I just got a letter from DCNR Marine police division saying that my old 1974 duracraft boat that I have registered doesn't have a valid hull number. Every boat manufactured after 1972 is supposed to have a 12 digit number and mine shows a 5 digit number on the registration. I checked my tag receipt and the year of the hull is listed as 1970 on it. There are no numbers on this boat and I just transferred the registration with a bill of sale when I bought it 2 years ago from the previous owner. I don't understand how it applies when my tag receipt shows the boats manufacture date as 1970. If their is anyone on here with experience with this or if there is anyone lurking that can give me some advice please shoot me a PM. I'm in Jefferson Co. so if I have to go back to the court house it's a half a day.

You sure the numbers arent on the transom? Usually upper starboard side on the back.

They only started doing that after a certain year, sometime early/mid 70's if I remember right. I used to know this law perfectly from when I did boardings in the Coast Guard, but it's been too many years to know for sure.

I'm sure if you call them they'll realize their error.

So your boat is a 74 but the registration says it is a 70?

I would call the office and talk to them if it was manufactured before hull numbers were required.

Here you go: http://www.outdooralabama.com/boating/registration/

1972 and newer have them on the stbd side of the transom. Earlier than 1972 and you need to apply for a HIN. It's in the link above. either way, you need to have one.

My dad's boat is a 69 hull and had like a 5 didgit number. They sent the letter a couple years ago, and came to his house and gave it a new number based on their criteria. No big deal.

Jefferson county must be looking for ways to raise more money.

They sent me one saying they had the wrong number on there file. I had to trace It on paper an send it back in with the correct number. It's been the same number since 2001 an they just now noticed it.

Good Luck in dealing with Jefferson County - I had a flatbottom registered with them since 1998 and two years ago they refuse to renew - said the serial # was incorrect. Since I bought it new I sent them the original paperwork proving it was the correct #. They refused to accept that and told me I had to bring the boat downtown to be inspected. By that point I was done with them - I have property in Winston County so I just registered it up there. Saved a few bucks and it was nice to deal with folks that had some common sense.

The boats in that era almost always had a number that was engraved onto a metal tag that was riveted by two rivets to the transom somewhere.

Mangler, keep in mind that the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office will send a deputy out to verify the VIN number of a trailer for you and then give you a signed affidavit to take with you to the courthouse for title and registration.

They might do the same for a boat. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

Marine Police may do the same if you ask them.

Got the same letter, so I traced it, sent it back and got a nice letter saying thank you.

Thought was strange , but whatever.

This form might be helpful:

APPLICATION FOR STATE-ASSIGNED
HULL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER Form *** click here ***

Thanks ya'll When I bought the boat the transom was rotted and pretty much gone but the registration stickers were still on the bow. There are no numbers etched anywhere on the boat. I printed out that form. This wouldn't even concern me but it took me 4 hours to register it the first time and I just don't want to have to go through that crap again. I'm just hoping I can update it with the folks in Montgomery and register it online once I've done that. I like meeting new folks but I'm tired of spending more time with folks in the tag line that some of my family.

Same thing happened with one of my boats here in Covington County...I did the etching thing, and a digital pic for good measure, and they STILL said it wasn't right, so I just haven't registered the boat in 3 or 4 years now. I don't use it, anyway, anymore... This boat is a 1970 hull with a '72 model outboard, continuously registered since 1970 (I'm the second owner) until they started that a few years ago.

I had been putting this off but I just got the renewal card in the mail tonight. It shows the motor year as 74 but the boat year as 70. The letter said I couldn't renew it so I was surprised to get the card. I figured what the heck and went to jeff co's website and renewed it. It processed with no problems and I have the confirmation # so we will see.

Hopefully you're good to go. Wouldn't it be awesome if when we BOUGHT something, we actually then owned it without having to pay extorted rent to the government?