TOMMY BARON MARINE HIN Decoder — MIC VBN
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with VBN were assigned by the US Coast Guard to TOMMY BARON MARINE of HUNTINGTN BCH, CA. 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
VBN
Location
HUNTINGTN BCH, CA
In business
—
Status
Out of business (1980)
TOMMY BARON MARINE 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.
How a TOMMY BARON MARINE HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example VBN45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | VBN | Identifies TOMMY BARON MARINE, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | TOMMY BARON MARINE'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 TOMMY BARON MARINE? Check it before you pay.
TOMMY BARON MARINE is recorded out of business (1980) — 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
TOMMY BARON MARINE HIN FAQ
What does a TOMMY BARON MARINE HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "VBN" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to TOMMY BARON MARINE — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. TOMMY BARON MARINE 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 TOMMY BARON MARINE still in business?
USCG records list TOMMY BARON MARINE 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 TOMMY BARON MARINE HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. TOMMY BARON MARINE 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.
Where is the HIN on a TOMMY BARON MARINE 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 "VBN" MIC the same as a TOMMY BARON MARINE serial number?
No. "VBN" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies TOMMY BARON MARINE. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: TOMMY BARON MARINE'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 TOMMY BARON MARINE 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 TOMMY BARON MARINE records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in CA
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, "TOMMY BARON MARINE HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/vbn, last verified 2026-06-15.