§ 31329. Court sales of documented vessels
Court sales of documented vessels
A documented vessel may be sold by order of a district court only to—
a person eligible to own a documented vessel under section 12103 of this title; or
a mortgagee of that vessel.
When a vessel is sold to a mortgagee not eligible to own a documented vessel—
the vessel must be held by the mortgagee for resale;
the vessel held by the mortgagee is subject to chapter 563 of this title; and
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.
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.
The vessel may be operated by the mortgagee not eligible to own a documented vessel only with the approval of the Secretary of Transportation.
A sale of a vessel contrary to this section is void.
This section does not apply to a documented vessel that has been operated only for pleasure.