Help me find the HIN.

[partingclouds]

So, I've searched the entire boat, a Peterson 35, looking for an I.D. plate in all the logical places. I'm still searching for it, but am thinking there might not be one. There's another Peterson at the marina and the owner can't find one either.

I'd like to know when and where it was built, but the mystery continues. Anyone with a Peterson who's located their boat's HIN please help me locate this item.

Thank you.

[goat]

Might not be a plate. Check your transom, mine is just above the waterline, port side, embossed in the hull, but it's not a Peterson. A lot of times manufacturers put them on the starboard side of transom near the toe rail.

[gjordan]

If the boat is a pre 1972 build, there probably wont be an HIN. If it is 1972 or later it should be on the transom, upper stb side. They are supposed to be just underneath the stern rail. Letters and numbers will be small, and may be sunk into the fiberglass or raised numbers. I have a Catalina that I could not find the HIN until I took a flash light and magnifying glass to see the very faint numbers and letters. I also have a 1974 Tartan that is supposed to have an HIN, and there is no sign of it. I found out from another Tartan owner that his numbers are clear and easy to read. My boat is titled with just the sail/hull number. I was told by the Coast Guard to go to the state motor vehicle dept and apply for an HIN. I will be going to Calif DMV in the morning. For the laws, go to "33 CFR Section 174.16 verification of HIN number" Many shallow numbers have been sanded out or a repair done that eliminates them, but often they are just hard to see. Good Luck. Grant.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Sometimes they're on the upper part of the starboard upper transom, Inside of the boat. And there are plenty of boats which don't have them, or where they got painted or gelcoated over during a repair or upgrade.
If you do a search of the forums you'll come across a lot of wisdom on this topic.

[moepitman]

I couldn't find mine at first on my old Seafarer. It was embossed into a recessed groove just below the toe rail on the transom, starboard side. I had to shine a flashlight beam across it to read it, otherwise it was nearly invisible.

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[gjordan]

I just returned from my local Dept of Motor Vehicles with a corrected title and an HIN to replace the missing one. The Coast Guard officer that told me I had to go to DMV warned me that they probably would not know what I was talking about and he was right. It took 3 different clerks before my explanation sunk in and a lady that said she had never done this before, tried and figured it out. A note for parting clouds, in my search for the missing number it was suggested that I get a second person and have them shine a very bright light around the inside of the transom while watching from the outside (of course in the evening). That will sometimes show any difference (numbers) that may have been sanded smooth on the surface. It might be worth a try. ----Grant. P.S. I had said any boats before 1972 probably would not have an HIN. I should have said any boats before late 1972 (NOV 1 1972) were not required to have them, so most 72s wont have them.

[cpt_757]

I remember HIN was in the cockpit by engine control panel on Peterson 33.


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[Island Time O25]

Of the 5 boats I've owned each had a HIN at its proper place i.e. upper stbd corner at the transom.

One boat which I was looking at as a potential purchase, late 70s C&C 36, did not have its HIN in place. But a friend who was helping me with this and who happened to be a boat builder, figured out from the looks of the transom that it was repaired and more than once (this was early in my boating experience so I wouldn't spot it myself then). When we asked the seller about it he did confirm that it was repaired (he backed into some collapsing pilings and a granite wall) and that whoever fixed it must have forgotten to emboss the numbers back onto it. But unfortunately this was the least of that boat's problems so I passed on it.

[gjordan]

Yes, most are in the proper location but post #2 on this thread surprised me. I would have thought that Pacific Sea Craft would know where the law said to put it. Also in my search I talked to the Tartan Factory and the fellow told me that his earliest Tartan had been a 1979 and the HIN was in the side of the hull near the transom. On reading through the CFRs there are a few exceptions to the location allowed, but a conventional build with a transom doesnt fit those exceptions. Another of boatings mysteries. Grant.

[Captdd]

I just Googled how many letters and numbers required for my year Vessel and picked my own,

Worked Great! Even for Insurance

Cheers,

Captd

[BruceS]

All this discussion relates to USA I guess?
In Australia you get a qualified BOATCODE agent to allocate a code and attach it in two places. You can't register a boat now if it doesn't have one attached.
There are many boats that people have owned for many years still without boatcodes but if they sell them, they will need to get one before the rego can be changed to a new owner.
sa.gov.au - Find a Boat Code agent

[knockabout]

queensland state rego / the hull number is on the sticker and on the rego paper / hull number is supposed to be machined into a major structural beam /modern boats seem to be getting away with a small stamped aluminium plate like a vin number on a car

[gjordan]

I was originally told (not by the Coast Guard) that the first letters were the country code and then the builders code, but the US regs only show the first letters as the builders code. I had thought it was an international agreement to do this marking, but it seems it doesnt work that way. Grant.