What I discovered when I ran a BoatFax

Find out what I ran into when I searched my HullID on boatfax

I set out to do a boat title search from this company based in the UK. This site has diverse offerings including dealer classifies, boat history search, used boats apps, HIN Decoding app, and boat value app. This made navigating the site a little hard at first but i know i needed to lookup the boat registration.

First, I got my boat-HIN (hull identification number) because i wanted to run a hull check using boatfax. The base prices comes with a lot of add-ons costing $3, $5 and $6 more but there are coupons available out there. Payment can be done via PayPal or credit card making it more secure than BoatHistoryReport.com. The report is not as pretty though.

A distinctive feature is that, boatfax.com can be used to search outside U.S.A (Europe inclusive) however; such searches cost particular add-ons too. boat ownership was not provided and i didn’t expect these companies to have owner names from the Hull ID boat hull number check.

My verdict: The site should be less cluttered and modernized but the reports are good on a technical level and if you can find some coupons that would cut the cost of buying a boat history report.

PS. check this other blog on the boatfax reports http://boatfax.report

pps. be sure to read my article about Boat Abstracting companies.

What I discovered when I ran a Boat History Report

My shocking experience when I ran a Boat History Report for my yacht.

Going through this boat history site to run a boat title registration search, it seems simple and easy to use. I just entered the hin hull identification number into the hull check box. The ordering process involves giving your credit card and email to them instead of using a secure gateway like PayPal. (less secure and refunds much harder!!!). This is in stark contrast to the other companies I reviewed here.

When it comes to prices it is the highest priced report out there and this is expected given the fact that it is a company with many employees and larger overheads that get passed to the consumer for the same data you can get with other smaller sized companies.

This company (B. H. R) has many partnerships for boat history search within the boating industry and their reports indicate that “coming soon” data for surveyors has been approved by N. A. M. S and S. A. M. S list of surveyors. boat title searches shows many negative comments on this company in online forums. Here are two examples where the employees try to defend the company: https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/283209-boat-history-reports-worth.html and http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/boat-history-reports-worth-it-and-reliable-92693.html

There has been a very heavy criticism from the BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau here: http://my.boatus.com/consumer/historyhollow.asp

There are other great boat registration and boat title search websites that we compared on this review site.

My verdict: This is a good site to check for boat hin number search/problems and is the leader but for the same amount of money you can get both reports from the competitors (boatfax and boatalert). Ideally, you would get all three reports to make sure no one missed anything in the boat title search (if you can afford it).

What I discovered when I ran a Boat-Alert

Read about my interesting findings about my boat when I ran a boat-alert boat history check using my hull ID.

Boat Alert is a newer company but the price is lower for consumers. So I decided to try it out and quickly found that they saved me so much time on the boat HIN title search. They checked 22+ databases and websites in one shot. That was a fast hin number search. I didn’t have to search each website individually for negative boat events and boat registration data. It is easy to use and offers one product at two price points per boat history report. The boat-alert came with an instant download of the boat history alert boatfax. The boat hull search report is printable and provided lots of advice as well.

It is worth the time to read the content of your report. boat hull number check payments are made via Clickbank and PayPal so you are guaranteed a 60-day money back purchase.They do offer coupons that you can use to obtain the other reports at a discounted rate so I would suggest starting with the Boat-Alert then buying more reports if you need to. There is also a link to the report that you can use to share the report with buyers/sellers online to verify boat ownership and boat history.

My verdict: Looking at the comparison chart uploaded on this blog, you can see that Boat-Alert.com has the most amount of data types and checks available and for the lowest price without add-ons. The site improved a lot since my last review in 2016. The report itself is not as pretty as the others but the most useful.

ps. be sure to read my comparison article here

Chart Comparing the Top 3 Boat History Website Services

For a pretty version of this table, please visit my other page Comparing the HIN Search Companies:

chart comparison review of boat history and boat alert

Incoming keywords:

  • boat history
  • boat history report
  • boat history search
  • boat hull id number
  • boat hull id number search
  • boat hull number
  • boat hull number check
  • boat hull number search
  • boat hull numbers
  • boat ownership
  • boat registration
  • boat title search
  • boatfax
  • boats information
  • hin hull identification number
  • hin number
  • hin number search
  • hull check

Reviews of the different boat reporting websites

I will start by saying that although such a report is not a replacement for a complete and thorough survey on the vessel’s present condition it does provide an easy method of checking for negative events in a boat’s history before finalizing the purchase. It is also a good selling tool when promoting your boat online. Many people expect a history of all events and not just an indication of negative events.

It is important to read the product description before you buy the product in order to set expectations correctly.

Below I compare the top 3 HIN Search websites:

  1. www.boathistoryreport.com
  2. www.boatfax.com
  3. www.Boat-Alert.com

Don’t have time to read? check out the summary chart here comparing those boat report companies.

BOAT HISTORY REPORT (www.boathistoryreport.com)

Going through this boat history site, it seems simple and easy to use with provisions like a search box for your HIN. The ordering process involves giving your credit card and email to them instead of using a secure gateway like PayPal. When it comes to prices it is the highest priced report and this is expected given the fact that it is a company with many employees and larger overheads that get passed to the consumer for the same data you can get with other smaller sized companies.

This company (B. H. R) has many partnerships within the boating industry and their reports indicate that “coming soon” data for surveyors has been approved by N. A. M. S and S. A. M. S list of surveyors.

There are many negative comments on this company however in the online forums. here are two examples where the employees try to defend the company:

https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/283209-boat-history-reports-worth.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/boat-history-reports-worth-it-and-reliable-92693.html

There has been a very heavy criticism from the BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau here: http://my.boatus.com/consumer/historyhollow.asp

My verdict

This is a good site to check for boat problems and is the leader but for the same amount of money you can get both reports from the competitors below. Ideally, you would get all reports to make sure no one missed anything (if you can afford it).

BOATFAX (www.boatfax.com)

Based in the UK, this site has a diverse capability of offerings including dealer classifies, boat history reports, used boats apps, HIN Decoding app, and boat value app. All these features are great but make it hard to go though the site as a result of too many unrelated menus and pages.

The base prices comes with a lot of add-ons costing $3, $5 and $6 more but there are coupons available out there. Payment can be done via PayPal or credit card making it more secure than BoatHistoryReport.com. The report is not as pretty though.

A distinctive feature is that, boatfax.com can be used to search outside U.S.A (Europe inclusive) however; such searches cost particular add-ons too.

My verdict

The site should be less cluttered and modernized but the reports are good on a technical level and if you can find some coupons that would cut the cost.

BOAT ALERT (www.Boat-Alert.com)

This newer site is for a smaller company making the price lower for consumers. It is easy to use and provides one product only with an instant download of the boat history alert.

The report is printable and provides lots of advice even when little data is found on negative events. It is worth the time to read the content of your report. Payments are being made via Clickbank and PayPal so you are guaranteed a 60-day money back purchase.

They do offer coupons that you can use to obtain the other reports at a discounted rate so I would suggest starting with the Boat-Alert then buying more reports if you need to. There is also a link to the report that you can use to share the report with buyers/sellers online.

My verdict

Looking at the comparison chart uploaded on this blog, you can see that Boat-Alert.com has the most amount of data types and checks available and for the lowest price without add-ons. The site improved a lot since my last review in 2016. The report is not as pretty as the others but the most useful. They also check 22+ databases so that saved me time

Conclusion:

Some of the companies have more varied data points while others focus on fewer data types but provide more details instead. Consumers should be aware they need a thorough survey on the vessel’s present state and that these reports are mainly looking for negative events and to read the product description to not get surprised with “missing data” that they expected to see.

Data Not included in ANY report: 

  1.  maintenance records
  2.  owner names from states that ban this
  3.  Certified Marine Surveyors data
  4.  engine info
  5.  length of boat
  6.  Warranty Claims or Insurance Claims
  7.  Environmental lien
  8.  equipment check and motor VIN number

Special note about MARINE TITLE (www. marinetitle.com)

Although this website is full of information, the report they provide has the same data that is included in the boat-alert.com report so there is no need to review it independently as the boat-alert report will simply have this data anyway and more.

Where can I report a stolen boat or file a lien?

Here are some resources to help you make a lien claim or report a theft of a boat. It is important to do so as it deters the movement of the boat among criminals.

For starters, you can post a boat lien here https://boat-alert.com/post-a-claim-of-lien-on-a-boat/ and here https://marineliens.com/

and report a stolen boat here https://boat-alert.com/report-stolen-boat/

TIPS TO AVOID BUYING A STOLEN BOAT

  • Make sure the HIN exactly matches the HIN listed on the registration and/or title.
  • If the vessel is registered or titled as a “home-built boat,” it should have no manufacturer brand markings.
  • Carefully review the vessel and its ownership paperwork for these fraud indicators:
    • The boat has been rebuilt.
    • The boat has been previously reported stolen, sunk or recovered.
    • The title or proof of ownership is a duplicate issue or from out of state.
    • Registration numbers appear altered or are not uniform.
  • The asking price is well below the market value – if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Do not purchase any vessel if the seller is unable to produce title or proof of ownership.

TIPS TO KEEP YOUR BOAT AFLOAT – AWAY FROM THIEVES

  • Install a kill switch in the ignition system.
  • Install an alarm system especially designed for boats.
  • Secure your boat to the dock with a locked steel cable.
  • Use a trailer hitch lock after parking your boat on its trailer.
  • Park your trailer in a locked garage, secured boat storage facility or well-lit fenced area.
  • Park the trailer so that the hitch is difficult to reach.
  • Use a high-quality chain and lock to secure your boat and trailer to a fixed object, such as a tree.
  • Chain and lock detachable outboard motors to the boat.
  • Be sure your marine insurance policy includes not only the boat, but also your equipment and trailer.
  • Keep a copy of your registration and boat title in a safe place.
Other links you can try:

https://www.boatman.com/
http://www.stolenboats.ca/
Your local state will have a form you can fill out
your local police will be able to file a report
https://www.nicb.org/sites/files/2017-10/BoatTheft.pdf
Call 800.TEL.NICB (800.835.6422)
https://stolen911.com/
https://stolenboats.info/
http://www.marineinsureservices.com/Stolen.html