SPECTRUM/ESCORT HIN Decoder
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with VEX were assigned by the US Coast Guard to SPECTRUM/ESCORT of TOPEKA, IN. The company is recorded as out of business since 2005 — 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
VEX
Location
TOPEKA, IN
In business
since 1988
Status
Out of business (2005)
Parent company
MONARK BOATS
SPECTRUM/ESCORT hulls (1988–2005) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
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SPECTRUM/ESCORT HIN FAQ
What does a SPECTRUM/ESCORT HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "VEX" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to SPECTRUM/ESCORT — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. SPECTRUM/ESCORT hulls (1988–2005) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is SPECTRUM/ESCORT still in business?
USCG records list SPECTRUM/ESCORT as out of business since 2005 (associated with MONARK BOATS). 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 SPECTRUM/ESCORT HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. SPECTRUM/ESCORT hulls (1988–2005) 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.
Other builders in IN
Sources: USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (uscgboating.org, refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR 181 subpart C. Cite this page: CarWhere, "SPECTRUM/ESCORT HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/vex, last verified 2026-06-12.