GEM CRAFT HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with JZQ were assigned by the US Coast Guard to GEM CRAFT of FAIRHOPE, AL. The company is recorded as out of business since 2014 — 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
JZQ
Location
FAIRHOPE, AL
In business
since 2004
Status
Out of business (2014)
GEM CRAFT hulls (2004–2014) 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
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GEM CRAFT HIN FAQ
What does a GEM CRAFT HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "JZQ" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to GEM CRAFT — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. GEM CRAFT hulls (2004–2014) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is GEM CRAFT still in business?
USCG records list GEM CRAFT as out of business since 2014. 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 GEM CRAFT HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. GEM CRAFT hulls (2004–2014) 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 AL
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "GEM CRAFT HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/jzq, last verified 2026-06-12.