CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING HIN Decoder — MIC BPS
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with BPS were assigned by the US Coast Guard to CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING of PORT LUDLOW, WA. 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
BPS
Location
PORT LUDLOW, WA
In business
since 1979
Status
Out of business (1981)
CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING hulls (1979–1981) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
How a CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example BPS45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | BPS | Identifies CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING'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 CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING? Check it before you pay.
CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING is recorded out of business (1981) — 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
CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING HIN FAQ
What does a CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "BPS" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING hulls (1979–1981) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
Is CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING still in business?
USCG records list CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING 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 CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING hulls (1979–1981) 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.
Where is the HIN on a CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING 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 "BPS" MIC the same as a CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING serial number?
No. "BPS" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING'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 CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING 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 CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in WA
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, "CUSTOM BOAT BUILDING HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/bps, last verified 2026-06-15.