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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Where are the HIN stamps on the C250?

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/25/2010 : 18:12:04

I am negotiating a purchase agreement on a 1998 C250, and found what appears to be the HIN on the starboard side, just underneath the rub rail, back near the transom (but not on the transom). It appears to be hand-engraved, not stamped like every other non-Catalina boat that I've ever seen. For those of you who have a C250, does this description sound like the "official" Catalina HIN that the factory put there, or is it something that some well-meaning (but misguided) person added afterwards?

I looked all over the transom for a HIN stamp (where every other boat I've ever checked has it located), but I could not find it. Could it possibly be covered up by the motor mount, hidden by the ladder, or otherwise obscured by the busy transom?

Also, where else in the boat would the full HIN be marked? Does the full HIN (CTYAxxxxI798) appear on the certification plate, or does it just have the hull number (xxxx) there? I have not been able to board the boat again, so have been limited to looking for it on the exterior of the hull. And even if I could sneak into the cockpit, it was filled up with snow last time I was up there.

Why does all this matter to me? Well, it's an unbelievable story, but in a nutshell, the hand-engraved HIN has a typo! The ninth character on the hull engraving has a J, while the title, registration, and certificate of origin have an I. So I want to know about other locations in the boat that might have the correct HIN. I am hoping that the incorrect one was put there by someone other than the factory.

I'd appreciate any advice that other C250 owners could provide.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2010 : 18:31:03

That's exactly where you'll find it, scratched in by hand.

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2010 : 21:11:38

My 78 C25 has a typo on its title that translates to an 88 model. The insurance company pointed this out to me. As soon as I have a few months of extra time I am going to get it corrected with the CA DMv. If you ever have had to work out a problem with the CA DMV you know exactly where I'm coming from.
My title shows CTYK0381M788 which would indicate an 88 model built according to my insurance company. Should be CTYK0381M78B indicating a 78 model.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2010 : 21:21:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sloop Smitten
 My 78 C25 has a typo on its title that translates to an 88 model. The insurance company pointed this out to me. As soon as I have a few months of extra time I am going to get it corrected with the CA DMv. If you ever have had to work out a problem with the CA DMV you know exactly where I'm coming from.
My title shows CTYK0381M788 which would indicate an 88 model built according to my insurance company. Should be CTYK0381M78B indicating a 78 model.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
...which explains exactly why I am insisting that the current owner fix this problem before I take possession. It's not my fault he bought it sight unseen. Maybe if he went to see it, or accompanied the surveyor, he might have noticed the discrepancy.

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PDXSteve
Deckhand

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Response Posted - 02/25/2010 : 23:45:58

I have the same metal ID plate on my 96 250, but also found the same markings (HIN) in the inside of the starboard side bench seat storage area. These markings are laminated to the fiberglass. Found these markings while i was attempting to install a radio in the same area! Needless to say the radio did not get mounted there... The marking appears to be offical and theres a warning not to alter or remove.

Edited by - PDXSteve on 02/26/2010 00:06:47

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 06:46:29

Agreed with all, HIN is scrathed into the hull just below the stbd aft rub rail and the HIN with warning label is fiberglassed into the inside of the stbd cabin locker.

You have to think that they do not assign the hull number until after the molding is QA'd, I guess some molds don't make it?

Paul

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 07:26:51

I think it more likely that the title has a typo rather than a discrepancy between the scratched on hull number and the well hidden label. They're probably both done by the same guy at the same time. BTW, the "I" & "J" simply reflect, if I recall correctly, the month the hull was laid. The real indentifier is the manufacturer, hull number and year.

Edited by - John Russell on 02/26/2010 07:29:07

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 07:32:42

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by John Russell
 I think it more likely that the title has a typo rather than a discrepancy between the scratched on hull number and the well hidden label. They're probably both done by the same guy at the same time. BTW, the "I" & "J" simply reflect, if I recall correctly, the month the hull was laid. The real indentifier is the manufacturer, hull number and year.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I would have thought that too, but the title does not have a typo. The Catalina factory told me that their manufacturer's records (original invoice, certificate of origin) agree with the HIN that is shown on the title. It is the engraving on the hull that appears to be wrong. As you suggested, we need to check the interior HIN to see which one it agrees with, but since it's not my boat I need to ask the owner to do that.

I asked whether it would be better at this point to redo the paper trail to match the engraved one, and they told me I need to have the owner contact Frank, whoever he is. (Just a joke, I know who Frank is!)

I agree that the difference in the 9th character is trivial, but it does not appear to be trivial to the person I spoke to at USCG! They are insisting that this be cleared up.

Edited by - TakeFive on 03/06/2010 22:48:26

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 16:54:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by PDXSteve
 I have the same metal ID plate on my 96 250, but also found the same markings (HIN) in the inside of the starboard side bench seat storage area. These markings are laminated to the fiberglass. Found these markings while i was attempting to install a radio in the same area! Needless to say the radio did not get mounted there... The marking appears to be offical and theres a warning not to alter or remove.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Steve,

I am not quite clear on the location of this. Is it inside the starboard cockpit locker (and thus accessible from the outside), where the LP tank is housed on '98 and newer boats? Or is it down behind the aft berth somewhere, and needs to be accessed from inside the boat?

Edited by - on

PDXSteve
Deckhand

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20 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 21:21:26

Its in the Cabin, inside the starboard bench seat storage area (dry storage), forward of the galley sink. Its on the inner wall and mines fiberglassed in upside down!

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jlannutti
Navigator

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USA
102 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2010 : 03:16:35

This sure has me wondering! The next time I'm at Winter's (my Marina) I'll need to check that glassed in ID decal. That is is the snow here in the Philly/NJ area ever melts. I'm anxious to get aboard and start spring prep work.
As far as the exterior number it is done by hand on all the 250s I've seen.

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zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 03/01/2010 : 17:42:50

mine is etched on the hull starbd side rub rail, and on a metal plate on the outside/cockpit side of the fule locker seat.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 03/01/2010 : 18:12:00

I checked mine over the weekend (and took a photo of it). It's on the inside of the starboard settee on the inboard side. It's also scratched into the stern as stated elsewhere.

Jay, I think the plate on the fuel locker only has the hull number on it, not the entire HIN?

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2010 : 14:40:56

Well Catalina has done an about-face and decided to make the "J" HIN the correct one going forward. In the long term this will be much better because all the paperwork will agree with what's scratched onto the hull. However, in the short term it creates a lot of work because registration, title, and documentation all need to be changed to agree with the "new" HIN.

Unfortunately, to add to the comedy of errors, the notarized affidavit that Catalina sent us has another typo that shows "CTYR" as the first four characters instead of "CTYA." So they need to redo their affadavit.

Someday they'll converge on the right answer, if only asymptotically! lol

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