FINCO FABRICATION HIN Decoder — MIC GVU
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with GVU were assigned by the US Coast Guard to FINCO FABRICATION of SANTA ANA, CA. The builder is listed in the USCG MIC database. Enter the full 12-character HIN below for build date, model year, and serial — free, no account.
MIC
GVU
Location
SANTA ANA, CA
In business
since 2004
Status
Listed active in USCG records
FINCO FABRICATION hulls (2004–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a FINCO FABRICATION HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example GVU45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | GVU | Identifies FINCO FABRICATION, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | FINCO FABRICATION'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 FINCO FABRICATION? Check it before you pay.
Decoding the HIN confirms the year and serial, but not the safety record. 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
FINCO FABRICATION HIN FAQ
What does a FINCO FABRICATION HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "GVU" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to FINCO FABRICATION — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. FINCO FABRICATION hulls (2004–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is FINCO FABRICATION still in business?
USCG records list FINCO FABRICATION of SANTA ANA, CA in the MIC database (registered 2004).
How do I decode the year on a FINCO FABRICATION HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. FINCO FABRICATION hulls (2004–present) 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 FINCO FABRICATION 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 "GVU" MIC the same as a FINCO FABRICATION serial number?
No. "GVU" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies FINCO FABRICATION. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: FINCO FABRICATION'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 FINCO FABRICATION 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 FINCO FABRICATION records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in CA
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, "FINCO FABRICATION HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/gvu, last verified 2026-06-15.