Outboard missing id plate

[brandenjg]

Hi everyone

I recently bought a 4.5hp outboard and have just noticed that the id/serial plate is missing. The man i bought it of said he'd had it for about 8 years and had a picture on his dining room wall with the outboard on the back of a boat so i can safely say it's not stolen. I've also checked online for the same engine and none are registered as stolen. My question is, is it possible to get a new id plate as i need the id number for the insurers.

The engine has stickers under the cowling from where im presuming someone has serviced the outboard but no company name

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The outboard is a 4.5 mercury 1 cylinder 2 stroke with a brown band (not the version with the blue band)

[littlesprite]

If you know the guy it was purchased from then he must have had insurance on it, if that is the case he must know the id number.

Sorry if that sounds obvious but I would expect getting a new id might be understandably difficult.

[brandenjg]

That's what i was thinking but i don't have the contact number for the bloke any more. I have his home address still saved in the sat nav but he lives 30 miles away. I wasn't sure if i went to the ba with his name and address they could tell me the engines registered number from when he's registered with them.

[MBA Marine]

did it ever have a plate?

[brandenjg]

It has the 2 pins which hold the plate down but theres no scratches or damage on the paint or around the pins so doesn't look like a plates been forced off. I'm going to contact vodafone tomorrow as i phoned him off my mobile so they should be able to tell me what his number is.

[Guest]

check your caller history on your mobile should tell you on there if you know the date & time or if you recognize the number

jonny

[Guest]

If the seller's address is in your sat nav you could always use the old fashioned method of writing to him. I appreciate you need to get the OB insured and writing to him might take some time.

[BuffaloBill]

I would suggest looking into this with some urgency! If a Ranger spots this on the

river somewhere and the ID plate is missing, you could find yourself being under

investigation for theft. Proving you own the motor fair and square and that the

person you bought it from had'nt stolen it could be the start of a long process if

you can't. And, if it was stolen, you could end up loosing the motor and any money

you paid for it.

Drive over there and get proof and a receipt PDQ.

Just my humble opinion of course.

[mbird]

I wasn't sure if i went to the ba with his name and address they could tell me the engines registered number from when he's registered with them.

Engine numbers aren't registered with the BA are they?

[Broadsword]

I agree with Bill on this!

Back in the day, I spent one or two happy days out at the boat jumbles at Wroxham, with the intelligence officer from North Walsham nick. Our main purpose was looking for OBs reported stolen from around the country. Although you may be confident that the OB was not nicked by the previous owner, I have to say, if there is no plate, chances are it was nicked from somewhere at sometime!!

[MBA Marine]

plenty of companies selling blank VIN plates on eBay you just need the right one and stamp a number in it! :

Just in case I had better add a disclaimer that i do not in any way endorse this activity.

[brandenjg]

I wrote an update but it hasn't posted so I'll do it again.

Thanks Jonny, the phone number was in call history. After phoning a few wrong numbers i eventually got through to the bloke. He explained that the plate had snapped off so he'd glued it inside the cowling. Sure enough after cleaning away some grease i found it glued in possibly the most awkward location. A flat head screwdriver and some 2 part epoxy later it's now glued back into place. Got quoted £61 for the insurance which is alot cheaper than i expected.

[quo vadis]

Good to hear it all turned out OK for you, now get out there and enjoy

[Broadsword]

Cheap at £61 - whatever you say! I pay a little over the ton for the whole kit and caboodle, outboard included!!