Independence 31 HIN question

[David Vaughn]

I've been trying to read everything I can find before the pre-purchase survey next week, and ran across a thread about hull numbers. It seems that some (most, all?) the Independence 31 boats have a slightly non-standard HIN, they don't start with ERY.

The boat we are looking at starts with ER1 (at least that is the number on info from the broker, I'll verify the actual hull number at the survey). In that HIN thread another member here mentioned his Independence 31 HIN started with ER2.

Is there something unique about the Independence 31 that caused the HIN to be different?
Will this present an issue should we want to USCG document the boat?

 

[bgary]

The Coast Guard provides a lookup for MICs (Manufacturer Identification Codes)

Manufacturers Identification

uscgboating.org

I'll be curious what it turns out to be for the Independence line. the lookup doesn't show an ER1 or ER2

I'd note that the current 12-character standard (3-character manufacturer code, 5-character serial number, 4-character build-year/model-year code) was established in November of 1984. Since the Independence line was built between 1977 and 1981, it's a safe bet that your boat has a HIN that follows an older standard. (and before 1972 there wasn't a standard, as far as I can tell)

Some interesting (?) info and history here: https://www.usps.org/images/Exec/Safety/vsc/HIN.pdf

My boat was built in August 1984 but was considered to be a 1985 model, and so I have a HIN that is now considered to be "non-standard" (technically, it's perfectly fine according to the standard in place when the boat was built, but the model-year causes some malaise). That's led to some silliness from my home state (Washington) which, in its infinite wisdom, decided to assign me a new HIN.... indicating that my lovely Ericson is actually "homebuilt" in January of 1985 Feh.

Saga and insomnia-curing trivia here: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/hin-silliness.15038/

Bruce

 

[David Vaughn]

Thanks Bruce. Interesting reading.

I had seen something about the different formats in some earlier readings. But when I couldn't find ER1 (or ER2) on the Manufacturers Identification list, that's what started me wondering if there's a problem that will rear its ugly head later on.

Alabama doesn't title boats, so it probably won't present any problem registering it here. But, assuming the survey goes well and we take delivery, I would like to eventually have it USCG documented. I would expect them to kick out an HIN that is not in the manufacturers list.
Perhaps an email to them is a place to start.

 

[Loren Beach]

Alabama doesn't title boats, so it probably won't present any problem registering it here. But, assuming the survey goes well and we take delivery, I would like to eventually have it USCG documented. I would expect them to kick out an HIN that is not in the manufacturers list.
Perhaps an email to them is a place to start.

If your Ericson has not been USCG documented in the past, you may have to do some paperwork to show the ownership trail and also get some proof of it's build origin.
Here is a recent thread about documentation requirements:

Prove Ericsons made in USA & Certificates of Origin

To flag 1982 E-38 in Nicaragua they want me to have proven papers that it was made in USA. How? Any ideas? Try to explain HIN to them is no good... next?

ericsonyachts.org

 

[David Vaughn]

Thanks Loren.
I had seen that thread earlier and at the time didn't know that the HIN was a bit odd, so didn't think it was relevant. For this case, it might well be.
We'll see how the survey and sea trials go next week, but I may soon after need to contact Sean with relevant info to get a COO.