ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD HIN Decoder — MIC ZAI
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZAI were assigned by the US Coast Guard to ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD of BRANDON, MB. The builder is listed in the USCG MIC database. Enter the full 12-character HIN below for build date, model year, and serial — free, no account.
MIC
ZAI
Location
BRANDON, MB
In business
since 1975
Status
Listed active in USCG records
ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–present): 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 ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZAI45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | ZAI | Identifies ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD'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 ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD? Check it before you pay.
Decoding the HIN confirms the year and serial, but not the safety record. 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
ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD HIN FAQ
What does a ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "ZAI" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–present): 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 ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD still in business?
USCG records list ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD of BRANDON, MB in the MIC database (registered 1975).
How do I decode the year on a ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1975–present): 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 ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD 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 "ZAI" MIC the same as a ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD serial number?
No. "ZAI" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD'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 ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD 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 ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in MB
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, "ANCHOR INDUSTRIES LTD HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zai, last verified 2026-06-15.