VENTURA INFLATABLES HIN Decoder — MIC MOU
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with MOU were assigned by the US Coast Guard to VENTURA INFLATABLES of VAN NUYS, CA. The company is recorded as out of business since 1988 — 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
MOU
Location
VAN NUYS, CA
In business
since 1985
Status
Out of business (1988)
VENTURA INFLATABLES hulls (1985–1988) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a VENTURA INFLATABLES HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example MOU45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | MOU | Identifies VENTURA INFLATABLES, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | VENTURA INFLATABLES'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 VENTURA INFLATABLES? Check it before you pay.
VENTURA INFLATABLES is recorded out of business (1988) — which affects recalls, parts support, and resale. 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
VENTURA INFLATABLES HIN FAQ
What does a VENTURA INFLATABLES HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "MOU" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to VENTURA INFLATABLES — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. VENTURA INFLATABLES hulls (1985–1988) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is VENTURA INFLATABLES still in business?
USCG records list VENTURA INFLATABLES as out of business since 1988. 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 VENTURA INFLATABLES HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. VENTURA INFLATABLES hulls (1985–1988) 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 VENTURA INFLATABLES 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 "MOU" MIC the same as a VENTURA INFLATABLES serial number?
No. "MOU" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies VENTURA INFLATABLES. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: VENTURA INFLATABLES'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 VENTURA INFLATABLES 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 VENTURA INFLATABLES 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, "VENTURA INFLATABLES HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/mou, last verified 2026-06-15.