| The thought of unwittingly purchasing a | | | | hull and registration number. This is called |
| stolen boat does not occur to most boat | | | | the "homemade boat" provision which provides |
| buyers. When it happens it doesn't make the | | | | the opportunity for a great deal of mischief. |
| morning paper or the evening TV news. Yet the | | | | Let's say, for example, that I acquired a |
| number of small boats that are stolen each | | | | 1976, 29' Seabird hull and completely rebuilt |
| year has been steadily increasing for several | | | | it with new deck, interior and engines, etc. |
| decades, to the point where it involves | | | | I could apply for a new title under the |
| several hundred thousand boats annually | | | | homemade boat provision and be assigned an |
| across the nation. The odds of running across | | | | entirely new hull number and title. In |
| one of these has become uncomfortably high. | | | | Florida, the new number assigned would have |
| | | | an FLZ prefix that indicates a homemade boat. |
| The risk of the stolen boat being discovered | | | | The problem here is that stolen boat artists |
| is also increasing. All over the nation, the | | | | can do the same thing with any stolen boat. |
| legions of bounty hunters roaming the docks | | | | Therefore, any boat with an FLZ prefix should |
| and marinas are also increasing. Thus, the | | | | be viewed with great caution. |
| chance of someone who unwittingly purchases | | | | |
| one of these boats of loosing it is fairly | | | | The problem with this registration number is |
| high. | | | | painfully obvious - its got one too many |
| | | | digits. But not really. The "1" between the L |
| In the state of Florida alone, which has | | | | and 4 is not a stick-on number but the |
| about one million registered boats, based on | | | | residue from a number that was removed. Here, |
| insurance records, I estimate that up to | | | | the adhesive was blackened with crushed |
| 5,000 boats are reported as stolen annually. | | | | pencil lead to make the missing number show |
| Some are stripped and destroyed, others are | | | | up. The original number was 1438 but had been |
| shipped out to foreign countries, but the | | | | altered to 4387. |
| vast majority of stolen boats end up being | | | | |
| altered in various ways and resold in other | | | | Another tip off may come from evidence that |
| areas or states. | | | | stick-on lettering for state registration |
| | | | numbers have been changed. Sometimes the hull |
| Stolen boat cases are often involved in | | | | finish will have faded and the old numbers |
| insurance fraud. Unscrupulous owners who get | | | | can be seen. In other cases, the remaining |
| in financial trouble rather frequently will | | | | gum residue of the old letters may be |
| sell the boat for whatever he can get for it | | | | apparent, or can be shown up by rubbing a |
| and, at the same time, report it stolen and | | | | little dirt over them. The dirt will stick to |
| try to collect the insurance. Its a quick way | | | | the nearly invisible adhesive and be shown up |
| to make a lot of money if they can get away | | | | more clearly. Because a number is supposed to |
| with it. This scam has become so widespread | | | | remain for the life of the boat, unless its |
| that both insurance companies and state | | | | been moved from another state, there is not |
| agencies are very much on the alert. Many | | | | likely any good reason for the change. I have |
| state agencies have stepped up their review | | | | discovered several boats this way. |
| procedures of title and registration changes | | | | |
| so that more and more of these frauds are | | | | More stolen boats are discovered through |
| being discovered. The problem for the boat | | | | inconsistencies in the paper work than any |
| buyer here is that this greatly increases the | | | | other means. Federal law requires that when |
| chance of his unwitting purchase of a stolen | | | | state registration numbers are assigned, that |
| boat being discovered. When that happens, he | | | | number remains with the boat unless its |
| may find himself involved in costly | | | | reregistered in another state. And herein |
| litigation. | | | | lies yet another means for thieves to try to |
| | | | legitimize a stolen boat. Transference of |
| Most people who purchase a stolen boat are | | | | registrations and titles from one state to |
| never aware of the fact that they own one | | | | another provide a much easier means for the |
| unless its discovered by a state title | | | | thief to provide false proof of ownership. |
| agency, or the small army of bounty hunters | | | | The reason being that its harder, if not |
| commissioned by insurance companies that are | | | | impossible, for the state bureaucracy to make |
| searching for them. The bad news is that even | | | | a thorough check of another state's records. |
| though one may have no knowledge of having | | | | And bureaucrats, being what they are, usually |
| purchased a stolen boat, when it is | | | | won't make that effort. Buyers should be |
| discovered the new owner has to forfeit the | | | | extra cautious when looking at an |
| boat, usually with no recourse for recovery | | | | out-of-state boat in their home state. |
| of his loss. Even worse, he may even find | | | | |
| himself trying to fend off criminal charges | | | | Also be wary when "things just don't seem |
| of conspiracy or being in possession of | | | | right." I know that's a rather vague |
| stolen property. | | | | statement, but here are some examples. The |
| | | | owner is a person who never appears and is |
| As many as a half-dozen times per year I run | | | | always represented by a "friend". Used boats |
| across boats that have anomalies in either | | | | normally have a lot of the owner's cast-offs |
| the hull or registration numbers. In fact, | | | | on board. Beware of a boat that is totally |
| most stolen boats that are resold have only a | | | | devoid of the little things like useless junk |
| minor change in the H.I.N. or Hull | | | | in drawers and so on. The boat appears to be |
| Identification Number. Because these numbers | | | | economically beyond the means of the seller. |
| are only molded into the plastic of the hull, | | | | While its not nice to stereotype people, |
| it is a very simply matter to alter it. Hull | | | | sometimes there's just cause for suspicion. |
| numbers can be completely changed, or it may | | | | If the boat and the owner somehow just don't |
| only have one or a few digits altered. Either | | | | see to "fit," don't ignore the disparity. |
| way, its a process that a thief can | | | | |
| accomplish in less than an hour. | | | | A boat buyer can perform his own |
| | | | investigation by following this procedure: |
| One of the above hull numbers was | | | | |
| fraudulently altered. Can you tell which one? | | | | Immediately be suspicious of any hull number |
| The center number was altered by the builder. | | | | that shows the slightest sign of not being |
| It is legitimate despite the ragged | | | | exactly right. |
| appearance of the impression. the right | | | | |
| number is unaltered. The number at left is | | | | Obtain from the owner as much paper work as |
| not a bad picture, but a number on a stolen | | | | possible. Find out how long he has owned the |
| boat. The tip-off is the indistinctness of | | | | boat and get copies of all prior |
| the numbers that showed obvious signs of | | | | registrations. Examine all official documents |
| alteration. | | | | for any sign that they have been altered. You |
| | | | would be amazed at how many thieves simply |
| But what about other identification numbers | | | | alter numbers on titles and registrations. |
| such as engine serial numbers, you may ask? | | | | |
| How do thieves alter these numbers? Ah, | | | | Be wary of any seller who has owned the boat |
| there's the problem for the poor soul who | | | | for less than a year. |
| purchases a stolen boat. It is a very rare | | | | |
| instance when insurance surveyors or bounty | | | | Be wary of freshly painted or refurbished |
| hunters find boats on which the engine | | | | boats. |
| numbers have been changed or removed. That | | | | |
| means that the engine numbers remain as a | | | | Owners that can't provide any records such as |
| means of positively identifying a stolen | | | | repair invoices and so on should be cause for |
| boat. And if its discovered, the owner will | | | | suspicion. Most boat owners keep good records |
| surely loose it. | | | | and there's no reason why they should not at |
| | | | least let you see them. |
| Fortunately, its a fairly simple matter to | | | | |
| follow certain procedures to make sure that | | | | Contact the state titling agency and verify |
| the boat you are contemplating purchasing is | | | | the hull and registration number against the |
| legitimately owned by the seller. Consider | | | | seller's name and address. Be wary of any |
| the following important points. | | | | inconsistencies. This can be done by phone in |
| | | | most states. |
| Be extremely wary of a hull number that | | | | |
| appears to be obscured in any way. When older | | | | Ask to see the title and registration before |
| boats have been repainted, often the numbers | | | | signing a purchase agreement or giving a |
| are painted over so that they're difficult or | | | | deposit. If there is more than one owner, |
| even impossible to read. On the other hand, | | | | such as a husband and wife, ask to speak to |
| this may have been an intentional act to make | | | | the other party. Don't get caught in a |
| the number impossible to read. Most of my | | | | divorce situation where one party completes |
| clients don't even think twice about missing | | | | the sale by means of theft from the other. |
| or obscured numbers, and that can be a big | | | | |
| mistake. Regard any hull number that is not | | | | For federally documented vessels, use a |
| perfectly clear with great suspicion. If a | | | | professional documentation service and make |
| number is completely or even partially | | | | sure that they obtain and provide you with a |
| obscured, do not accept the explanation that | | | | copy of the document abstract. Do not |
| this happened during repainting. Assume the | | | | complete the purchase until you have |
| worst until proven otherwise. | | | | thoroughly reviewed this document. Make sure |
| | | | that all liens have been settled. |
| Be wary of any hull number that shows any | | | | |
| sign of having been altered. Hull numbers can | | | | Approach any boat with great caution that is |
| be changed by grinding out the old and | | | | being sold by a dealer which does not have |
| molding a new number in place with new | | | | it's own registration numbers, but instead |
| gelcoat. Because gelcoat material fades and | | | | has dealer numbers on it that the dealer will |
| changes color with time, this operation may | | | | remove. The odds are high that there is a |
| make the presence of new gelcoat rather | | | | problem. |
| obvious if one is looking closely. There | | | | |
| should be no ripples or waviness around the | | | | Watch out for boats that have been recently |
| numbers. Be suspicious if the molding surface | | | | brought to your state from another. |
| is not smooth and the numbers very clear and | | | | |
| distinct. | | | | Examine all official documents carefully for |
| | | | evidence of alteration. Accept only originals |
| Check closely for signs that any number has | | | | and not photocopies. |
| been altered. Examples are turning a 1 into a | | | | |
| seven, a 5 into an 8, and so on. Alterations | | | | Don't purchase a vessel that came from a |
| on smaller boats are sometimes laughably | | | | non-titling state such as Alabama. The odds |
| crude. | | | | are extremely high that the boat is not |
| | | | legitimate. |
| It happens rather frequently that builders | | | | |
| change the numbers on their own boats. Many | | | | Examine the hull sides on the bow for |
| state laws allow a builder to change a number | | | | evidence that registration numbers have been |
| of a boat that has been in their own stock | | | | removed or altered. Frequently changes will |
| from one model year to another so long as it | | | | be visible by gum residue or the outline of |
| has not been sold. Frequently, these number | | | | numbers against faded gelcoat or paint. |
| changes look very suspicious. Often they're | | | | |
| perfectly legitimate, but its foolhardy not | | | | Another means of checking are the variety of |
| to check. Call the builder and ask about it. | | | | registration stickers provided by many |
| They are usually very cooperative in this | | | | states. These stickers usually have a decal |
| regard. | | | | number that can be followed up on with the |
| | | | state. Crooks frequently overlook this subtle |
| Many states have a provision in their titling | | | | point. The decal numbers must match the |
| law that allows for the reassignment of a | | | | registration. |