BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with GHQ were assigned by the US Coast Guard to BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP of NEWBERRY, SC. The company is recorded as out of business since 2008 — 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
GHQ
Location
NEWBERRY, SC
In business
since 2002
Status
Out of business (2008)
Parent company
BRUNSWICK BOAT GROUP
BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP hulls (2002–2008) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
The optional $19.99 Boat History Report adds stolen-boat, salvage/auction, incident, and USCG documentation checks — one-time, no subscription (typical boat-history services charge $25+).
BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP HIN FAQ
What does a BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "GHQ" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP hulls (2002–2008) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP still in business?
USCG records list BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP as out of business since 2008 (associated with BRUNSWICK BOAT GROUP). 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 BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP hulls (2002–2008) 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.
Other builders in SC
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "BLUEWATER MARINE GROUP HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/ghq, last verified 2026-06-12.