How Can You Find the Owner of a Yacht?
To find the owner of a yacht, locate the boat’s hull identification number. This number is similar to the vehicle identification number on a car. It usually appears on the outside of a boat’s transom on the starboard side or on the starboard side of the hull.
Check the HIN in a database that appears on the United States Coast Guard website. This service is often free, but some websites may charge for the search. Enter the HIN to access the yacht’s last owner’s name and address.
The website BoatInfoWorld.com is an additional resource for locating a boat’s owner. As of 2015, this website provides data for over 440,000 boats in details that include contact info, HIN, builder and the year the boat was built. BoatInfoWorld.com reflects public records maintained by the United States Coast Guard and the federal government. Site visitors can search through vessel name, builder, city, ZIP code and state.
Contacting a state’s department of motor vehicles or a state’s game and fishing department may also produce a record of ownership.
After locating the name and address of a boat owner, check 411.com to link it to a current phone number. The website updates its listings annually.
