Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by coolbanana on 07/04/13 - 8:04 PM

I just bought a trailer that has a 13 sport sourpuss whaler on it. I had to take boat to get the trailer which I needed for a jon boat. After cleaning all the leaves and trash out, its not in to bad a shape. Before I spend time to fix it up is there any way I can get it registered somehow? the hull number is missing as far as I can tell, but it was last registered in Mississippi according to bow number and decals. I live in Pensacola florida and would appreaciate any info that I could get. I would hate to trash the boat because I could not register it. Thanks for any and all help

Posted by zappaddles on 07/05/13 - 4:06 AM

The hull could possibly never have had a number molded into it; boats prior to 1973 were not required to have one. There could be a stencil number instead. Look in the bow locker and in the splash-well for a stenciled alpha-numeric number that would look something like this: 3A2864 or similar. Contact your local Fish and Wildlife office for further information. Hope this helps.

Posted by flippa on 07/05/13 - 6:12 AM

If you are looking for this number in order to register/title the boat, and the hull identification numbers are not visible, you may have to get your State to issue you a new one.

I had a similar issue when I went to apply for a title for my 1978 Outrage 21. The numbers on the transom were not visible. Don't know how Florida deal with this problem, but in Massachusetts the State assigns a new HIN. I had to trailer the boat up to Gloucester to have the Environmental Police issue a new number.

Per the attached link;

If your vessel is homemade or built before 1972, or does not have a proper HIN, contact the Massachusetts Environmental Police, 1-800-632-8075, to inspect the vessel. The inspecting officer will affix a state-assigned Hull Identification Number (HIN) to the vessel.

http://www.boat-ed.com/ma/handbook/boatnumbers.htm

Edited by flippa on 07/05/13 - 6:13 AM

Posted by kamie on 07/05/13 - 11:48 AM

I assume it's an early one, blue interior that has no HIN plate? There should be a stencil number visible in the stern, that was used to register it before HIN was available. Not sure what FL requires but with the stencil number and a bill of sale you should be able to get a title for it. You might be able to get the current title from Mississippi, but I would see what FL will do for you first.

Posted by coolbanana on 07/05/13 - 6:38 PM

Thanks for all the responses to my question. I was looking around on the sight some more and saw where the hull stencil was supposed to be and realized someone had put a thin aluminum plate on the inside of the transom. After removing the plate, I found the stenciled number. It was 2A7022 which is a 1971 according to the list here. It also has the board that goes across with the steering wheel hole in the center, making it the sourpuss version. Don't know how that name came about? Most likely from trying to climb over to go from bow to stern LOL. I will likely change that to the sport version should I redo the boat.

Edited by coolbanana on 07/05/13 - 6:40 PM

Posted by Joe Kriz on 07/05/13 - 6:45 PM

Not necessarily a Sourpuss.

The center steering was also an option on the Sport model.
Here is a Sport 13' model with the center steering option.
http://www.whalercentral.com/infusion...er_id=4603

1971 was a transition year.
What splashwell do you have by looking at the FAQ on the left sidebar?
http://www.whalercentral.com/viewpage...age_id=155

Edited by Joe Kriz on 07/05/13 - 6:48 PM

Posted by biggiefl on 08/28/19 - 12:23 PM

Not to drag up a 6yr old article but.....FYI

if you do buy/inherit/steal a boat with no title there is a very legal way to get it registered and/or titled(except if stolen of course). In this case it is a 1971. First thing I would do is find out if Florida issued titles in 1971 to boats. If not all you need is a bill of sale and usually a registration....BAM!

In this case #2...did MS have titles for boats in 1971? If not all you need is a bill of sale and you do not usually need a registration....BAM!

I have done this many times with even my own boat as I moved to FL from NJ and NJ did not issue titles on boats until 1987 so any boat made before then I can use just a bill of sale and get my title & reg...BAM!

Check your state's requirements and the state the boat came from as FL does not issue trailer titles so many out of state buyers need to know how to register and/or title it in their state.

Edited by biggiefl on 08/28/19 - 12:26 PM

Posted by alexjeter on 08/28/19 - 4:15 PM

#10

Just had this problem.
This was an out of state purchase.
I called Boston Whaler and gave them the stencil number. They provide the boat serial number.
I them contact the seller and he was nice enough and went to the fishing and game commission for me. He received the info for me to get a title.
He them went to DMV and got a new title for the boat.
It took about a week to complete process.