About
Boat Serial Number helps owners and buyers read a boat’s hull identification number (HIN) and work out when an outboard motor or personal watercraft was built. Anders Myrmel edits the publication.
Where the facts come from
The HIN format comes from the federal regulations in 33 CFR Part 181 and from the U.S. Coast Guard’s own boating safety pages. Engine and watercraft facts come only from the manufacturer’s own manuals and support pages. Dealer charts, forums and price guides are not used as sources. Where a manufacturer publishes no serial-to-year information, we say so and point you to the manufacturer.
Every page lists its sources with a link, the section we read and the date we read it. Facts are written in our own words.
What a HIN or serial can and can’t tell you
A HIN identifies the hull and records when it was certified and its model year. It doesn’t prove ownership, tell you whether a boat is stolen or has a lien, or tell you its value. Title and registration records are kept by states, and some boats carry an altered or missing HIN. If anything doesn’t add up, contact your state’s boat registration office.
Why there are no boat values
No government agency or manufacturer publishes used-boat values we could cite; the main value guides are proprietary. We don’t estimate values.
Independence
This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard or with any boat, engine or watercraft manufacturer. Brand names are used only to say which equipment a page covers. No logos are used.