GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED HIN Decoder — MIC GHA
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with GHA were assigned by the US Coast Guard to GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED of LANSING, MI. The company is recorded as out of business since 1997 — 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
GHA
Location
LANSING, MI
In business
since 1994
Status
Out of business (1997)
Parent company
G.H.I.
GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED hulls (1994–1997) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example GHA45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | GHA | Identifies GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED'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 GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED? Check it before you pay.
GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED is recorded out of business (1997) — 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
GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED HIN FAQ
What does a GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "GHA" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED hulls (1994–1997) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED still in business?
USCG records list GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED as out of business since 1997 (associated with G.H.I.). 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 GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED hulls (1994–1997) 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 GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED 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 "GHA" MIC the same as a GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED serial number?
No. "GHA" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED'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 GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED 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 GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in MI
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, "GOLDEN HAWK INCORPORATED HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/gha, last verified 2026-06-15.