Year of a Boat

[Brianboat]

Hi All
I’m about to buy a boat for inland use but the insurance company needs to know the year of the boat. The person I’m buying it has information but doesn’t know the year. It has an old plague on the back with the company name and boats serial number. Any idea how I’ll find out what year it is? The boat is a a microplus 502. The old owner has done the boat up. Any help would be appreciated. Pictures below.

 

[PCUK]

I saw it advertised and thought what a great job he has done. I'll have a look in the archives tomorrow and may be able to give you a ball park year.

 

[BB1]

No HIN number?

 

[Brianboat]

I saw it advertised and thought what a great job he has done. I'll have a look in the archives tomorrow and may be able to give you a ball park year.

That would be amazing! Any help would be appreciated. As a new member to this I don’t really know where to look..

 

[jfm]

Another option is to punch the engine serial number into an online year looker upper. That gives you year of engine which may not be same as boat but but might be close enough for this purpose. Looks like a Suzuki 40hp.

The answer for the boat will be between c1975 and c1983, because that was the period in which Chrisidon made them. Before 1975 MicroPlas made them, and after that Shetland made them.

Frankly for an insurance policy I would just write the mid point = 1979. The maximum error is 4 years and that can’t reasonably be material to an insurance policy of this sort.

 

[Brianboat]

No HIN number?

I don’t believe so but I’ll have a good look tomorrow

 

[Brianboat]

Another option is to punch the engine serial number into an online year looker upper. That gives you year of engine which may not be same as boat but but might be close enough for this purpose. Looks like a Suzuki 40hp.

The answer for the boat will be between c1975 and c1983, because that was the period in which Chrisidon made them. Before 1975 MicroPlas made them, and after that Shetland made them.

Frankly for an insurance policy I would just write the mid point = 1979. The maximum error is 4 years and that can’t reasonably be material to an insurance policy of this sort.

Ok great feedback. I didn’t realise that about the insurance either. Good to know and thanks for the help

 

[Tranona]

I don’t believe so but I’ll have a good look tomorrow

Long before HIN came into being. As suggested any date in the late 1970s will do.

 

[QBhoy]

Somewhere between very late 70’s and early 80’s would be a safe bet. Certainly the mid 80’s give or take a year, would her most youthful possibility. If I can say so, without meaning to be critical, the engine is certainly not an original fitting to that boat and vastly smaller than suitably recommended by the maker. Good news…is that if it’s sold with that trailer…I can tell you that they don’t come much better than an SBS like that. The trailer, even in used condition…and especially one as seemingly as clean as that one…is undoubtedly worth at least twice what the boat is. Likely more. Hope that helps. If he is needing to know the age for any official reason, perhaps for an insurance policy or similar. He might wish to be aware that before a certain time around the 1983ish era…the serial or makers tag number, has no requirement to show relevance or reference to the boat’s age. She really needs at least a 40hp on her transom, better still, a 60hp. Presuming the transom is still in good shape. Hope that helps.

 

[jfm]

Somewhere between very late 70’s and early 80’s would be a safe bet. Certainly the mid 80’s give or take a year, would her most youthful possibility. If I can say so, without meaning to be critical, the engine is certainly not an original fitting to that boat and vastly smaller than suitably recommended by the maker. Good news…is that if it’s sold with that trailer…I can tell you that they don’t come much better than an SBS like that. The trailer, even in used condition…and especially one as seemingly as clean as that one…is undoubtedly worth at least twice what the boat is. Likely more. Hope that helps. If he is needing to know the age for any official reason, perhaps for an insurance policy or similar. He might wish to be aware that before a certain time around the 1983ish era…the serial or makers tag number, has no requirement to show relevance or reference to the boat’s age. She really needs at least a 40hp on her transom, better still, a 60hp. Presuming the transom is still in good shape. Hope that helps.

I'm not inclined to agree much of that.

The engine could easily be original. We can't know, but it's a suzuki 40hp with decals from the 1982-1985 era. Example here and here. Fully consistent with my analysis saying the boat MUST be 1975-83.

Engine is not "vastly smaller". I bet that boat was originally rated at about 70hp max.

"If he is needing to know...for ... insurance" - erm, please see original post

It is very solid advice to OP to say "1979" to the insurers, given the Chrisidon name plate and erring on the side of caution relative to the engine which is 1982-1985 but might not be original. Seconded by Tranona who is very reliable contributor on these things.

 

[QBhoy]

I'm not inclined to agree much of that.

The engine could easily be original. We can't know, but it's a suzuki 40hp with decals from the 1982-1985 era. Example here and here. Fully consistent with my analysis saying the boat MUST be 1975-83.

Engine is not "vastly smaller". I bet that boat was originally rated at about 70hp max.

"If he is needing to know...for ... insurance" - erm, please see original post

It is very solid advice to OP to say "1979" to the insurers, given the Chrisidon name plate and erring on the side of caution relative to the engine which is 1982-1985 but might not be original. Seconded by Tranona who is very reliable contributor on these things.

Oh. Fair play. I didn’t notice the mention of it being a 40hp. Had a quick look at pictures and thought it looked much smaller than it apparently is. Honestly thought it looked like a 20hp or similar, at its largest. 40 is still a little small, but will do the job, if pushed. Should have looked closer ! A 40 will be at the lower or lowest end of the recommended, I’d think. Most of these 17ft models had more than that. 60/70 wouldn’t be too unusual. That DT Suzuki will be about early 80’s. The previous models from most of the 70’s were white with red/orange decals, usually.

 

[PCUK]

January 1976 MBY has an ad' for the Microplus 600 Galaxy which is identical and the company name is Chrisidon Marine Ltd, so Chrisidon actually used the Microplus name as per the builders plaque on your boat.