HIN number = hull number?
- Thread starter Pmcsurf1
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,320
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
STB
Guru
I see that you are in the Californian forum. What year was it made? That will suggest who owned the brand at the time and therefore the location where it was made.
Also, I see someone posted a Hull ID decoder. They will give you that and more, including the date.
Also, I see someone posted a Hull ID decoder. They will give you that and more, including the date.
twistedtree
Guru
Sometimes the serial number reflects the boat model & hull number, but I don't think there are any rules saying if or how that's encoded. With Nordhavns the first two digits are the boat model and the next three are the hull number. But that's just Nordhavn.
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,320
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
Agree, the builder assigns the serial number in the manner they choose.
STB
Guru
The serial number is a component of the hull ID number.
The hull ID number includes an assigned identifier of the manufacturer, the manufacturer-assigned serial number, and the date of manufacture or certification.
The serial number can be assigned however the manufacturer likes, except they can't assign the same one to more than one vessel.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/181.25
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/181.23
Of course vessels that predate the law...predate the law.
The hull ID number includes an assigned identifier of the manufacturer, the manufacturer-assigned serial number, and the date of manufacture or certification.
The serial number can be assigned however the manufacturer likes, except they can't assign the same one to more than one vessel.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/181.25
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/181.23
Of course vessels that predate the law...predate the law.
OP
OP
Pmcsurf1
Senior Member
Here’s the situation. I’m looking at a 1988 (CDRJA001G788) 48 Californian Motor Yacht (NOT cockpit). Current owner says it was hull # 1 of the 48’s and it was built in California. I’ve read Californian was moved to NC sometime in 1985?
Caterpillar says engines were built on April 16, 1987 and sold to Carver Boat Co and delivered April 15, 1988 near LA California.
I thought Californian was out of California in 1988 and moved to NC.
Anyone know the history of the 48’s?
Also on HIN… (CDR is Carver’s number. JA001 the serial number? Could 001 be hull # 1? And G788 is year?)
Thanks,
Paul
Caterpillar says engines were built on April 16, 1987 and sold to Carver Boat Co and delivered April 15, 1988 near LA California.
I thought Californian was out of California in 1988 and moved to NC.
Anyone know the history of the 48’s?
Also on HIN… (CDR is Carver’s number. JA001 the serial number? Could 001 be hull # 1? And G788 is year?)
Thanks,
Paul
Last edited:
twistedtree
Guru
G788 decodes as follows:
G=July manufacture month
7=1987 manufacture year
88= 1988 Model year.
It's also reasonable that JA001 means hull #1 of the 48. Some vendors assign codes to the boat model, and in this case that would be JA. Grand Banks does that, so maybe this builder as well.
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,320
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
HINs don’t tell you where the boat was made.
OP
OP
Pmcsurf1
Senior Member
I got that. That's why I'm asking if anyone knows how long they made the 48 in CA before they moved to NC.
Also don't understand hin as it pertains to hull number
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,320
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
Why does it matter?
OP
OP
Pmcsurf1
Senior Member
I'm bored and find it interesting. Someone must know something about this company. I live in St Augustine where my last boat was made. I know people who worked on it. Before they went belly up in 2008. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to know about their boat was made.
OP
OP
Pmcsurf1
Senior Member
Buzz kill
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,320
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
I try…
OP
OP
Pmcsurf1
Senior Member
Us nerds need to be able to fixate over meaningless stuff. OCD don't ya know.
rslifkin
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2019
- Messages
- 7,604
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Hour Glass
- Vessel Make
- Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Chris Craft followed that same method for my boat, as far as I can determine. The serial part of the HIN is EJ314. EJ is definitely a model designation, and there's no indication that the 314 is anything other than a hull number (definitely doesn't reset with year, but counts over the whole model run).
Unless a typo that one is a 1989 so could be 2 years worth of production?
Comodave
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 21,320
- Location
- Au Gres, MI
- Vessel Name
- Black Dog
- Vessel Make
- Formula 41PC
I can understand that. I am pretty OCD on some things, like my boat…
OP
OP
Pmcsurf1
Senior Member
you are correct... 1989
Bacchus is correct.
Mine (not officially yet) is a 1987 build and 1988 model year. Second example is 1988 build and 1989 model year.
1988 is JA001
1989 is JA514
Hmmm. still seems that would be one full year off production.
Could/did Californian build 514 in one year 48 MY (JA prefix)?
JA001 and JA514 must mean something else other than model and hull number. Even if it was two years that would be 21 boats per month.
Unsolved mystery unless someone comes forward with firsthand knowledge.
Bacchus is correct.
Mine (not officially yet) is a 1987 build and 1988 model year. Second example is 1988 build and 1989 model year.
1988 is JA001
1989 is JA514
Hmmm. still seems that would be one full year off production.
Could/did Californian build 514 in one year 48 MY (JA prefix)?
JA001 and JA514 must mean something else other than model and hull number. Even if it was two years that would be 21 boats per month.
Unsolved mystery unless someone comes forward with firsthand knowledge.
ranger58sb
Guru
Could be they used JA for model designator and started at 001 for 1988...
And then used JA for model designator and started at 501 for 1989...
The maker of our current boat starts one-up based on hulls produced at "Plant X" -- so the HIN doesn't have a relationship with model and then hull number within that model range. And then they stamp the model and hull number on the hull separately.
Others I've seen have started their model numbering with 101 instead of 001. Possibly to inflate sales figures? Or...?
-Chris
Any chance of finding out where the boat was previously documented/registered though the years? A 48’ boat with a 15’(?) beam probably wasn’t transported across the country and did it do the Panama Canal? Another piece of the puzzle anyway.
OP
OP
Pmcsurf1
Senior Member
Both good points. We're going for our 2nd walk through this morning. Owner called an said he's having 12 volt issues and his battery charger has an error. I'm bringing an old school battery charger to see if we can get engines started for oil samples. He's mentioned the boat is 12v but the bow thruster is 24v. Did californian/carver normally wire a 48 in 12v? As boats get bigger don't they usually go to 24v?
STB
Guru
If it is or was uscg documented, you can order an abstract of title from the US Vessel Documentation Center's Web site.
I got in touch with all but the very 1st owner of my boat that way.
twistedtree
Guru
A change of build locations was mentioned, so it seems possible that the "5" indicates a different build location.
Also, are their layout variations for the 48? Perhaps they used the "5" to indicated a different layout or other variation for the boat?
Building 14 boats over a year sounds plausible, so those last two digits would seem to be the sequential hull number.
Not sure we will ever know for sure unless someone from the builder turns up and can tell us.
Also, are their layout variations for the 48? Perhaps they used the "5" to indicated a different layout or other variation for the boat?
Building 14 boats over a year sounds plausible, so those last two digits would seem to be the sequential hull number.
Not sure we will ever know for sure unless someone from the builder turns up and can tell us.
GLee
Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2011
- Messages
- 14
- Vessel Make
- Nordhavn 55
HIN Code Dictionary
For what it's worth I've attached the Cabo Yachts HIN code dictionary. It harmonizes with the discussion of the Californian 48 HIN.
For what it's worth I've attached the Cabo Yachts HIN code dictionary. It harmonizes with the discussion of the Californian 48 HIN.
