CAHABA BOATS HIN Decoder — MIC PQQ

Hull Identification Numbers beginning with PQQ were assigned by the US Coast Guard to CAHABA BOATS of CAMDEN, AL. The company is recorded as out of business since 1996 — 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

PQQ

Location

CAMDEN, AL

In business

since 1992

Status

Out of business (1996)

CAHABA BOATS hulls (1992–1996) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.

How a CAHABA BOATS HIN breaks down

A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example PQQ45678D424 (illustrative):

CharactersSegmentIn exampleWhat it identifies
1–3Manufacturer (MIC)PQQIdentifies CAHABA BOATS, assigned by the US Coast Guard.
4–8Hull serial number45678CAHABA BOATS'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 CAHABA BOATS? Check it before you pay.

CAHABA BOATS is recorded out of business (1996) — 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

CAHABA BOATS HIN FAQ

What does a CAHABA BOATS HIN look like?

It starts with the three characters "PQQ" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to CAHABA BOATS — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. CAHABA BOATS hulls (1992–1996) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.

Is CAHABA BOATS still in business?

USCG records list CAHABA BOATS as out of business since 1996. 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 CAHABA BOATS HIN?

On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. CAHABA BOATS hulls (1992–1996) 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 CAHABA BOATS 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 "PQQ" MIC the same as a CAHABA BOATS serial number?

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

Other builders in AL

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, "CAHABA BOATS HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/pqq, last verified 2026-06-15.