CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR HIN Decoder — MIC ZBQ
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZBQ were assigned by the US Coast Guard to CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR of ST JEAN DES PIL, QC. The company is recorded as out of business since 1997 — 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
ZBQ
Location
ST JEAN DES PIL, QC
In business
since 1980
Status
Out of business (1997)
CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR built hulls across both HIN eras (1980–1997): 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 CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZBQ45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | ZBQ | Identifies CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR'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 CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR? Check it before you pay.
CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR is recorded out of business (1997) — 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
CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR HIN FAQ
What does a CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "ZBQ" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR built hulls across both HIN eras (1980–1997): 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 CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR still in business?
USCG records list CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR as out of business since 1997. 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 CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR built hulls across both HIN eras (1980–1997): 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 CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR 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 "ZBQ" MIC the same as a CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR serial number?
No. "ZBQ" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR'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 CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR 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 CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in QC
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, "CHAMPOUX MARINE ENR HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zbq, last verified 2026-06-15.