NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT HIN Decoder — MIC BIN
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with BIN were assigned by the US Coast Guard to NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT of BELLOWS FALLS, VT. The company is recorded as out of business since 1990 — 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
BIN
Location
BELLOWS FALLS, VT
In business
since 1981
Status
Out of business (1990)
Parent company
W I S ASSOCIATES
NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT built hulls across both HIN eras (1981–1990): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.
How a NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example BIN45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | BIN | Identifies NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT's own production number for the specific hull (the letters I, O, Q are never used). |
| 9 | Certification month | D | Month built — A=January … L=December (D = April). |
| 10 | Certification year | 4 | Last digit of the certification year. |
| 11–12 | Model year | 24 | The boat’s model year. |
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
Buying this NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT? Check it before you pay.
NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT is recorded out of business (1990) — 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
NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT HIN FAQ
What does a NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "BIN" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT built hulls across both HIN eras (1981–1990): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.
Is NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT still in business?
USCG records list NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT as out of business since 1990 (associated with W I S ASSOCIATES). 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 NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT built hulls across both HIN eras (1981–1990): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Where is the HIN on a NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT 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 "BIN" MIC the same as a NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT serial number?
No. "BIN" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT'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 NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT 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 NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in VT
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, "NORTH AMERICAN INFLAT HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/bin, last verified 2026-06-15.