Boat identification and HIN help

Hello from Chattanooga Tn! I purchased my first boat a few days ago and I need some help identifing it so I can register it. The seller said it was his dads who had pass away and he/the son had little info on the boat. He seemed lagit. The maximum capacity plate on the inside of the boat is bleached out as well as with most of the HIN number. I can make out one letter in the manufacturing Code, an (M). Then 92728 M83I.
Ill try to get up some photo when I get to a desk top. Thanks in advance!

16' Fiberglass Jon/Fishing Boat

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

Hi, and welcome. You haven't given us enough info to assist you. Was there no paperwork at all with the boat?? Can the sellers provide any clues as to its age?? Try looking at that HIN plate in different light conditions or with a magnifying glass!

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

HINs have 12 digits. They start with a manufacturers ID code (MIC), for example ABC. The next five digits are assigned by the manufacturer. yours seems to have five digits 92728. The last four are the model year and date of manufacture M means model year 83 is the model year, the I indicates what month in that model year, April 1983. The model year starts in August and runs through July (August 1, 1982 to July 31, 1983). What we need is the MIC. But if it isn't there look for other clues. Does it have a capacity label? The manufacturers name should be on the label. Is there a model name or manufacture name on the outside of the boat. Even though the boat was made in 1983, there may be a copy of the HIN in a concealed location on the interior of the boat. Look under and behind things. This was a requirement after 1984 but some manufacturers did it voluntarily before that.

Photo graphs would help. Take them from the side, front, back, and above.

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

I'm guessing you are going to have a tough time without the registration, signed by the previous owner of record.

I don't see any registration numbers on the boat. Was it not registered?

Go back to the seller and get the paperwork from him.

You will need the HIN and a bill of sale for sure.
Looks like Tn allows the county to also set additional requirements.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency - Boat Registrations

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

Welcome aboard Walden ... as a guess, that boat may well have been a custom build outta' an old hull. Tri-hulls lost popularity through the 80s, so most of them are pre-1990. Someone did some nice work on the interior of that boat and it looks rather recent.

What did the previous owner's registration call the manufacturer? Also, did you get the HIN from the capacity plate or off the stern (generally stamped into the stern just below the rub-rail).

Welcome aboard!

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

welcome aboard!

It's a cool looking boat and one of the few that I've seen posted here with missing titles that may be worth pursuing. Titling/registering an old boat is a huge chore and full of road blocks, but it has to be done. Maybe there's a process in Tenn to take it out of an estate that is easier than a straight sale?

The hull makes me think of a Boston Whaler or clone (McKee comes to mind) based on the double transom. Maybe someone who was good at fiberglass took an old BW hull and added the top side.

But even if you find out it was once a whaler or whatever, that doesn't solve your big problem and that's getting it registered.

I see it has never been registered. That may work to your advantage, as some states have proceedures for boats made before registration was required and registering for the first time, or for homemade boats. Stay good friends with your seller because you are going to need him.

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

Thanks for all the reply's. I searched everywhere last night for a secondary information plate, but came up empty. I called the seller to ask about registration stickers and he told me his dad had painted the boat before he passed and thats why there are no numbers. The seller is going to make some calls and see what he can find out. I wish I could give you guys more clues, but this is what I have to go on as of right now. UPDATE: While I was typing this the seller texted back saying he thinks it is a Polar Craft. I typed this Manufacture name into the Coast Guard Manufacture Identification search and it came up with no match:frusty:. So the info I have now is partially legible HIN 92723 M83I and a seller who says the manufacture was Polar Craft. Any help would greatly be appreciated. This my be a weak question, but can I take the HIN info I have minus the MIC and have TWRA / County clerk run it through the data base?

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

Since I was the guy who created that database and maintained it for many years until I retired, I think I can help. Polar Kraft (spelled with a K) had the MIC PLR. They are located in Syracuse Indiana, and still in business. phone 574.522.8381 Polar Kraft Boats
Get in touch with them.. they also have an owners club at Owners Club Get some photos of the boat to send to them. They may be able to identify it for you if it is a Polar Kraft. Manufacturers are required to keep a list of first purchasers for doing recalls, so if this is a Polar Kraft they will have a record of the HIN and who it was sold to.

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

waldensridge said:

This my be a weak question, but can I take the HIN info I have minus the MIC and have TWRA / County clerk run it through the data base?

Click to expand...

Negative ... in fact, you need to make sure you get a solid bill of sale from the seller before you treat that boat like you bought it. You don't title boats in TN, but you do register them. That registration is NOT the sticker on the boat ... there is a paper registration. You register the boat through the county clerk, and then get your tag through the TWRA.

Generally it's pretty easy in TN to get the paperwork done, but make sure you have it wrapped up.

Good luck with Polar Kraft!

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

Thanks for your time guys. The boat was last registered in Ga, so search is taking me across bureaucratic statelines:facepalm:. I'll keep you informed.
I'm posting an engine question in another topic board if you guys have time.

Re: Boat identification and HIN help

You can try just taking a bill of sale from the previous owner into the county clerk to see what will happen. Depending on your county clerk, it may not be so tough.