BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS HIN Decoder

Hull Identification Numbers beginning with EDS were assigned by the US Coast Guard to BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS of ANNAPOLIS, MD. The company is recorded as out of business since 1996 — 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

EDS

Location

ANNAPOLIS, MD

In business

since 1972

Status

Out of business (1996)

BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–1996): 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.

Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner

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BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS HIN FAQ

What does a BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS HIN look like?

It starts with the three characters "EDS" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–1996): 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 BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS still in business?

USCG records list BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS as out of business since 1996. 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 BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS HIN?

On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–1996): 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.

Other builders in MD

Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "BLACK DOG BOAT WORKS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/eds, last verified 2026-06-12.