NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD HIN Decoder — MIC ZKR
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZKR were assigned by the US Coast Guard to NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD of GODERICH, ON. 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
ZKR
Location
GODERICH, ON
In business
since 1983
Status
Listed active in USCG records
NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–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 NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZKR45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | ZKR | Identifies NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | NORTH CASTLE MARINE 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 NORTH CASTLE MARINE 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
NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD HIN FAQ
What does a NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "ZKR" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–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 NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD still in business?
USCG records list NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD of GODERICH, ON in the MIC database (registered 1983).
How do I decode the year on a NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD built hulls across both HIN eras (1983–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 NORTH CASTLE MARINE 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 "ZKR" MIC the same as a NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD serial number?
No. "ZKR" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: NORTH CASTLE MARINE 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 NORTH CASTLE MARINE 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 NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in ON
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, "NORTH CASTLE MARINE LTD HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zkr, last verified 2026-06-15.