Trojan Boat Forum

I had my recently purchased 1979 Tri-Cabin surveyed before we left on our long trip to move the boat to its new home in Michigan City, IN. I just got the report today and the surveyor, who is a personal friend, called me on the phone to tell me that he could not locate the Trojan hull number anywhere on the boat. The title that I have lists the Trojan hull number and an earlier survey done three years ago by the previous owner lists the Trojan hull number plus another hull number assigned by the state of Michigan for whatever reason.

First of all, where should the hull number be located on my '79 Tri-Cabin so I can see if it is there, and secondly, has anyone ever heard of a state issuing a hull number?

I THINK that:

1. The hull # is in the same place it always should be. Rear Left Transom.

2. A State ID Hull # is assigned if there isn't one on the boat. IE, you built a boat yourself and it has no hull#.


Perhaps your boat had fiberglass work done or something on that part of the boat and the number is no longer there?

I have a '74 Tricabin, so yours and mine are different, but even in the later models (as a matter of fact in ALL Trojans I have ever seen), the hull number is always there.
I know this because I always check the year when I see one.

Thanks for the info.

I will be back at the marina this weekend and will check it to see.

Not sure about 1979 models, but on my '85 TriCabin and every other Trojan I've checked, the hull number is a couple of inches below the rub rail on the Starboard side of the transom. The last two digits are the year of the boat.

Yep...Starboard side below the rubrail as mentioned.

You're right.

My bad. It is on the rear STARBOARD side.

If you're looking from the cockpit down, it would still be on the rear STARBOARD side of the transom, but it would be to the left!

Coralkong: Nice try, but I'm not good at reading upside down :D

My hull # on my '75 tri-canbin is just where Old Flame says it is, starboard side of transom, just below rub rail line.

k9th,

Don,t want to freak you out but I do boat inspections through Transport Canada Office of Safe Boating and during our training we where told to report all vessels without hull numbers. Check the registration carefully. There is only one logical explaination, that being a fibreglass repair. Anything else may mean trouble. Jimbo36.

That may be the reason that Michigan gave it a Michigan hull number.

The previous owner had it for 10 years and died at the age of 70. I purchased it from his widow a few months after his passing through a reputable broker.

I will be at the marina soon and will check it for myself. Thanks for all of the help and input.

Hey Guys I had to post something about this to set the record straight about having 2 different hull numbers on a boat. I ran into the same problem with my boat when I purchased her a few years ago and asked the question to the State of New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles. A State agency not too bright but that is a totally different and a long story for someother time. I actually talked to a big wig because noone locally could answer the question as to why the two different numbers. Apparently around 1980 there was a new standard put out for HIN or VIN configurations. If a vehicle or boat was manufactured before that date the numbers were generated from the manufacturer and was sometimes copied by another manufacturer because there were no real checks and ballences before then. So when a vehicle or boat is registered after that date or changes hands and the original VIN or HIN does not match the standard or exist or another item within the system then the state will issue a new number so that it fits in the national system within the USA. This was also true on an antique of mine that had only 6 numbers for a VIN and the state issued it new numbers to comply with the new standard. It wasnt because they were removed but because it didnt match what was needed to properly identify that item within the system.


Hope I didnt ramble too much about it.

Thanks

Yet another reason for CG documentation

Well I am at the marina and looked last night for the hull number. I found it exactly where you all indicated, starboard side right under the rub rail. There was no sign of the original Trojan number but the Michigan hull number had been branded into the hull.

It is quite interesting because when I purchased the boat I was given two titles both issued by the state of Michigan; one with the original Trojan hull number and the other with the Michigan hull number. The seller had signed by titles on the same date and the finance company had released both titles on the same date.

Interesting situation.

K9th, does that mean you have to pay for two licenses?