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Author Topic:   HIN

mcole posted 07-03-2011 08:56 AM ET (US)
Someone [decode] this HIN and give me a year, size and model: BWC6296EJ889. I will try to attach a picture.
Mike
jimh posted 07-03-2011 09:16 AM ET (US)
Have you read the FAQ whose answer gives the details of HIN decoding? See
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q2
jimh posted 07-03-2011 09:17 AM ET (US)
The HIN only encodes the date of production and the model year. The hull length and the particular model are not encoded into the HIN.
Tom W Clark posted 07-03-2011 11:49 AM ET (US)
The HIN does code the model of Whaler but it does tell you what hull it is.
In this case the boat in question is a 1989 model 18 footer (most likely an Outrage 18) made in July of 1988.
All the classic 18/19 footer have a HIN serial sequence that begins with the number 6 and ends with a letter.
jimh posted 07-03-2011 08:25 PM ET (US)
The HIN is a federal requirement. I don't see any information in the federal regulation for encoding boat length or model. You can easily deduce the length of the boat with a tape measure. Within the HIN a manufacturer can insert an alpha-numeric production code. Boston Whaler has some production code regularities which some skilled enthusiasts can interpret, but I have not seen any good, logical, systematic explanation for Boston Whaler production code decoding. Perhaps someone who knows how to decode Boston Whaler production codes will pass on the technique.
Powergroove803 posted 07-05-2011 11:43 AM ET (US)
Are there records somewhere that can give you a history of when, where, and to who your BW was originally sold?
Tom W Clark posted 07-05-2011 12:14 PM ET (US)
Yes, Boston Whaler still has hand written records of most, but not all, the classic boats they ever made. Chuck Bennett in Customer Service has always been very generous with his time looking up hull numbers for Whaler owners.
Though the Feds do not require it, there is a coding for the different hulls in each Boston Whaler HIN. Boston Whaler has provided this printed list of HIN Sequences.
I have a copy around here somewhere and I am sure I sent it to Jim years ago. I am surprised it is not in the Reference Section along with all the other good hull number information.
jimh posted 07-05-2011 02:05 PM ET (US)
[The chart showing the HIN sequence has been available from a link in the FAQ from about July 2011. Note that the HIN itself cannot be decoded according to the federal rules for the formation of a HIN for Boston Whaler model or hull length, but, if the supplemental charts from Boston Whaler are consulted, the HIN can be further decoded with the aid of those charts to deduce a particular hull length, and, sometimes, some inference about the model can also be made, depending on possible use of a sequence by Boston Whaler.--jimh]

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Author	Topic: HIN
mcole	posted 07-03-2011 08:56 AM ET (US) Someone [decode] this HIN and give me a year, size and model: BWC6296EJ889. I will try to attach a picture. Mike
jimh	posted 07-03-2011 09:16 AM ET (US) Have you read the FAQ whose answer gives the details of HIN decoding? See http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q2
jimh	posted 07-03-2011 09:17 AM ET (US) The HIN only encodes the date of production and the model year. The hull length and the particular model are not encoded into the HIN.
Tom W Clark	posted 07-03-2011 11:49 AM ET (US) The HIN does code the model of Whaler but it does tell you what hull it is. In this case the boat in question is a 1989 model 18 footer (most likely an Outrage 18) made in July of 1988. All the classic 18/19 footer have a HIN serial sequence that begins with the number 6 and ends with a letter.
jimh	posted 07-03-2011 08:25 PM ET (US) The HIN is a federal requirement. I don't see any information in the federal regulation for encoding boat length or model. You can easily deduce the length of the boat with a tape measure. Within the HIN a manufacturer can insert an alpha-numeric production code. Boston Whaler has some production code regularities which some skilled enthusiasts can interpret, but I have not seen any good, logical, systematic explanation for Boston Whaler production code decoding. Perhaps someone who knows how to decode Boston Whaler production codes will pass on the technique.
Powergroove803	posted 07-05-2011 11:43 AM ET (US) Are there records somewhere that can give you a history of when, where, and to who your BW was originally sold?
Tom W Clark	posted 07-05-2011 12:14 PM ET (US) Yes, Boston Whaler still has hand written records of most, but not all, the classic boats they ever made. Chuck Bennett in Customer Service has always been very generous with his time looking up hull numbers for Whaler owners. Though the Feds do not require it, there is a coding for the different hulls in each Boston Whaler HIN. Boston Whaler has provided this printed list of HIN Sequences. I have a copy around here somewhere and I am sure I sent it to Jim years ago. I am surprised it is not in the Reference Section along with all the other good hull number information.
jimh	posted 07-05-2011 02:05 PM ET (US) [The chart showing the HIN sequence has been available from a link in the FAQ from about July 2011. Note that the HIN itself cannot be decoded according to the federal rules for the formation of a HIN for Boston Whaler model or hull length, but, if the supplemental charts from Boston Whaler are consulted, the HIN can be further decoded with the aid of those charts to deduce a particular hull length, and, sometimes, some inference about the model can also be made, depending on possible use of a sequence by Boston Whaler.--jimh]