LA VIDA YACHT SALES HIN Decoder — MIC AAA

Hull Identification Numbers beginning with AAA were assigned by the US Coast Guard to LA VIDA YACHT SALES of ST THOMAS, VI. The company is recorded as out of business since 2003 — common for older hulls, and useful to know when hunting parts or records. Enter the full 12-character HIN below for build date, model year, and serial — free, no account.

MIC

AAA

Location

ST THOMAS, VI

In business

since 1989

Status

Out of business (2003)

LA VIDA YACHT SALES hulls (1989–2003) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.

How a LA VIDA YACHT SALES HIN breaks down

A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example AAA45678D424 (illustrative):

CharactersSegmentIn exampleWhat it identifies
1–3Manufacturer (MIC)AAAIdentifies LA VIDA YACHT SALES, assigned by the US Coast Guard.
4–8Hull serial number45678LA VIDA YACHT SALES's own production number for the specific hull (the letters I, O, Q are never used).
9Certification monthDMonth built — A=January … L=December (D = April).
10Certification year4Last digit of the certification year.
11–12Model year24The boat’s model year.

Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner

Buying this LA VIDA YACHT SALES? Check it before you pay.

LA VIDA YACHT SALES is recorded out of business (2003) — which affects recalls, parts support, and resale. The $9.99 Boat Report adds the full CPSC marine-recall check, a HIN consistency check, a verify-before-you-buy checklist, and the USCG builder record for this hull — one downloadable report, one-time, no subscription. See what's included

LA VIDA YACHT SALES HIN FAQ

What does a LA VIDA YACHT SALES HIN look like?

It starts with the three characters "AAA" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to LA VIDA YACHT SALES — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. LA VIDA YACHT SALES hulls (1989–2003) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.

Is LA VIDA YACHT SALES still in business?

USCG records list LA VIDA YACHT SALES as out of business since 2003. That's common for older hulls — the HIN still decodes normally, and the out-of-business date helps date the boat and guides parts-hunting toward salvage and owner groups rather than a dealer network.

How do I decode the year on a LA VIDA YACHT SALES HIN?

On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. LA VIDA YACHT SALES hulls (1989–2003) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.

Where is the HIN on a LA VIDA YACHT SALES boat?

On the outside upper-starboard (right) corner of the transom, within two inches of the top — required by 33 CFR 181.29. Since August 1984 an identical duplicate HIN is also molded into an unexposed interior location as an anti-theft measure. Both should match the title, registration, and insurance card exactly.

Is the "AAA" MIC the same as a LA VIDA YACHT SALES serial number?

No. "AAA" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies LA VIDA YACHT SALES. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: LA VIDA YACHT SALES's own production number for that specific boat (the letters I, O, and Q are never used). The full 12-character HIN combines the MIC, the serial, and the date code.

Can a LA VIDA YACHT SALES HIN tell me the exact model?

Not on its own. A HIN encodes the builder, hull serial, certification month/year, and model year — not the model name or length. Match the decoded year and serial against LA VIDA YACHT SALES records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.

Other builders in VI

Sources: verified against the USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR Part 181, Subpart C. Reviewed by Sam Reynolds, Lead Researcher, CarWhere. Cite this page: CarWhere, "LA VIDA YACHT SALES HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/aaa, last verified 2026-06-15.