SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS HIN Decoder — MIC OPF

Hull Identification Numbers beginning with OPF were assigned by the US Coast Guard to SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS of ORANGE PARK, FL. The company is recorded as out of business since 1989 — 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

OPF

Location

ORANGE PARK, FL

In business

since 1988

Status

Out of business (1989)

SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS hulls (1988–1989) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.

How a SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS HIN breaks down

A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example OPF45678D424 (illustrative):

CharactersSegmentIn exampleWhat it identifies
1–3Manufacturer (MIC)OPFIdentifies SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS, assigned by the US Coast Guard.
4–8Hull serial number45678SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS's own production number for the specific hull (the letters I, O, Q are never used).
9Certification monthDMonth built — A=January … L=December (D = April).
10Certification year4Last digit of the certification year.
11–12Model year24The boat’s model year.

Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner

Buying this SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS? Check it before you pay.

SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS is recorded out of business (1989) — 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

SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS HIN FAQ

What does a SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS HIN look like?

It starts with the three characters "OPF" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS hulls (1988–1989) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.

Is SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS still in business?

USCG records list SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS as out of business since 1989. 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 SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS HIN?

On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS hulls (1988–1989) 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 SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS 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 "OPF" MIC the same as a SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS serial number?

No. "OPF" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS'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 SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS 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 SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.

Other builders in FL

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, "SOUTHERN CROSS BOAT BUILDERS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/opf, last verified 2026-06-15.