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Boat Registration

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 9:22 pm
by stanyon
[I am] just watching our local news tonight and they reported that all boats must have a US Coast Guard approved [Hull Identification] Number permanently attached to the boat, and this is a nationwide requirement.

I am assuming that my [boat's] stencil numbered ID will not satisfy [the regulation]. Sounded like I needed to take a picture of the existing number to my local tax man and they would then give me a new number. Having the new number I then have to get [two] metal tags made with the new number and attach one to the exterior of the boat and one to the interior.

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 3:25 am
by jimh
Please read the FAQ. It will explain hull identification numbers. The regulations have been in effect for decades--since 1971 or 46 years. Local TV News is not particularly informative.

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 9:09 pm
by stanyon
Below is what I was referring to, and is only taking effect with 2017 registration applications

Changes to hull identification number (HIN) standards effective January 1, 2017

All state titled vessels must have a 12-character HIN that meets federal standards as required by the Coast Guard. See Hull Identification Number (HIN) Display Instructions for the

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 10:17 am
by jimh
Looks like your state regulations end with a

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 7:43 pm
by stanyon
http://www.nasbla.org/files/VIRT/2016/A ... deline.pdf
This is suppose to be the new guidelines as required by the Coast Guard

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 9:42 pm
by Hoosier
This thread inks to the NASBLA document about HIN requirements. What I didn't know is that there is supposed to be a second HIN plate hidden on the boat. How does one find out where this hidden HIN is on a Whaler?

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Sat May 20, 2017 10:16 am
by jimh
HOOSIER--in following with the initial course of this discussion, I think you should watch your local TV news for the information you are seeking about the secret and undisclosed location of the second HIN number. In particular, watch for the "investigative journalist" segment of the broadcast.

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Sat May 20, 2017 10:23 am
by jimh
Regarding the linked documented mentioned above as promulgated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, I did find some information contained therein that seems to have been omitted from the local TV news broadcast that was the initial subject of this discussion. In particular, I note the following:

Boats Affected by Federal Regulations

Vessels imported or manufactured prior to November 1, 1972 do not fall within the regulations, but may be treated as such by the states[.]

Source: http://www.nasbla.org/files/VIRT/2016/A ... deline.pdf, unnumbered folio, page 22 of 41 of the digital document file.

On boats built prior to November 1, 1972 [s]tates are not required to [generate] a [s]tate HIN but may do so.

Source: http://www.nasbla.org/files/VIRT/2016/A ... deline.pdf, unnumbered folio, page 35 of 41 of the digital document file.

I do not find that the publishing organization, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), to have any particular authority in this area. Their advice appears to be advisory and does not have regulatory implications. On that basis, I don't see how there can be nationwide concern about the possibility of difficulty in registration of an older Boston Whaler boat made prior to 1972 that has no manufacturer-provided, federally-compliant HIN. Whether or not a particular state will permit registration of such a vessel seems to be entirely left to the state to determine.

The linked document does contain a specific reference to actual federal law:

33 CFR ยง 174.16 (b)
As of January 1, 2017, before taking any action relating to a vessel imported or manufactured on or after November 1, 1972, the issuing authority must determine whether the vessel has a primary HIN meeting the requirements of 33 CFR part 181, subpart C.

Source: http://www.nasbla.org/files/VIRT/2016/A ... deline.pdf, unnumbered folio, page 4 of 41 of the digital document file.

A better source of information on federal regulation for this specific section is perhaps found at

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/174.16

From that source, I quote:

As of January 1, 2017, before taking any action relating to a vessel imported or manufactured on or after November 1, 1972, the issuing authority must determine whether the vessel has a primary HIN meeting the requirements of 33 CFR part 181, subpart C.


Note that there is no mention in the federal regulations that the states "may" apply the same regulations to boats made prior to November 1, 1972. The notion that states "may" apply the same regulations to boats that were built 45-years ago seems to have been invented by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.

It would be rather stupid for a state to add to its own administrative burden of boat registration the additional task of creating state-generated HIN numbers for 45-year-old boats that complied with all the minutia of the federal regulations. That a state would do this, however, is not beyond belief. Some bureaucracies love to generate more work for themselves.

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 11:25 pm
by mrbeal
First post, first boat (not even in the water yet) and I have an interesting tidbit regarding HIN and registration.

While reading and learning I found that [in the state of Massachusetts] a pencil rubbing of the HIN is a REQUIREMENT for first time registration of a boat. I'm assuming that means my 2000 that has been registered before but not by me will need that proof of HIN. The information I read did specifically say "first time registration". Renewals can still be done on-line.

Re: Boat Registration

Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 7:45 am
by jimh
From my own experience: I have owned three Boston Whaler boats, all made after 1972 and thus all having been made originally with a HIN that complies with the requirements of federal law. I purchased all three boats from individual sellers as used boats. I registered all three boats in my state. The registration authority did not require that I provide any particular proof the boat's HIN. I just filled in the HIN from the boat in the appropriate field on the form to register the boat.

From a comparison of my experience to the experience that 'BEAL anticipates will occur in the future when he attempts to register his post-1972 boat: I conclude that different registration authorities have different practices or that perhaps there is a general increase in diligence in verification of vessel identity among registration authorities.

My conclusion: so far there are NO REPORTS of actual problems in registration of older Boston Whaler boats with any registration authority that have occurred due to any recent change in federal regulations. If such a problem does occur in the future, a first-hand report of the circumstances would be interesting to have appended to this discussion.