Sea Rover information,

(This is a draft of the post I was working on months ago.  I forgot about it and only found it again tonight.)

I was on a Westsail owners site to ask some questions, and through the responses I was able to get some significant information about the Rover.  It seems the Rover is not a Westsail manufactured boat.  The boat was built in a yard in Taiwan in 1977.  That I knew from a placard on one of the bulkheads in the cabin.  I just didn't know if they were "authorized" by Westsail to build it.  So it turns out Westsail only produced boats in their yards and anything else that looks like one, however close the lines, is not a true Westsail.  There is a number etched in the forward cabin that looks like a serial number and I mistakenly thought it was a hull number.  It wasn't.  I found out the hull identification number(HIN) is on the bulwark next to the rudder.  That's when I realized I was searching the wrong number.  The HIN number gave me the 3 letter manufacturer's code(JRS for anyone interested) which matched the name on the placard.  Also the ending numbers(77) matched the year I was told the boat was made.  It all came together.  So now I found the true HIN number, then what was the number in the V-berth?  I went to NOAA, https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/CoastGuard/VesselByName.html to try again.  In earlier attempts Sea Rover didn't turn up anything even remotely matching my boat.  However, off to the side in a small box there was " Search By USCG Official Number " and clicking that allowed me to search by a number.  Nahhh, couldn't be that number up front?  Yada-yada-yada, DANG, there she was!  Name of boat, tonnage, specs and PREVIOUS OWNER to boot.  (My friend is adopted and doesn't know who his parents are, and even at near 60 I know it bothers him.)

Sea Rover was a USCG registered boat.  I guess it shouldn't be too surprising considering it came from overseas.  It is currently only registered as a state of Hawaii boat but I am looking into getting it registered again under USCG.  With that info and the name of the previous owner, through the wonders of Internet I was able to get a phone number and address.  The person is still alive and living here in Hawaii - about my age and a woman, hmmm....  Anyway this is very exciting.  She may not be the first owner but who knows what knowledge she can provide.

I have added a new page with more pictures for the guys at Westsail Owners Association.  Thank you gentlemen.