CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with KJR were assigned by the US Coast Guard to CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS of CEDAR SPRINGS, MI. The company is recorded as out of business since 1995 — 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
KJR
Location
CEDAR SPRINGS, MI
In business
since 1987
Status
Out of business (1995)
CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS hulls (1987–1995) 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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CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS HIN FAQ
What does a CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "KJR" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS hulls (1987–1995) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS still in business?
USCG records list CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS as out of business since 1995. 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 CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS hulls (1987–1995) 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 MI
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "CHALLENGER BOAT WORKS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/kjr, last verified 2026-06-12.