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I'll be pulling home my new (to me) Ventura II with a powerplate equipped 90 HP Evinrude (Yikes!) this weekend, and I'm at a loss (on many areas in life) of where to find the Coast Guard capacity plate showing a HIN. I didn't see the HIN embossed or stamped on the passenger side of the back of the transom. Were they shallow enough someone (for one reason or an obvious other) have sanded through it, since its been repainted? Texas requires everything to be licensed and registered and I don't want to mess with the authorities. The engine needs raised to get it home and I'm not able to manually lift it high enough for the swivel lock arms to engage. Am I to assume that the powerplate is electric? I see a big hydraulic cylinder in the center, separate from Evinrude's two hydraulic cylinders for the tilt, whose switch is laying on the floor with wires leading to nowhere. Like lots of used boats, this wiring has been butchered and I've found three (3) battery cable ends! Can I assume with 12v this tilt will pull the motor up so I can transport it home? I'd rather ask a stupid question now, than tell a humiliating story later. Any comments, suggestions, or doubts of my judgement are welcome. If you discourage me, I'll have to sell it cheap. Austin, TX fob complete with trailer.

not sure about the ventura's but the vector vking and vipers had the HIN number on the drivers side of the transome. right above your transome tie downs.

i faced the same problem with my vector. no HIN on back. the previous owner had cut mine off. on top of that....since i found mine in a junk pile i didnt have a title. i had to go through a long process with tpwd to get the title.

if you have a title....once you get it switched over in your name...you can go see tpwd and get a coast guard inspection and theyll give you another HIN plate. you can get all forms you need online @ tpwd.

takes a lil time but you can do it.

hope this helps

On the right hand side if the motors transom clamp plate there is a screw that takes a flate blade screwdriver, loosen that screw and you will be able to lift the motor by hand.

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You guys are GREAT! Thanks for taking the time to help me. I looked it over more carefully tonight and couldn't locate the HIN. Apparently the transom has had some work done and the outside of it ( facing engine) is of a rough texture, kind of like a bed-liner. It certainly isn't smooth gel-coat, in any event. I can see cracks on both sides at the top, so I suspect someone in their unconsciousness either glassed over the HIN. Just to be sure, I'm looking at the boat from the rear, on the flat section, near the top, and to the right of the engine, which is driver's-side. Better I ask now, where are, and what are, the transom tie downs? I have no idea if this is the stock setup, since I've realized that the transom has been reworked and it has a Powerplate attached. Varmit1, I assume the location of that screw is relevant whether this has the powerplate, or not. It shouldl still pivot up and out of the way, regardless of whether its attached to the transom or the powerplate, right? Thanks again, Gents!

xl428 wrote: Just to be sure, I'm looking at the boat from the rear, on the flat section, near the top, and to the right of the engine, which is driver's-side. Better I ask now, where are, and what are, the transom tie downs?

thats where i assume it would be located. i was just referring to the transom "u bolts/eyes" whatever theyre called.

xl428 wrote: Just to be sure, I'm looking at the boat from the rear, on the flat section, near the top, and to the right of the engine, which is driver's-side. Better I ask now, where are, and what are, the transom tie downs?

thats where i assume it would be located. i was just referring to the transom "u bolts/eyes" whatever theyre called.

Welcome... Nice rig you're getting.

Transom tie downs...buy some! In the pics I see they have a small tie down strap running through the the transom eyes. A pair of Walmart transom ties will be 100 times better.

When you open the screw mentioned above, and lift the motor manually, (it will be heavy), I would would use a 2 x4 placed in the tilt bracket, then tie the the lower unit to the trailer. This will keep the stress of bouncing down the road off of that little clip it normally rests on.

Don't forget to check the winch and strap in the front, and to be legal you will need trailer lights.

Best of luck.

Welcome to the forum xl428. I am currently recoring a Ventura II. It has a rating plate on the dash. Some of the older ones didn't have it stamped on the transom as the other boats did. Before that, there was no plate at all. Before you get too involved in this boat, make sure and read a few of the recore threads on here. It will almost certainly have black mushy spots if not the whole core. I would seriously consider a complete core restore. Also, yes, that is a jackplate for moving the engine up and/or down on the transom. It will not help tilt the engine for travailing. Get a transom saver at the local marina for the ride. That holds the engine up and takes the pressure of the transom while driving. It is best if you can get the engine locked in the up position for the trip. Transom tie downs go from the back eye bolts on the boat to the trailer, similar to your rope, but have ratchets. Set one up on each side to hold the boat to the trailer in the back.
Hope that helps,
Bill

welcome to the forum... I am pretty new myself. However, in the process of retiring my hydrostream. Looking to sell it. Great find with yours!

Dan, I got your message, but I'm about 150 miles away and wouldn't be able to see the boat any time soon. However, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when folks like YDOC or you save a Stream in TX .

Transomstand has a beautiful Ventura, surely one of the nicest in existence. Maybe he'll comment too.

Reviving a Stream can be a big undertaking. Yours may not need much to get it afloat, but it'll take some time & money to make it nice. A bigger concern, though, is safety. The core, transom and any other piece of wood in the boat has a good chance of being rotten. You mentioned that you noticed cracks in the transom, hence you should expect to need a total rebuild.

Also, from the pictures, I see that your steering (circa 1970) is unsafe for any kind of speed boat. It's just scary.

I'm not trying to discourage you, (save a Stream and your my hero ), but it is going to need a lot of work.