TRANSFER OF THE MARTICULA ON THE BOAT

A few years ago I sold a 22` Dominican Registered boat, using a Dominican lawyer, and getting all the paperwork right. I have a signed contract for sale from the buyer.
Now the person I sold the boat to, wants to sell it.
As it turns out, the person who bought it from me never transferred the Marticula(registration) into his name. Now the boat is still in my name and is going to change hands again.
They are asking me for a copy of my passport to complete the sale.
What guarantees do I have that the new buyer won`t just continue to keep the boat in my name, because it is such a hassle to transfer the matriculation.
What are my responsibilities if they boat continues to be in my name? Would I be responsible for debts the boat incurs? or would I be responsible for personal or property damage?
My laywer says  not worry, which is reason for me to worry.
how should I proceed?

Good questions. I know this happens often with older vehicles but am not sure of the fall out. I will ask a lawyer friend.

Planner.......Thanks so  much for the quick response. To be clear, the vehicle in question is a boat, a 22` homemade boat, that has a Dominican registration.
The new owners never transferred the registration into their names, and now they want to sell it.
The boat`s registration is still in my name. I do have a legal signed, sealed and legally correct contract for sale signed by both parties, but does this supersede my name still being on the title in the event of an accident or some liability that may be incurred by the boat and it`s new owners?

Thanks so much
This is a typical example of me doing  my due diligence only to find out that the buyer never followed up and changed the registration into his name, leaving me hanging.

Thanks so much and i await your response

Regards, Marlin Runner, Cabrera

I am asking honey!

THANKS!.........The present owners of my boat are pushing me to send them a copy of my passport so they can move forward with the sale, but I have reservations as to whether the new owners will ever transfer the registration into their names.

Right now, technically speaking the boat is still in my name according to the matriculation (registration)

This happens a lot with boats, because the Captain of the Port who is in charge of registering boats makes it so incredibly difficult to transfer a matriculation.

I am very hesitant to help move the sale forward until I get an answer concerning my liability.

I have an e-mail into Julio Brea Guzman, one of my lawyers, who may be able to shed some light on the subject.

I have another local lawyer that says to go ahead and give the sellers my passport so they can consummate the sale, but she won`t say anything about liability.

Looking forward to your input....Thanks a million!

I know with a car you can register the sale so there is no liability for you.  My lawyer is doing that right now on a car I sold last month that still has not be registered with the new buyers.
I am not sure about a boat.
Julio is a great person to ask.

Bob K

Thanks for the answer Bob. We have a signed agreement for sale, but the registration is still in my name, it was never registered in the name of the new owner, so I am still unclear as to whether I have any liability or not.
It is probable that when the boat is sold again that the second new owners will not bother to change the registration into their names.
The process for changing the name on a matricula is long and complicated, which doesn`t really motivate the new owners to do the right thing.

I would wait and see what Julio says.

Bob K

NO there is no motivation.  However if boat or vehicle is ever held by the authorities (traffic violations etc) ONLY the person on the matricula can go claim the vehicle. 

Of course with bribes and money all is possible..........

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE!