How to look for a Boats History
So you're looking for a boatfax to get the history of a boat huh? And you've stumbled upon the website BoatHistoryReport.com. But now they need the HIN? And you don't even know what that is, do you? No worries!! That's why I've created this site. Attaining a HIN, or Hull Identification Number is easy. Its the equivalent to the vehicle identification number, the same number that Carfax and Autocheck use to run their reports. But it's not located under the windshield on the dashboard or on the inside of the drivers side door. The HIN is located on the back of the vessel, also known as the transom, in the upper most right corner and must be at least 1/4 inch high. It is a series of 12 characters that became federally regulated in 1972 through the combined efforts of the United States Coast Guard and the Federal Government. This number, essentially the boats social security number, uniquely identifies each and every boat through the use of the manufacturers index code (or MIC), a serial number portion (5 digits) and a combination of the boats certification month and year as well as the model year of the boat. By inputting this information into BoatHistoryReport.com's HIN validator, you are able to access their database consisting of 1000's of sources and files.
Alright- so now you understand why you use the HIN but you still dont really understand what the HIN means and how it's developed. No problem. That's what I am here for. Lets start with the purpose of the HIN. The HIN is used to distinguish each boat individually from others. It is used for record purposes should anything be documented against the hull. It is also used to help signify which boats have been involved in recalls or defects from the manufacturer. Should your boat be stolen, the HIN becomes crucial in retrieving and ensuring the boat is not resold. Please note that the HIN and State registration numbers are two very different numbers and are located and displayed very differently. There are many reasons for the HIN, just as there are for the VIN which is why the format has been standardized and is required by Federal Law.
Alright- so now you understand why you use the HIN but you still dont really understand what the HIN means and how it's developed. No problem. That's what I am here for. Lets start with the purpose of the HIN. The HIN is used to distinguish each boat individually from others. It is used for record purposes should anything be documented against the hull. It is also used to help signify which boats have been involved in recalls or defects from the manufacturer. Should your boat be stolen, the HIN becomes crucial in retrieving and ensuring the boat is not resold. Please note that the HIN and State registration numbers are two very different numbers and are located and displayed very differently. There are many reasons for the HIN, just as there are for the VIN which is why the format has been standardized and is required by Federal Law.