I need some help here. I bought a 1991 Mk 1.5 two years ago through a UK brokerage.
Everything seemed fine until recently when it became apparent that the boats paper history didnt match the boat!
I have a paper trail going way back to 1990 but its for a HIN CTYR1076C090. The actual yacht has HIN CTYR1136A191. The only paper with A191 on it is the survey I commissioned.I asked the broker for the correct papers but was advised to grind out the HIN and that he would provide a copy of the survey with the HIN space blank!I refused of course and am now involving police etc.
Does this sort of thing happen anywhere else or has any member ever come across anything like this?
Cheers!
—
Paul H.
Paul-
In the US, boats of 30 feet in length or more can be documented with the federal government (via the Coast Guard). They maintain a very tight paper trail of ownership. The other option is State Registration which from my experience, is still pretty tight on documenting details, but might have more tendency to be of error. In any event, a good surveyor would likely note any discrepancy prior to purchase. If things get "sticky" perhaps you may have a position against the surveyor to recoup damages? I would also think the Broker may also have some liability.
I'm sure it does happen in the US, but I've never come across it in my 40 years+ of boating
Best of luck
Paul & Wendy Keyser
"First Light"
Rye NH
2005 C36 MKII #2257
Wing, M35B
Paul;
Regrets that this is happening to you. A few years back, I did take a boat to survey ( A Nonsuch 30) located in the Florida Keys, where the surveyor did pick up on the fact that the HIN on the prospective boat did not match the paper work and title records. A further investigation showed that the original boat bearing the evident HIN number had been subject to several outstanding leans that were never satisfied. The current owner never realized that he had purchased a boat with outstanding leans against it and was left with quite a dilemea .
You might contact the factory in Largo, FL to see if they can be of assistance for idenifying the original owner.
A quick search of this forum shows a post from some one in the UK indicating that he owned hull 1076.. Perhaps you could contact him to see if he might be of help;
Put 1076 in to the search box in this forum and you'll come up with his post plus name and address in the UK.
Keep us posted.
Bill
Reference https://www.catalina36.org/members/technical/maintenance/check-your-fuel...
Bill Dolan 1990 Catalina C-36 MKI - Hull #1041 'Williwaw'
Std. Rig, Walk Through, Wing Keel
M35, Oberdorfer Conversion,
Home Waters; Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands of Florida
'You are never out of work if you own a boat'
Hi we are based in the uk they are very good with registrations of boats over 30ft , they have the SSR that you can trace owners ect , In the UK something like that would be down to the survey and the broker if you want to PM me with some history I can do some digging ,its all very black and white over here
cheers kenny
Geileis
Hull 1489
1995
Fin Keel
U shape Lounge
Westerbeke M35 engine
Mikuni heating
Second best thing that ever happened to me
Paul
Whatever you do, DO NOT grind off the HIN number. It is a felony to grind off or alter this number in the U.S. and I would think it is a serious crime in the U.K. also.
__/)__/)__/)__Capt Mike__/)__/)__/)__
Punta Gorda Florida
1990 Std WK M35 Hull #1050