BILL GASTON INC HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with BGI were assigned by the US Coast Guard to BILL GASTON INC of AUSTIN, TX. The company is recorded as out of business since 1981 — 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
BGI
Location
AUSTIN, TX
In business
since 1978
Status
Out of business (1981)
BILL GASTON INC hulls (1978–1981) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
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BILL GASTON INC HIN FAQ
What does a BILL GASTON INC HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "BGI" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to BILL GASTON INC — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. BILL GASTON INC hulls (1978–1981) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
Is BILL GASTON INC still in business?
USCG records list BILL GASTON INC as out of business since 1981. 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 BILL GASTON INC HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. BILL GASTON INC hulls (1978–1981) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Other builders in TX
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "BILL GASTON INC HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/bgi, last verified 2026-06-12.