New member, question and picture

[MDB]

Hi
My name is Jan, from Norway.
After admiring the Seacraft for a number of years I finally found one second hand and bought it. These boats are not very common in Scandinavia.
I have since been a happy owner of a SC23, twin Merc 150.

My question is due to some difficulties connected to insurance of the boat.
I am buying an optional tracking system giving greater safety against theft and also lower insurance.
This requires the hull identification number.
My boat has been repainted in the past and I have difficulties reading the engraved identification number on the transom ( outside starboard )
I can read a few numbers, looking something like S??C?3711??? (“?” indicating the unreadable) does this make any sense at all ?
My hope is that someone can explain the logic in the number sequence, i.e. : xx letters and xx numbers and their significance ?
Or perhaps even better, is this number located elsewhere on the boat ?

Any help appreciated

So a couple, not so good, pictures of the boat in water.
/Jan

Welcome! Nice 23! Those numbers are indeed the hull numbers. You will need to get some solvent of some sort - someone on the forum will help you I am sure - and let the solvent clear out the numbers. Sanding would not be an option in my opinion. Anyone else got a solvent idea out there?

[wavelength]

After the solvent get a piece of paper and a pencil. Place the paper over the hull ID number and take the pencil and rub lightly. The numbers will transfer to the paper for easy reading (old marine patrol trick). Perhaps scan it into your computer so you can see it on a large screen.

[mnwnvc]

Lighter Fluid.

M

[seafari25]

[/QUOTE]My hope is that someone can explain the logic in the number sequence, i.e. : xx letters and xx numbers and their significance ?
Or perhaps even better, is this number located elsewhere on the boat ?

[/QUOTE]

Wouldn't you have prefered one of the Viking Ships over a Seacraft?

JK...welcome Jan. I visited the ships while in Norway for a hockey tournament many years ago and was quite amazed. Lots of memories..

I could go on about my Norway trip for days but about your Seacraft. You will have to uncover some key digits for anybody to decipher your hin exactly but I can give you a few pointers. I'm not an expert but I was paying attention when Capt.Chuck told me what mine was so this is what I know.

The first 3 digits is the manufacturer.(check BigLews post a few pages down called "Potter Years" for info on the different manufacturers and years)
The 4th digit is the style.eg F for Superfish...
The 5th is the length.eg 3 for 23'
6,7,8th are usually the hull # for that particular year. eg mine was hull 2 in 1975 so it was 002
9,10th are usually the month in numbers but can also be a letter in position 9.
If 9,10 are numbers than 11,12 is the (last 2 digits of the) year.
If 9 is a letter, 10,11 are the year(numbers) followed by another letter(which I have no idea what it means).

Again, I'm not an expert and I think I just confused myself at the end there

Hopefully it helps out
Brandon

[castalot]

this may help a little the last two numbers are the year


SEC = SeaCraft Inc (Potter 1969 thru 5/80)
CSY = Carribbean Sailing Yachts (1980-1982 23'& 27' SeaCrafts only)
SIC = SeaCraft Industries Corp (1980 thru 1987 other SeaCraft Models) (Potter on Board of Directors approx 1 year after sale)
TXY = Sarasota Marine Corp ('86-'88 CSY Parent Co)
SIC = Tracker SeaCraft of Fla (1987 thru 1990) all models
SXC = Stern Craft Corp (1994 Silver King Parent then Tracker Parent Co in 1995)
MIC = Silver King Boats (1994-2002 Mako Marine Parent Co)
MRK = Mako Marine (2002 Parent Co SeaCraft from Tracker

[BigLew]

Welcome aboard there Captain! My, aren't we (our boats' reputation that is), getting around!

My thoughts on breaking down the paint are, in general, start mild and then go up from there. Naptha (lighter fluid) to start or alcohol. proceed to mineral spirits and turpentine. Lacquer thinner, acetone and then I believe it is xylothane (sp) or is it toluxene(sp) from there. The last two are the active ingredient in paint brush restorer products and it is nasty stuff- neoprene gloves, etc. I recommentd taping off the area to try and contain the damage to the surronding finish. Don't be affraid to use some steel wool in the process. Just work it to remove the surface paint and not the under layers anymore than you have to. Depending on what's on there, paint remover and a sharp scraper may work as well. This process only depends on softening the paint rather than getting it to the point of it wanting to drip or wipe off.

If push comes to shove, and it very well might, start with 100 grit sand paper on a block and take it down. At some point you will get through the surface products with only paint in the stampings of the HIN numerals and then you should be able to read it at that point. Try everything else before taking this route. If you sand through the numbers, they are lost forever!

Good luck.

Just me 2 cents.

[MDB]

Hi all.
Sorry for my late reply.
Just wanted to say thanks for the warm welcome and all the help in figuring out the missing part of my hull number.
I belive I cracked the code and got the missing bits.
Regarding the questions about wanting a viking ship instead of a 23SC, I considered it but could not figure out how to fit the engines
To compensate I equiped this "ship" in viking tradition and installed an icebox for the Mjød ( viking language for Beer )
Boat is now resting during the winter season, some refurbishement planned this upcomming spring.
Not shure what happened to the pictures in my first post but will try to upload a few new ones from the upcoming job to be done.
Again thanks all for your help.