GUIDES
Everything a used boat buyer needs to know
From running your first HIN lookup to spotting a salvage title in disguise — practical guides written for buyers spending real money on used vessels.
2 guides published · 12 coming soon
Buying a Boat
Pre-purchase guides, checklists, and vessel-type deep dives for buyers at every budget.
How to Check a Boat's History Before You Buy
The complete step-by-step process — HIN lookup, full report, title verification, and hidden HIN check.
7 min readPublished
Buying a Used Boat: The Complete Pre-Purchase Checklist
Every inspection point from hull to engine, plus the history checks that protect your money.
Coming soon
Used Jet Ski History Check: PWC HIN Lookup Guide
How to run a history check on a personal watercraft before you buy.
Coming soon
Pontoon Boat History Check: What to Look For
Pontoon-specific buying risks and how a vessel history report helps.
Coming soon
HIN & Records
Understand Hull Identification Numbers, USCG documentation, and what vessel records actually show.
What Is a HIN? Hull Identification Number Explained
Where to find it, how to read each of the 12 characters, and why it matters.
5 min readPublished
USCG Documented Vessels: Federal Documentation vs State Title
What Coast Guard documentation means, and how it differs from a state title.
Coming soon
Boat Accident History: How the USCG Tracks Incidents
What gets recorded, what doesn't, and how to pull USCG accident data for any vessel.
Coming soon
How to Decode a Yamaha HIN
Brand-specific HIN decoding guide — production month, year, and model year breakdown.
Coming soon
Liens & Title
Liens, salvage titles, and title transfers — the paperwork risks that trip up most used boat buyers.
Boat Lien Check: How to Verify There's No Loan on a Used Vessel
What a marine lien is, why it follows the boat, and how to search for one before buying.
Coming soon
Salvage Title Boat: Risks, Costs, and What to Ask
Everything buyers need to know about salvage and rebuilt title vessels.
Coming soon
Boat Title vs Registration: What's the Difference?
Title and registration are not the same thing — here's what each one proves.
Coming soon
Boat Title Transfer: How It Works State by State
The transfer process, what can go wrong, and how to protect yourself.
Coming soon
Fraud & Red Flags
Spot stolen boats, tampered HINs, and the warning signs sellers hope you miss.
How to Spot a Stolen Boat: HIN Tampering and Red Flags
The warning signs that a vessel may be stolen — before you hand over any money.
Coming soon
Marine Liens vs Auto Liens: Why Boats Are Riskier
Federal maritime law makes boat liens much harder to track than car loans.
Coming soon
READY TO CHECK?
Have a HIN? Run a free vessel history lookup right now.