Decode the HIN, check the USCG documentation record (free, keyless), and get the seller-claim-vs-record contradiction — plus the gated half (owner/title/lien) the public USCG record no longer shows.
No HIN? Search by vessel name: try “LIBERTY” · Where is the HIN? Stamped on the transom (back of the boat), upper starboard (right) corner, and often a duplicate hidden inside the hull.
Result USCG: Active
Database state for vessel name LIBERTY right now.
USCG documentation statusUSCG: Active USCG PSIX shows 25 matching vessel record(s); documentation status: Active. Verify the official number and certificate of documentation against the official USCG record. · LIBERTY — status Active, built 1999, official no. 1096805, UNITED STATES · LIBERTY — status Unknown, official no. FL5244HE, UNITED STATES · LIBERTY — status Active, built 2000, official no. 1102914, UNITED STATES · LIBERTY — status Active, built 2000, official no. 1103835, UNITED STATES · SWEET LIBERTY — status Active, official no. 1106610, UNITED STATES View on USCG PSIX →
Owner of record / title / lien historynot in public records USCG removed owner name & address from public vessel records in 2018, so owner-of-record, title, lien, and accident/loss history are NOT available in any free/keyless source — even for documented vessels. That gated half needs a paid boat-history report: Get a full owner, title & lien history (BoatHistoryReport) →(affiliate)
CPSC marine recalls: 9 matchesrecall record(s) · Liberty Hardware Recalls Multi-Grip Tub Safety Bars Due to Fall Hazard (2024-09-26) — CPSC notice · Liberty Hardware Recalls Glass Cabinet Knobs Due to Laceration Hazard (2021-10-27) — CPSC notice · Liberty Hardware Recalls Decorative Metal Wall Plates Due to Shock and Fire Hazard (2016-03-08) — CPSC notice · Liberty Mountain Recalls Mountain Climbing Lanyards Due to Risk of Serious Injury (2013-02-27) — CPSC notice
Before you pay: get a marine survey, verify the HIN on the transom matches the title/registration, and get the owner/title/lien history the public USCG record no longer shows.
Pre-purchase checklist — what to check before buying a used boat
HIN match — the 12-character HIN on the transom must match the title, registration, and the documentation. A mismatch, a re-stamped/altered HIN, or I/O/Q in the HIN is a red flag.
USCG documentation status — if the seller says it's "documented," confirm the official number and that the status is current (not expired/deleted) against the USCG record above.
Hull & transom — press for soft spots / sponginess (rot/delamination) on the transom, deck, and stringers; look for crazing, blisters, and prior repairs along the keel.
Engine — for an outboard/inboard, check compression across all cylinders (within ~10%), look at the oil and lower-unit gear oil (milky = water intrusion), and ask for service records and engine hours.
Title / registration / liens — the seller's name must match the title; check for a lienholder. The public USCG record does NOT show owner/lien data (removed 2018) — get a boat-history report.
Recalls — check CPSC (above) and the USCG boating-recall list for the manufacturer.
On-water sea trial + a marine survey — never skip these on a boat you can't fully inspect on the trailer.
Red flags: a HIN that won't decode or is missing/altered; a "documented" claim with no official number; a transom that flexes; milky oil; a seller who won't allow a survey or sea trial; a name on the title that isn't the seller's.
Informational only — not a safety, ownership, title, or legal determination, and not a substitute for a marine survey. The documentation status, vessel name, year built, and official number come from the keyless USCG PSIX public vessel database and reflect its state right now; PSIX only covers USCG-DOCUMENTED vessels, so many state-registered recreational boats will have a thin or empty record (not a problem in itself). The HIN decode is structural only — it reads the manufacturer code, hull serial, and build/model year from the 12-character HIN and validates its format; it does not prove ownership. USCG REMOVED owner name/address from public vessel records in 2018, so owner-of-record, title, lien, and accident/loss history are NOT available in any keyless public source — get a paid boat-history report and a marine survey, and verify the exact HIN on the transom and the official number against the official USCG record before buying. The absence of a record is not proof a boat is clean.