HIN wrong on title

[crackedglass]

Re: HIN wrong on title

An update on this boat and the wrong HIN number on registration.
I tried to register the boat using the old registration, with the wrong number, they wouldn't do it since the number comes back as an invalid HIN. When they check the correct HIN, it comes back with no history, never existed,never sold so the HIN number was most likely wrong from day one. Who knows what was on the original Cert. of Origin or who last had that.
The boat's hull numbers do not match the HIN, they probably never have.
The PA registration numbers come back as no record found, so their so old their off the books now. I get no answer from the local notary on how to fix this, I can't register the boat with the old registration since the numbers are wrong, and I can' use the correct numbers since I don't have an old registration or proof of ownership for those numbers.
I was totally wrong, they are not smart enough to see that someone screwed up two numbers, they see it as a fraudulent document or tampered HIN, the problem is that no one knows what I need to do to fix this. The last registered owner no longer resides at that address, maybe not even in PA or possibly deceased for all I know. It may be time for one of those lost title services and simply cut my losses as far as the time I've been wasting trying to fix this and get this registered. I just don't feel like spending $300 for a title, then to have to pay to title and register it here too.

 

[Peter Eikenberry]

Re: HIN wrong on title

call this person to get this fixed.

If you need assistance with this call **** Blackman at the USCG Office of Boating Safety at 202-372-1073 He should be back from the Miami Boat Show on Feb 17. If he is not, ask for Po Chang. Actually anyone there can help.

If you get no help let me know and I will call the right people and get you some action.

 

[crackedglass]

Re: HIN wrong on title

call this person to get this fixed.



If you get no help let me know and I will call the right people and get you some action.

I'll give it a try but I called the nearest CG station to me and they told me it was a PA Div. of Fish and Game issue. The problem is with the state having made an error in the paperwork many years ago. Too long ago to to even trace back to. I'm not sure the CG can do anything to change the numbers on the title. What basically needs to happen is that this boat needs a brand new title, the old registration card, with the wrong numbers can't be changed, it just gets abandoned and a new registration must be written. The problem is that the state sees this a different boat than the one which was on that old registration.

I wonder what would have happened if I had owned the boat all along with the wrong number, would they have all at once decided that the HIN on the registration was invalid and stopped renewing it? I suppose the old registration was done prior to computers being used, or at least prior them being able to varify a valid HIN number.
They also keep changing what they require to be on the bill of sale which accompanies the registration, so far I've had to have it rewritten 5 times and notarized each time.

 

[South_Bound]

Re: HIN wrong on title

I'd get it registered and then go back and tell them there is a typo. Just seems like the path of least resistance.

 

[Peter Eikenberry]

Re: HIN wrong on title

Contacting the local CG was ok but the fact is they simply don't know what the process is. No one can know evertything and they have a lot on their plate. The only (and I do mean only) ones who can authorize correction of an HIN is USCG HQ.

Here it is from 33 CFR Code of Federal Regs:
Sec. 181.35 Removal of numbers. No person may remove or alter a number required by this subpart unless authorized by the Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard

What that means is the only one who can fix this for you is the Recreational Boating Product Assurance Division at USCG HQ. I used to be the guy there who did this. I retired.

They are the ones who issue manufacturer ID codes (the first three digits of the HIN) and they are the only ones who can say what the correct HIN should be for this boat.

What they will do depends on your circumstances, but most likely they will issue you a letter stating what the correct HIN is and may authorize you to correct the HIN on the boat. You will have to provide them with all of the documents and probably photos of the HIN on the boat as well.

That letter will be your ticket to get the state to register the boat.

 

[crackedglass]

Re: HIN wrong on title

Well, after 5 weeks and many miles I finally got a title with the correct numbers. What I ended up doing was taking it out of state, to NJ, using a work address there, then went to the DMV in NJ with the boat, and a signed notarized reciept for the boat from the last PA owner. I forgot about the old PA reg with the wrong numbers, and buffed off the numbers on the bow, which would no doubt come back as being wrong for that HIN.
They made me take it for a HIN inspection at the nearest State Marine Police Station, they then did an NCIC check, prior registration check in all surounding states, which came up with nothing, then gave me a paper to return to the DMV with with instructions and a statement saying that the boat I had in my possession was indeed not stolen or registered elsewhere. The NJ MVS then issued me a clean NJ title in my name for the boat. I then transfered that title to PA, who now will give me a current title with the right numbers. (the wrong boat numbers died when I scrubbed of the old hull numbers, and it seems that the real numbers were never on record anywhere). In their eyes, I'm the first to ever register this boat. I talked to several others who have gone through the same mess with boats from PA with wrong numbers, most were screwed up from day one.
I did find out that NJ will not accept an expired registration from PA as proof of ownership, they require that if you do have a good registration with numbers that match, it must be current and not expired, so even if my registration wasn't mis printed, it was 10 years old, so it was worthless either way.

I now have a clear, correct PA title in hand. The boat is no registered to me in PA. Going over the bridge to NJ was closer and easier than going to Harrisburg and dealing with the mess of trying to fix a 20+ year old error. It was easier to let them find it as a new boat altogether and issue me a new title. This way all numbers match. Its not like anything was illegal or anything, I just took the easiest route to solve a problem that was quickly becoming a royal pain. It's basically the same thing as those online title services would have done only I did it myself. A little more legwork and a 40 mile drive to get the boat inspected but it's all fixed now.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: HIN wrong on title

Glad to hear that you got things straightened out. Too bad that such an obvious mistake, resulted in something that one of the geniuses at the PA DMV, couldn't just recognise as such and fix.

Oh well, I guess that's why "we" pay them the big bucks!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: HIN wrong on title

Wow quite the process. Glad you got it worked out. I guess I was very fortunate with my boat. The person I bought it from bought it as a project (which he never started) and had never registered it. So basically there was NO paperwork of any kind. It had PA reg numbers on it though. I work in Harrisburg (actually 1/4 mile up the road from Fish & Boat) and I went to them and they were very helpful. All they had to do was send a letter to the prior registered owner. If they didn't get a reply my registration would go through. I even got a temp sticker in the meantime. It was a surprisingly pleasant experience.

 

[mphy98]

Re: HIN wrong on title

register like it is then call them later and tell them they made a mistake and blame them and tell them they need to correct their mistake

This would be a huge mistake. The DMV or DNR scans everything and keeps everything forever. I would however just register it as is, I doubt if the g for 6 will ever come out of anything for an old aluminum boat.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: HIN wrong on title

This would be a huge mistake. The DMV or DNR scans everything and keeps everything forever. I would however just register it as is, I doubt if the g for 6 will ever come out of anything for an old aluminum boat.

It sounds like he did the right thing, it got him a title with the least amount of trouble.

With today's computer systems, they would have certainly caught the HIN number as being incorrect, a number where there should be a letter would no doubt show up as a bad HIN. It then would have set off all sorts of alarms. By going the route he did, he circumvented a lot of bs.
You can't count on anyone seeing a simple mistake as just that these days.
I was waiting to here that they confiscated the boat or something pending an investigation just because someone 20 years ago couldn't type or read the right numbers.
Most of the time, the employees at the DMV are only following the rules, they don't judge or try to make decisions. If the numbers don't match, it's not the same vehicle, end of story. Its up to you to make it right, not them.
Unfortunately most people give up long before the problem is solved.

If it were my boat, I'd have done the same thing, I'd probably have just gone the abandoned title route and forgot about the wrong numbers altogether. Having those only complicated things. To the DMV, it's not the same boat, no matter who or where the mistake was made.

What matters now it that he has a valid title for the boat in hand with matching numbers that he can use.