IO VIN NUMBERS

"I have a Searay 2001 260 with

"I have a Searay 2001 260 with a 7.4 and mercruiser sterndrive. Does the lower unit have vin numbers? I don't trust my marina and am planning to move after the winter. I've already paid for winter storage and want to make sure I get my drive back and not some beat up unit from someone elses boat. tia [email protected]"

"The drive should have a seria

"The drive should have a serial number stamped onto the decal on the port side of the leg near the "vent" hole at the top. There should also be a number nearby denoting the ratio of the drive. The serial number should match that in your purchase records. There may also be a decal on the top plastic trim cover over the carburetor or throttle body that records the engine, transom assembly, and drive leg sereial numbers as the boat was shipped."

What I do sometimes is take a

What I do sometimes is take a center punch and mark the parts. just remember were they are and the patten you used

"The numbers usually fade to t

"The numbers usually fade to the point of illegibility after a few years. Marking the bearing carrier by scribing a name or number into it is a good way, or you could paint something on the gearcase. Whatever you do, photograph it and e-mail copies to yourself and someone else. The date stamp will be proof of authenticity. If you want, tell the marina manager or owner that you marked it because someone else is messing with your other property. Make something up, it just needs to sound reasonable. If you can get someone from the marina in the photos in a way that you can see the markings and the identity of the person, they can't dispute that they were there when it was marked."

"Do they remove the drive from

"Do they remove the drive from your boat for winter storage? If not then you can buy a stern drive lock that replaces one of the 6 nyloc's that hold the drive on and then it can't be removed (without a lot of trouble) See this link
http://www.marineengine.com/products/accessory.php?in=2574018"