CARIBBEAN CRUISERS HIN Decoder — MIC DWU
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with DWU were assigned by the US Coast Guard to CARIBBEAN CRUISERS of PICKWICK, TN. The company is recorded as out of business since 1989 — 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
DWU
Location
PICKWICK, TN
In business
since 1988
Status
Out of business (1989)
CARIBBEAN CRUISERS hulls (1988–1989) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a CARIBBEAN CRUISERS HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example DWU45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | DWU | Identifies CARIBBEAN CRUISERS, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | CARIBBEAN CRUISERS'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 CARIBBEAN CRUISERS? Check it before you pay.
CARIBBEAN CRUISERS is recorded out of business (1989) — 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
CARIBBEAN CRUISERS HIN FAQ
What does a CARIBBEAN CRUISERS HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "DWU" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to CARIBBEAN CRUISERS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. CARIBBEAN CRUISERS hulls (1988–1989) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is CARIBBEAN CRUISERS still in business?
USCG records list CARIBBEAN CRUISERS as out of business since 1989. 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 CARIBBEAN CRUISERS HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. CARIBBEAN CRUISERS hulls (1988–1989) 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 CARIBBEAN CRUISERS 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 "DWU" MIC the same as a CARIBBEAN CRUISERS serial number?
No. "DWU" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies CARIBBEAN CRUISERS. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: CARIBBEAN CRUISERS'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 CARIBBEAN CRUISERS 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 CARIBBEAN CRUISERS records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in TN
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, "CARIBBEAN CRUISERS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/dwu, last verified 2026-06-15.