NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES HIN Decoder — MIC TYS

Hull Identification Numbers beginning with TYS were assigned by the US Coast Guard to NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES of BRADENTON, FL. The company is recorded as out of business since 1993 — 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

TYS

Location

BRADENTON, FL

In business

since 1983

Status

Out of business (1993)

NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–1993): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.

How a NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES HIN breaks down

A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example TYS45678D424 (illustrative):

CharactersSegmentIn exampleWhat it identifies
1–3Manufacturer (MIC)TYSIdentifies NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES, assigned by the US Coast Guard.
4–8Hull serial number45678NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES'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 NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES? Check it before you pay.

NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES is recorded out of business (1993) — 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

NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES HIN FAQ

What does a NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES HIN look like?

It starts with the three characters "TYS" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–1993): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.

Is NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES still in business?

USCG records list NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES as out of business since 1993. 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 NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES HIN?

On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–1993): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.

Where is the HIN on a NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES 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 "TYS" MIC the same as a NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES serial number?

No. "TYS" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES'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 NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES 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 NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES 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, "NORTH AMERICAN INFLATABLES HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/tys, last verified 2026-06-15.