CRUISER SPORTS SERIES HIN Decoder — MIC KCS
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with KCS were assigned by the US Coast Guard to CRUISER SPORTS SERIES of OCONTO, WI. 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
KCS
Location
OCONTO, WI
In business
since 2012
Status
Listed active in USCG records
Parent company
KCS INTERNATIONAL INC
CRUISER SPORTS SERIES hulls (2012–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 CRUISER SPORTS SERIES HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example KCS45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | KCS | Identifies CRUISER SPORTS SERIES, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | CRUISER SPORTS SERIES'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 CRUISER SPORTS SERIES? 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
CRUISER SPORTS SERIES HIN FAQ
What does a CRUISER SPORTS SERIES HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "KCS" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to CRUISER SPORTS SERIES — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. CRUISER SPORTS SERIES hulls (2012–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is CRUISER SPORTS SERIES still in business?
USCG records list CRUISER SPORTS SERIES of OCONTO, WI in the MIC database (registered 2012), associated with KCS INTERNATIONAL INC.
How do I decode the year on a CRUISER SPORTS SERIES HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. CRUISER SPORTS SERIES hulls (2012–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 CRUISER SPORTS SERIES 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 "KCS" MIC the same as a CRUISER SPORTS SERIES serial number?
No. "KCS" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies CRUISER SPORTS SERIES. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: CRUISER SPORTS SERIES'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 CRUISER SPORTS SERIES 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 CRUISER SPORTS SERIES records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in WI
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, "CRUISER SPORTS SERIES HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/kcs, last verified 2026-06-15.