Hull I.D. # -Hull Identification Number
The below information is provided to you by the Luger / South Coast Seacraft Owners' Association. The information below is our interpretation of the Hull I.D. rules. In no way, should you take the information supplied below as a rule but rather as a guide to understanding your hull identification numbers more clearly. In no way, should the information below be used as fact. Combine the information we have to offer you with that of others that are equally educated on the subject. However, it is recommended that you contact the U.S. Coast Guard or your state watercraft office for an official explanation of your hull I.D. number rules. If the standards on hull Identification numbers change in the future, the information below supplied on this day of October 1st 2004 will be null and void.
Have you ever noticed the set of numbers and letters on the stern of your boat? On almost every boat, back on the upper right hand corner of the transom, you will find the "Hull Identification, also known as the Hull I.D. # " If so, do you know what this series of numbers and letters means? Well, we here at the Luger Owners' Association will attempt to explain them to you. Note: not all hull I.D. numbers conform to the below illustrated set of rules. Prior to August 1st 1984, there really were no standards on Hull I.D. for boat manufacturers to follow. Often, a boat builder would pick one method one day and switch to another the next. Some companies would go so far as to allow the company employees to stamp their own personal codes on the hulls they laid up. Therefore, many of their methods of displaying the hull I.D. did not conform to any rule but their own. However, it is our goal to provide you with the most common methods of displaying the hull I.D.
Almost every boat in the United States, must have a hull identification number placed on the boat. Home made vessels must also follow this rule. However, there are exceptions to the rule. For instance, any boat built or imported into the United States prior to November 1st 1972 did not need a hull I.D. Only after this date, was it required by the U.S. Coast Guard. In other words, if your boat was made prior to this date, your boat need not have a Hull I.D. Today, all Hull I.D numbers must be 12 characters long. Some of the older boats have 14 characters. If your boat is one that has 14 characters, you must call your state water craft department to arrange a Hull I.D. alteration to conform to today's 12 character standard. Most states require you to show up in person to the State Watercraft Department with your old title, any pertinent papers and your state drivers' license.
The hull identification number has several purposes. One purpose is to identify your boat from all the other boats in the United States. Another reason for requiring hull I.D. numbers on boats is to make it possible for manufacturers to contact owners and or provide the owner with manufacture defect notices. If there is a recall on an item connected to your boat or there is an overall defect to the design of your boat, manufactures need a way to provide owners a method to determine if their boat is one of the defective models listed in a recall.
Note: Do not confuse the Hull Identification Number with your state registration number. The hull I.D. on your boat is a federally required number whereas the State registration number (displayed on both sides of the bow) is a state mandated requirement. However, it is required by the state to have your Hull I.D. number included on your state registration.
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Illistration 1 - Hull I.D. # Format Prior to August 1, 1984
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Every boat builder, professional and home made alike, must affix two identical Hull I.D. #'s with a font size measuring at least 1/4 of an inch high to two locations on the hull. One location is required where the I.D. # must be permanently affixed to the outer hull. This I.D. # tag one must be affixed on the starboard side of the outer transom 2 inches from the upper most edge of the stern, gunwale or the deck joint, whichever is the lowest. For those boats that do not have a transom or stern per say or for those boats that are built in such a way that there is no room for a hull I.D. # on the transom / stern, it is then required of the boat manufacturer to geminately affix the hull I.D. # one foot from the aft most section of the outer starboard hull no less than two inches from the upper most hull side, gunwale or deck joint, whichever is the lowest. For boats with two hulls such as Catamarans and pontoons, the Hull I.D. # must be placed on the aft most cross member within one foot from the starboard hull connection.
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Illistration 2 - Hull I.D. # Format After August 1, 1984
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The second location of the hull I.D. for boats imported or manufactured after Aug. 1st of 1984, is left up to the boat builder (professional and home made alike). Although it is not required to display a second hull I.D. number on boats built prior to this date mentioned above, it is suggested. The primary reason for this is simple. If your boat is stolen or vandalized and the primary hull I.D. # is removed, you or the involved law enforcement agency can go to this "hidden" location to prove the boat belongs to you. It is recommended to etch or hide the secondary HIN to a location on the inner hull hidden from others such as in the bilge or under a permanently attached item. We here at the Luger Owners' Association recommend you attach this secondary HIN tag to one of the cross ribs within the bilge near the keel bolts, keel trunk or Dagger Box depending on the design of your boat. Note: It is illegal for anyone to permanently alter remove the hull identification number with out first notifying and receiving authorization from the Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard.
Craig (Efstop) Andante's secondary HIN. Craig was very kind to send us a photo example of how he attached the secondary HIN on his boat. Thank you Craig. Photo supplied in 2004.
The hull identification number is arranged to conform to the regulated format. The first three letters are called the MIC (Manufacturer Identification Code). On Luger boats, the first three letters of the Hull I.D. # is (LUG). The next 5 digits are called the serial number that is unique to your boat only and is assigned by the manufacturer. The last four numbers or combination of numbers and letters, depending on the format, are used to indicate the date the boat was manufactured. Depending on the format used (see illustrations above), some codes indicate the model year as well. The Hull Identification Number is assigned only by the U.S. Coast Guard.
For more information, search the Coast Guard maintained database of MICs .
For those of you who are building or have built your own home made boat, you must still obtain a hull I.D. . In this case, you must go to your State watercraft agency for an assigned HIN. All home made boats are supplied with a hull identification number that start with an abbreviation for the state (example: Ohio = OH) and then followed by Z. So, If your boat was home made in Ohio, your HIN will begin with OHZ followed by a given serial number and then by the date of manufacture.
The last two digits of the hull I.D. (Identification) number will indicate the year your Luger boat was produced. Also, the Hull I.D. # can be found on the title that came with your boat and also on the state registration. Note: Some states do not require a registration. If You can not find your hull I.D. # on your boat, you can also find the year your boat was produced on the blueprints that came with your Luger boat. The year can be found in a box in the lower right-hand corner of each page of the blue prints.
Source of some of the info. above found at http://www.boatsafe.com
Mic Data on LUG
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