Understanding Boat Hull Identification Numbers
We’ve all seen them on the transom of our boat, stamped into a faded placard or imbedded in the gleaming new gel coat. When we go to town hall to register our boat this is the number, among other things, that the bespeckled clerk wants before she’ll type up the certificate. You, of course, have it in hand, but beyond getting your boat legally on the water, what does that number tell us?
Here’s how to decipher the alpha/numberic hull ID code. Let’s say yours says QRX22344C202:
QRX is the US Coast Guard assigned three letter code for the manufacturer. You can get information about the code directly from the US Coast Guard at their Web site; www.uscgboating.org/recalls/mic_database.htm. You fill in the blanks and the web page looks up the data.
22344 is the 5 digit serial number for the hull. You may see them as all numbers, or a mix of numbers and letters.
C designates the month of manufacturer, each month getting a successive letter of the alphabet. C represents March.
2 designates the year of manufacture or certification, and last,
02 designates the model year given to it by the manufacturer. Model year could be different from the manufacture year.
All boats manufactured since 1972 have to have a unique code. If you’re buying a used boat, be sure to check the hull ID against the US Coast Guard list to be sure of what you’re getting. When buying parts or doing repairs, this is the number that truly identifies the boat.
Do you have other questions about your boat? Ask us at info@boatsforboaters.com.