OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS HIN Decoder — MIC OUW
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with OUW were assigned by the US Coast Guard to OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS of HARKERS ISLAND, NC. 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
OUW
Location
HARKERS ISLAND, NC
In business
since 2003
Status
Listed active in USCG records
OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS hulls (2003–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 OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example OUW45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | OUW | Identifies OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS'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 OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS? 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
OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS HIN FAQ
What does a OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "OUW" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS hulls (2003–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS still in business?
USCG records list OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS of HARKERS ISLAND, NC in the MIC database (registered 2003).
How do I decode the year on a OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS hulls (2003–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 OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS 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 "OUW" MIC the same as a OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS serial number?
No. "OUW" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS'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 OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS 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 OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in NC
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, "OUTER BANKS BOATWORKS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/ouw, last verified 2026-06-15.