Check a specific boat before you buy it
Free checks first, the report when the boat earns it, and the survey before any money changes hands.
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1. Get the HIN off the boat
Read the hull identification number off the starboard side of the transom, near the top, and photograph it. Do not use the number from the listing. Every check below depends on this number being the real one. Where to find it and how to spot tampering.
2. Do the free checks
- Match the HIN on the hull to the title and registration, character for character.
- Match the seller's name to the name on the title, exactly.
- Use the state's own registration lookup if it publishes one — how state lookups work.
- Look at the hull number for signs of tampering — how to check if a boat is stolen.
These cost nothing and stop a surprising number of bad purchases on their own. If the boat has only ever lived in one state and that state's records are public, they may be all you need.
3. Run the report when the boat earns it
A history report is worth running once a boat has passed the free checks and you are about to spend real money on it — travel, a deposit or a survey. It searches more sources at once than you can reach individually, which matters most when the boat's paper trail crosses state lines.
It can help identify
- Registration records tied to the HIN
- Reported theft information
- Certain title or salvage indicators
- Manufacturer and build information
It generally cannot establish
- Mechanical or hull condition
- Hidden corrosion and repair quality
- Every accident the boat has had
- Every lien in every jurisdiction
4. Then book the survey
A clean report means nothing was found in the sources searched. It says nothing about the engine, the stringers or the quality of a past repair. On any boat where the price matters to you, hire an accredited marine surveyor and run a sea trial before you close. The buying checklist covers the rest, in order.