The first 3 characters are what are referred to as the MIC or Manufacturers Index Code. There are several sites on the internet that can help you decode the MIC of your HIN. One such site is through the US Coast Guards website. Another option that might be a bit easier to use is Boat History Report which hosts a free HIN validator to verify you have the correct HIN to begin with.
The following 5 digits vary according the manufacturer but are meant to be used as a serial number for that boat. It may contain specifics such as the length or material of the boat or it may just be a sequential number. Manufacturers are able to use any series of numbers and letters except O, I and Q because they are easily mistaken.
The last 4 characters of the HIN represent the certification year and model of the watercraft. Character 9 refers to the month and character 10- the year, the boat was certified. Certification means when the boat was stated to be in compliance with all laws and regulations regarding safe boat building. The letters correspond to the following months: A- January, B- February, C- March, D- April, E- May, F- June, G- July, H- August, I- September, J- October, K- November, L- December. The year is dictated using the last number of the year- for example, March of 1982 would be written as C2. The eleventh and twelfth characters refer to the model year. In the example above, the boat was certified in March of 1993 with a model year of 1993.
The following 5 digits vary according the manufacturer but are meant to be used as a serial number for that boat. It may contain specifics such as the length or material of the boat or it may just be a sequential number. Manufacturers are able to use any series of numbers and letters except O, I and Q because they are easily mistaken.
The last 4 characters of the HIN represent the certification year and model of the watercraft. Character 9 refers to the month and character 10- the year, the boat was certified. Certification means when the boat was stated to be in compliance with all laws and regulations regarding safe boat building. The letters correspond to the following months: A- January, B- February, C- March, D- April, E- May, F- June, G- July, H- August, I- September, J- October, K- November, L- December. The year is dictated using the last number of the year- for example, March of 1982 would be written as C2. The eleventh and twelfth characters refer to the model year. In the example above, the boat was certified in March of 1993 with a model year of 1993.
