hull ID

[ddbiiz]

Wondering how to install vin numbers on hull? Any suggestions?

OD18
Don

[JustRight]

I used one of the vibrating engraving tools to engrave into the fiberglass. Then I flow coated with epoxy and painted. The letters are visible and fairly secure.

[ddbiiz]

I didn't think engraver would do good enough job. Thanks for your input gotta love this site!!

OD18
DON

[stickystuff]

If you know anybody that has a labeling machine you can punch out your Vin No's with it. Epoxy it on the Starbord side of your transom. Coat it with epoxy and it should stay in place.. Also if you have access to some metal lettering punches you might be able to punch the no's in the hull with them.

[BilltheCat]

For $5.00 - go down to WalMart and use the engraving vending machine and with three lines you can put on some extra data - like design/builder/year of construction - then epoxy to the transom.

Dave

[Boomer]

Mr. Low tech here.

I print them on my inkjet (usually use mailing lables but have used plain paper) , glue to boat, etch with Dremel tool and carbide tip, clean of label, fill with paint.

[Skydad]

The Wildlife & Fisheries Agent that inspected my boat applied a placard to the transom with the HIN on it. He also applied another one in a secret, almost inaccesible area so that if the boat is ever stolen and someone changes the HIN, it can still be identified. He said all of the factory boats have HIN's located in two places, one only known to the manufacturer, except Boston Whaler has the HIN in three places.

[Mango]

Here in Texas the state makes the builder place the HIN like the others describe (and I might add that the bureaucratic process in Texas really SUCKS), but Alabama was the same as Skydad describes in Louisiana.

Interestingly, the V12 I built in Alabama has the smooth (not embossed) placard that was placed by the state on it, and I have the original VIN assignment papers from Alabama, but the Great Republic of Texas, in all it's infinite wisdom, requires that I perform a pencil tracing over the VIN to register the boat. For some strange reason, when I do the tracing, the non-embossed VIN doesn't show up . So I'm just using the unregistered, untaxed V12 to row and sail; I can motor my GF16 all I want with my embossed Texas VIN on it.

[ddbiiz]

Here in South Carolina you have to have vin number in the two places like stated, but in has to be installed so that if it is removed there would be obvious damage.

OD18
Don

[Skydad]

Wes, Why don't you emboss the HIN with one of those little tape machines, trace it with a pencil on a piece of paper and send it in. Then you can stick the tape someplace on the boat and the heck with Texas. By the way, I just finished re-doing an aluminum Flat boat I bought a year and a half ago and on checking the HIN against my registration paper, I found that the last digit was a 6 on the papers, but a 5 on the boat. Wildlife & Fisheries made the mistake, thank God. I had to do the pencil tracing to send them to get the registration corrected and had to make a tape to do it since the original HIN wouldn't trace. No problem.