PRECISION WELDING HIN Decoder — MIC PWO
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with PWO were assigned by the US Coast Guard to PRECISION WELDING of GOLD HILL, OR. The company is recorded as out of business since 1990 — 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
PWO
Location
GOLD HILL, OR
In business
since 1988
Status
Out of business (1990)
PRECISION WELDING hulls (1988–1990) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a PRECISION WELDING HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example PWO45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | PWO | Identifies PRECISION WELDING, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | PRECISION WELDING'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 PRECISION WELDING? Check it before you pay.
PRECISION WELDING is recorded out of business (1990) — 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
PRECISION WELDING HIN FAQ
What does a PRECISION WELDING HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "PWO" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to PRECISION WELDING — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. PRECISION WELDING hulls (1988–1990) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is PRECISION WELDING still in business?
USCG records list PRECISION WELDING as out of business since 1990. 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 PRECISION WELDING HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. PRECISION WELDING hulls (1988–1990) 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 PRECISION WELDING 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 "PWO" MIC the same as a PRECISION WELDING serial number?
No. "PWO" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies PRECISION WELDING. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: PRECISION WELDING'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 PRECISION WELDING 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 PRECISION WELDING records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in OR
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, "PRECISION WELDING HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/pwo, last verified 2026-06-15.