THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY HIN Decoder — MIC VHD
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with VHD were assigned by the US Coast Guard to THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY of TRAVERSE CITY, MI. The company is recorded as out of business since 2010 — 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
VHD
Location
TRAVERSE CITY, MI
In business
since 2007
Status
Out of business (2010)
THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY hulls (2007–2010) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example VHD45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | VHD | Identifies THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY'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 THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY? Check it before you pay.
THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY is recorded out of business (2010) — 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
THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY HIN FAQ
What does a THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "VHD" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY hulls (2007–2010) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY still in business?
USCG records list THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY as out of business since 2010. 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 PRETTY DORY COMPANY HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY hulls (2007–2010) 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 THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY 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 "VHD" MIC the same as a THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY serial number?
No. "VHD" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY'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 THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY 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 THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in MI
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, "THE PRETTY DORY COMPANY HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/vhd, last verified 2026-06-15.