Craigslist Yak for Sale!!!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/boa/455895269.html

Hi Yakers:

     The following  Quote from the Ad seems strange.
"The serial number has been cut out and patched"
     It's just my spin and maybe I'm too paranoid.

                                                        Ernie

Yeah there is only one reason to cut out serial #'s...

Yeah there is only one reason to cut out serial #'s...

I can think of two reasons. It is possible that the removal of the Serial # indicates the boat is merely a "second", and not ill gotten goods.

Scott

If by "second" you mean a cosmetic blem, well, I have an Ocean Kayak blem and it has its serial numbers on it.  Not sure what WS does, but I am under the impression that if they retail them, they need the serial numbers on it.

-Allen

Possession of property with serial number removed is an arrestable offense in California.

It is possible that the removal of the Serial # indicates the boat is merely a "second"

Be a lot easier to ID if it had a # I'm sure they record which are sold as seconds.

Even if it's not a brand-new yak, it's still a lot of money to pay for something with acknowledged leaks around the scupper holes.

Yeah there is only one reason to cut out serial #'s...

Zilla is the king of patching yaks w/o a serial #. On a mfg blem it is cheaper for the store to send the serial # and get a replacement yak rather than paying for the shipping to send the whole thing  back.
Zilla got his Prowler this way from a kayak shop for $150, patched it and it looks and works great.
Unless it was from a kayak shop with a hole where the serial # used to be I would be a bit apprehensive. Especially at the price of the one listed here.

Ok 2 reasons 

Given the recent rash of kayak thefts though I am still apprehensive.

Zilla is the king of patching yaks w/o a serial #. On a mfg blem it is cheaper for the store to send the serial # and get a replacement yak rather than paying for the shipping to send the whole thing  back.

Just clarifying that what you are calling a manufacturing blem is not what I was calling it.

Your talking holes or structural issue.  I'm talking cosmetic blems.  Cosmetic blems are structurally sound, but perhaps the colors aren't perfect or a logo is smeared.  This are often times still sold at a discount, marked as blems, and still have the serial numbers.

-Allen

You know, back when I was a low-life scum sucking inbred kayak thief, I always pointed out the fact that I'd removed the serial number by cutting it out of the hull and welded in a patch when I advertised the kayak for sale on the preeminent electronic classified ad sites. You know, the ones that everyone monitors to see if their recently stolen gear shows up. That way, potential buyers wouldn't worry about whether or not the kayak was hot. It was a great marketing technique. As opposed to say, melting the entire serial number with a heat gun in such a way as to make it appear there was never any number at all. Or using a stamp to modify the serial number. Or using the scraps from fitting flush mounts to fill in the serial number. And then not saying a stinking word about it....

Allen,

I should have used "warranty return" rather then "second". I think of "second" covering the range from structural to cosmetic issues, but may not be interpreted that way by everyone.

Regards,
Scott

WOW!!!! After reading all of the other information that has been posted and other inquiries, I think I opened a "Hornets" nest. Well, it probably is a good idea. I did not think that with just the serial numbers removed was a really big thing. They say you learn something new everyday, and thanks guys for teaching me a new one today. 

A friend of mine was a dealer for OK, and when he received a defective boat they would just send him another without him having to send back the bad one.  However, they insisted that he chop up the bad boat on threat of losing his OK concession.  They were pretty serious about it.

My bet is that this was a defective boat that was supposed to be destroyed by the dealer, but then was sold under the table with the serial numbers cut out.  Another friend of mine bought a Tarpon 140 from a dealer that was exactly that, and for cheap.  It had defective scupper holes that had been patched up.  Leaky scupper holes were common a few years ago on the Tarpon 140s.

WOW!!!! After reading all of the other information that has been posted and other inquiries, I think I opened a "Hornets" nest. Well, it probably is a good idea. I did not think that with just the serial numbers removed was a really big thing. They say you learn something new everyday, and thanks guys for teaching me a new one today. 

Any discussion is good discussion, unless you're the seller, in this case, Pondsurf, who's trying to unload the kayak.