What special care must you take with your Hull Identification Number (HIN)?

The Hull Identification Number (HIN) is a crucial identifier for your boat, similar to a vehicle's VIN. It is unique to each vessel and serves to track the boat's history, ownership, and registration. Maintaining the integrity of the HIN is important for ensuring that you can prove ownership, especially in case of theft, loss, or if you need to communicate with law enforcement or insurance companies.

Taking care not to remove or destroy the HIN is vital because if it becomes unidentifiable, it could lead to complications regarding ownership claims or registration. If the HIN is missing or illegible, it may be difficult to legally operate or sell the vessel, and in some instances, the boat could be deemed unregistered. Therefore, it's essential to protect and preserve the HIN in its original form to ensure the continued legality and usability of your boat.