A lot of used boat buyers ignore getting a boat history report. They thought that it was not necessary. After purchasing, they regretted their decision. Why? The used boat they bought had negative events, but none of them has ever been recorded.
One of the things that you can find in a boat history report is to know whether or not such boat has negative events. These events would include accident, total loss, USCG documentation, state data, IRS seizure and US customs, among others.
It could mean that the boat was not documented or with an invalid HIN. Bear in mind that before 1995, the USCG documentation records were not yet digitized. That said, Boat Background could not retrieve reports. The recording of Certificate of Documentation only started in 2002. Furthermore, the absence of an expiration date or the expiration data has been passed, it may indicate that the boat is still in its investigative status.
The US Customs seize some boats in the US. One of its reasons is that they are involved in illegal activities. Most of the time, owners neglected these boats, thereby, incurring severe damages while they are seized.
But, just because the report returns negative does not mean that it has not been seized. Keep in mind that not all US Customs or IRS seizure incidents have been reported. Thus, it is highly recommended that you have the boat inspected by a professional first before you even purchase it.
Not all used boats have a warranty. Keep in mind that most boat manufacturers offer a limited warranty. In a sports boat model, for example, the original owner has limited lifetime hull/deck warranty. The second retail owner can only have ten-year structural deck warranty.
To check the boat’s warranty, our system looks into the first three characters of the HIN of the vessel you are planning to purchase. But because warranty coverage can vary from year to year, make sure to contact the boat’s manufacturer or authorized dealer to gather more data. It is also important to remember that a boat’s history could void the warranty. It is not accounted for in a check of guarantee during a boat history report process.
A boat history report offers significant details of the used boat you want to purchase. Never take it for granted. Else, you will regret your buying decision later.
