Re: [Paddlewise] serial numbers

-----Original Message-----
From: Jackie Fenton <jackie_at_intelenet.net>


>Hi folks,
>
>I received a message from a paddler that finally found a kayak he wanted,
>purchased it and has been buying basic equipment.  Then he read an
>article about "Lost and Found" kayaks that made him concerned about the
>fact his boat does not have the serial number in the location where
>the manufacturer told him it should be.  Seems I recall that some
outfitters
>will remove serial numbers when they sell some of their rental fleet.
>Is that correct?
I have never heard of this and suspect that removing or altering the Coast
Guard number is illegal.
 This paddler is now attempting to find information about
>lost or stolen kayaks in the Florida area to be sure he can paddle his
>kayak without concern.


He should have no trouble paddling it but if it turns out to be stolen he
better not sell it.


>
>He says "I very much want to get in it for the first time, but won't as
>long as I feel there's a chance that it may have been stolen.  As it is,
>It sits on my living room floor just begging to go!  If it had a tail to
>wag, I'm sure it would be doing so."
>
>Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

It would help if I knew what brand the kayak was. The lack of serial # could
just be a production oversight by the manufacturer (and could cost the
manufacturer $50 per kayak) or it could be a plastic kayak with the serial
number etched in but hard to see. I once failed to find the serial number on
a stolen kayak the police had picked up after I spotted it and it matched
the description of one seen being towed by a rubber raft (that was enough to
make me suspicous--who would paddle the raft and tow the kayak).
It might be a kayak made from a rip-off mold and not have come from the
manufacturer.

If you could have this paddler contact me (before Sunday) I could give them
a pretty good idea of how to guess if they bought a stolen kayak. The
paddler could ask the seller where they bought it "So I can get parts". If
you don't know how to get ahold of the seller I would be a lot more
suspicious that it might be stolen.
Until they have some real good evidence that it is stolen I wouldn't worry
to much about it but I appreciate their concern.
I assume you have checked the "Stolen Kayaks" database on our website (there
is an Eddyline Merlin XT and LT stolen from a dealer in Florida on it). They
could also call the police jurisdictions in their area to see if a kayak
like theirs has been reported stolen.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com




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