Hull vin #

[KIRCHNER]

I was told that after 1980, i addition to the location of starboard transom v i n #, there is second set of numbers, in a undisclosed location somewhere on the hull. ive never heard of this, and ive been boating for 50 years. i am unable to read the numbers on my new project hull. any comments greatly appreciated, ART.

[FUJIMO]

...cars have vin numbers. boats have hin numbers. hull identification numbers as opposed to vehicle identification numbers. 1972, or was it 1974...either one, was the first year the states & the coast guard wanted hins on boats. yes, one at the top starboard(right) upper corner of the transom. reverse label maker imprint machines made by scotch, made them first & made it easy for glass boat builders to simply stick one in that location on the inside of the hull mold just before spraying the first coat of gelcoat. the second hull number was comepletely up to the boat builder & was asked to be hidden. many were on the backside of the dash, on the bottom side of the forward deck, behind a part of the cockpit side coaming upholstery, etc. each boat builder has they're location that they usually stick with over time, but not always forever. don aronow simply used a black majic marker and drew it on the bottom of the forward deck, and then brushed on a coat of resin over it, on many of his first boats. boats with cabins may or may not then have carpet over them. depends on the boat, the size, and the builder. this second "hidden" hull number is always on the deck somewhere, not the hull. hope this helps...

[KIRCHNER]

thank.you, live & learn. im going to look under the deck for sure. great info. thanks again.. I Refered v i n as vessel ident number.

[Jim Speros]

Maybe you can contact the manufacture? My Skater has its second number on a bulkhead under the deck. I never saw a second number on my '85 Fountain.

[KIRCHNER]

THe boat in question is a 84 skater, i paid too much for. i looked today, under the deck, dash, need a mirror for behind the control box. no dice. i called douglas mar, just some dizzy recording, twice, no return call. boat at least an 84, like to know when they stopped production for the 18 model. i have an 82, super nice, has a pod hull, project is an S model. only i. d. is old n.y. reg.# barely visible on one side. i called n.y, the person didnt want me to give him the number, im sure it would show show something, maybe that would be too easy. the boat must have changed owners in 38 years. i need a title, for a fl reg #.every avenue is a dead end, ART...........

[Jim Speros]

It may take a few days to get a return call.

Mine is on the floor liner forward edge port side in sponson

[KIRCHNER]

Jim, what do you mean, in sponson? my liner kicks up on a 45, creating a foot rest all across

[David - WI]

You could try a pencil or crayon "rubbing" on the one that's hard to read.

https://www.pearsonyachts.org/hull-i...mber%20appears.

[KIRCHNER]

Already tryed.

[Jim Speros]

Jim, what do you mean, in sponson? my liner kicks up on a 45, creating a foot rest all across

On mine the floor liner and foot rest also creates a vertical structure that extends from side to side and down into each sponson. While sitting in sponson under the deck on the port side facing aft the vin number appears on top of the vertical piece just above deepest part of the sponson.

Said another way its on the forward side of the foot rest. Easiest seen while under deck.

[KIRCHNER]

Thank you, i was under there,tightening the bow eye, a real tight space. ill hunt for the # again. douglas did much higher quality with rigging on my other skater. 7'16'' not 3/8 on stern eyes, a thru deck/hull lift ring,not just a bow eye. plain jane rub r, no vinyl insert. no aircraft nuts anywhere. my 82 has nylock nuts, bolts on the glovebox install! project skater no washers on the windscreen at all. i hope they havent continued building in this direction. Art.

[skialot2]

My 1989 checkmate has the HIN # written in magic marker on the underside of the deck in front of the dashboard. I thought it was just to keep the two halves together from the mold. Sometimes if you take a picture of the HIN and then enlarge it you may be able to make out the outline of the numbers. Depending on which #s you can't read, it might help to know the first 3 digits are the make. My checkmate is CHK. Skater would probably be SKA, SKT or SKR. The next 5 digits are the serial #. The next 2 are the month of the build. Usually, a letter and number. Jan = A1, Feb = B2 and so on until Oct = 10, Nov= 11 The last 2 numbers are the year of the boat. So, your last 2 # should be 84. New York does not issue titles for boats older than 1987. If your boat was last registered in New York over 10 years ago, any record has been purged from the computer system. They will not be able to give you any info from the old reg #. NY has a form to register a non titled vehicle if all paperwork is lost. It's form MV51B. But you need a picture or tracing of the HIN. Maybe Florida can do the same thing. Call FL DMV and ask what to do.
Worst case scenario, I think you have made yourself a very nice homemade copy of an old skater boat.