T&T: A Bravo-Zulu to the NVDC!!!!!!!

[LA Licata]

Dear List,

If someone would have told me the following, I would have had  him or  
her drug tested...
But, it is all 100% true.

I am building a steel trawler outside the US in Turkey.
The Builder does not ever plan to import boats into USA.
Therefore, he does not have a way to assign a hull identification #  
(HIN) to my trawler.
But, to get a doc ID #, one needs a HIN.
So, Monday, (two days ago) I called NVDC and spoke with Mary Jane.
She had never ran across this problem so she asked around.
Her supervisor said that they have a form for them to assign a HIN  
when the builder cannot.
It is NOT a PDF form, nor available on their web site.
And, the cost for all this: ZERO $s.
So, she offered to fax it to me. (I am in Turkey!!)
I got the fax about 15 minutes after getting off the phone with her.
I filled it out Tuesday, scanned it into my computer, and found an  
email address that the NVDC uses to accept emails with PDF documents.
I sent in the scanned document yesterday.
I asked if at all possible if they could email to me the HIN # once  
assigned.
Today, at about 1000 EDT, I received an email containing the HIN, and  
the associated CFR that states how it should be applied.
My breath was taken away.......
If I ever get a chance to get out their way, i want to buy those  
people a drink or two.
Lee