock Floats Away?

September 3, 2010

I am a waterfront property owner with a pier and fixed dock platform located in Northern California. The adjacent property owner has allowed his fixed pier and floating concrete dock to go into disrepair following damage to...