§ 31329. Court sales of documented vessels

• (a) A documented vessel may be sold by order of a district court only to—
  • (1) a person eligible to own a documented vessel under section 12103 of this title ; or
  • (2) a mortgagee of that vessel.
• (b) When a vessel is sold to a mortgagee not eligible to own a documented vessel—
  • (1) the vessel must be held by the mortgagee for resale;
  • (2) the vessel held by the mortgagee is subject to chapter 563 of this title; and
  • (3) the sale of the vessel to the mortgagee is not a sale to a person not a citizen of the United States under section 12132 of this title .
• (c) Unless waived by the Secretary of Transportation, a person purchasing a vessel by court order under subsection (a)(1) of this section or from a mortgagee under subsection (a)(2) of this section must document the vessel under chapter 121 of this title.
• (d) The vessel may be operated by the mortgagee not eligible to own a documented vessel only with the approval of the Secretary of Transportation.
• (e) A sale of a vessel contrary to this section is void.
• (f) This section does not apply to a documented vessel that has been operated only for pleasure.