THE BUG BOAT CO HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with TBU were assigned by the US Coast Guard to THE BUG BOAT CO of MYRTLE BEACH, SC. The company is recorded as out of business since 1980 — 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
TBU
Location
MYRTLE BEACH, SC
In business
—
Status
Out of business (1980)
THE BUG BOAT CO hulls (1972–1980) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
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THE BUG BOAT CO HIN FAQ
What does a THE BUG BOAT CO HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "TBU" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to THE BUG BOAT CO — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. THE BUG BOAT CO hulls (1972–1980) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984.
Is THE BUG BOAT CO still in business?
USCG records list THE BUG BOAT CO as out of business since 1980. 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 THE BUG BOAT CO HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. THE BUG BOAT CO hulls (1972–1980) predate the current HIN format — expect the legacy straight-year (MMYY) or model-year (M + year + month letter) date codes used 1972–1984. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Other builders in SC
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "THE BUG BOAT CO HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/tbu, last verified 2026-06-12.