HIN re-numbered yacht. Is it legal?

Hard to say from those pictures. (Next time see if your camera has a macro or close up setting) But that doesn't look like great work.

If this person is really your friend I'd say you owe it to him to point these things out. If you don't he may just get a big bad surprise at resale. How would you feel then?

It may come up sooner than that, unless prior arrangements have been made with the engine manufacturer. These days warranty is automatically started two years after sale date of the engines from the dealer, irregardless if the vessel has been delivered.

I think I might handle it a bit more subtly; maybe 'noticing' something each time out with him. You may find that he actually knows about it. Regarding the paint, where your finger points at the chip I can't really say that's repaint. It does however look like a bad job. Even at the gate it shouldn't chip like that, and the masking at the hinge is pretty sloppy if even done.

No, warranties with the major engine manufacturers start when the major engine manufacturer has done the engine startup. Which is after the boat is finished and launched and bought by someone. It's called the "in-service" date.

Hi,

CAT does not have a blanket statement that covers all their engines like that.

In the case of the engine package we are going to use (3516,C18,C9)this was extracted from the Caterpillar Limited Warranty for Marine Products, dated Jan 01 2006.... "the standard warranty period is 24 months after date of delivery to the first user"

There is also an extended warranty out to 60 months for non revenue producing craft which covers castings and big parts as well which is included in the initial offering at no additional cost to the client.

Nowhere does it state that the warranty starts with delivery of engines to builder nor state a limit on the operating hours in that period.

Volvo also. In that '08 leftover I mentioned, could you imagine if the warranty began when it was delivered to the dealer. Good luck selling it. No, it begins with the PDI after the first end-user takes possession.

Is what I said originally, and I still can't believe a "friend" of a friend who owns a $4,000,000 yacht hasn't said anything. Or his Captain. What about the owner, your down there taking pictures of his hoses, and he isn't curious of what you are doing? Didn't that strike up a conversation? How about studying his ground out hin. I think you owe him the truth; what are you "protecting" him from? Wouldn't you want to know from someone more knowledgable than you if you saw something wrong with something you owned so you could get it resolved? WHo knows what other dangers there are lurking. Is the hull sound, was it sitting around because it was damaged? Then a few years later it was repaired? WOuldn't this boat warrant a FULL MARINE SURVEY soup to nuts with all of the proper equipment to be sure there are no more lies?

It is so obvious to me I repeat my original post "This isn't a real question", meaning there is no question that this needs to be fully investigated from all angles, and at the very least it was sold as new, which is not the case with 5 year old engines for starters. If he ends up keeping the boat, he should get a whole lot of money back. Maybe 25%. A LOT of money. He was deceived, period. Or, maybe he knew and got a very good deal to begin with and the boat would normally sell for say $5M.

I have asked the question about what kind of engines are in these and not gotten a response. How many engines are there that have not had new models over a five year period. I don't know in a large boat, nut in most smaller diesels, they seem to change a lot. Could have been another clue.

Subtly and NY don't usually go together.

And I don't see the point in being subtle in this case. Either the owner knew about all this at the time of the sale, or he may have gotten defrauded.

If the latter, I'd expect a "friend" to point that out to me in no uncertain terms.

I find it hard to believe that neither the owner of a $4M yacht nor his captain would notice these things. Just because he hasn't said anything to the poster doesn't mean he doesn't know about them. He may well have have decided that he's willing to live with the imperfections in exchange for $$$ off the price. If every friend who visits the boat spends their time pointing them out it won't do much more than embarrass him. Heck, there's two schools of thought on whether to tell a guy his wife is cheating even if you see her making out with another guy or girl. Feel it out subtly.
And New Yorkers are very subtle...until they belt you in the face.

in that order ???

Not necessarily. I always describe the difference between a New Yorker and a Floridian this way. If a New Yorker wants your money he smacks you in the face and takes it. If a Floridian wants your money he shakes your right hand as his left hand slides around to steal your wallet. Same result; I just find the NY way more honest.

Yes, that is exactly how the New Yorkers do it.

After they move to Florida.

Naw, when the move to Florida they get lawyers and become condo-commandos.

That's the perfect way to handle it. That's his job. Yours, as a friend, is to say 'Wow, what a beautiful boat. Best of luck with it.' unless he asks.

To answer the initial question. I certainly looks to be legal for the factory to change the HIN if the boat has never left the factories possession and the initial HIN wasn't yet registered with the USCG. If it was, it is still possible if they contacted the USCG and the USCG agreed to the change.

unless the captain got a kick back when the boat was purchased...

regardless, at this point the captain has no incentive to tell the owner since he should have noticed and alerted the owner before you looked at the boat as a friend.