How The Boat Index works

What it is

The Boat Index holds a record for each boat: its name, kind, size, hull, engine and builder, where we have them. You can look a boat up before you buy it, check whether it has been reported stolen, and claim your own boat's record.

Where the records come from

Most of the records come from public boat records, collected in April 2026. A small number were added by owners. We tidy the details so they read clearly, and we leave out what we can't make sense of.

Licence (index) numbers are kept private, so they can't be used to pass off a boat.

What claiming a boat means

• An owner can claim their boat's record from a free account. They can then correct it, add a contact for anyone who finds the boat adrift, and mark it stolen.
• A claim means someone has linked their account to the record. It does not prove they own the boat. Unlike cars, most UK boats aren’t on any register of who owns them.
• If someone has claimed your boat, tell us and we'll look into it.

Stolen boats

An owner can mark their claimed boat as stolen. The record then shows a warning to anyone who checks it, and the boat appears on the stolen boats list. Always report a theft to the police as well.

What it costs

Nothing. The Boat Index is free for boaters. There's no paid plan.

Who runs it

The Boat Index is run by Towpath Digital Ltd, company number 16913912, registered in England and Wales. We also run The Boat Market and Boat Safety Hub.

Something wrong?

If a record is wrong, or you want one removed, use correct or remove a record. For anything else, contact us.

Last changed 20 October 2026.