SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE HIN Decoder — MIC ZWL
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZWL were assigned by the US Coast Guard to SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE of LONDON, ON. The company is recorded as out of business since 2007 — 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
ZWL
Location
LONDON, ON
In business
since 1978
Status
Out of business (2007)
SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE built hulls across both HIN eras (1978–2007): 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 SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZWL45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | ZWL | Identifies SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE'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 SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE? Check it before you pay.
SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE is recorded out of business (2007) — 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
SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE HIN FAQ
What does a SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "ZWL" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE built hulls across both HIN eras (1978–2007): 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 SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE still in business?
USCG records list SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE as out of business since 2007. 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 SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE built hulls across both HIN eras (1978–2007): 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 SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE 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 "ZWL" MIC the same as a SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE serial number?
No. "ZWL" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE'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 SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE 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 SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE 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, "SKINNER'S AUTO MARINE HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zwl, last verified 2026-06-15.