BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS HIN Decoder — MIC BZX
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with BZX were assigned by the US Coast Guard to BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS of SEATTLE, WA. The company is recorded as out of business since 1992 — 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
BZX
Location
SEATTLE, WA
In business
since 1987
Status
Out of business (1992)
BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS hulls (1987–1992) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example BZX45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | BZX | Identifies BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS'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 BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS? Check it before you pay.
BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS is recorded out of business (1992) — 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
BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS HIN FAQ
What does a BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "BZX" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS hulls (1987–1992) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS still in business?
USCG records list BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS as out of business since 1992. 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 BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS hulls (1987–1992) 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 BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS 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 "BZX" MIC the same as a BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS serial number?
No. "BZX" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS'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 BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS 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 BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS 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, "BUSY BEAR BOATWORKWS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/bzx, last verified 2026-06-15.