GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with GRL were assigned by the US Coast Guard to GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG of SOUTH EUCLID, OH. The company is recorded as out of business since 1986 — 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
GRL
Location
SOUTH EUCLID, OH
In business
since 1972
Status
Out of business (1986)
GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–1986): 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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GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG HIN FAQ
What does a GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "GRL" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–1986): 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 GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG still in business?
USCG records list GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG as out of business since 1986. 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 GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG built hulls across both HIN eras (1972–1986): 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 OH
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "GREATLAKES SPORTS MFG HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/grl, last verified 2026-06-12.