HydroStream HIN Decoder
Like cars, boats have a "VIN", but unlike cars it's called a "HIN", or Hull Identification Number. It's stamped on the backside of the transom on the upper starboard side and should also be on the Coast Guard capacity plate and your registration and/or title.
Tip: If the transom of your boat has been replaced, the original HIN may have been destroyed or covered up during the restoration. Take a look underneath the splashwell or underneath the deck of the boat forward of the windshield. Most boats have more that one HIN stamp from the factory. When buying one of these boats, you should always verify that the HIN on the title or registration matches the numbers on the boat.
Model years 1976 through early 1984
If you have a model built between 1976 and early 1984, the HIN will be in the following format:
Here is how it works:
- Each number starts out with HSP which stands for HydroStream Pipkorn.
- The next three numbers is the serial sequence. This doesn't tell us too much since HydroStream simply started with the number 001 and ran them to 999. At that point, they just start over again at 001. This sequencing continued throughout the years, thus a particular sequence number could be assigned to several different models.
- The next two letters indicate the hull model, in this case "VG" is for Viking. The codes for the various models are listed in the chart below.
- All of the HINs for years 1976 through 1984 have "M" for the next letter. The letter "M" (Manufactured) was a separation letter only, and was used by all boat manufacturers until 1984/85.
- The next two numbers indicate the production year
- The last letter is the production month. The letters A through L were assigned for January through December (Jan. = A, Feb. = B ... Dec. = L).
This HIN would be a V-King ("VG") built in November ("B") of 1982 ("82")
Model Year Changeover
Like auto manufacturers and many other boat manufacturers, there was a model changeover in mid-calendar year. For HydroStream, this was usually June. Thus, after June new boats were registered on the MSO (Manufacturer's Statement of Origin) with the following year's date. In other words, a boat built in July of 1983 would be stamped with a 1984 date.
Example: a HIN that is HSP688VLM80E is a Vulture built in May of 1980 while a HIN that is HSP425VTM80J is a Vector built in October of 1979.
Note: Boats built prior to 1976 do not use the "M" separator, nor do they use a letter to indicate the month of manufacture. Rather, the month and year are simply designated with normal calendar numbers (e.g. 0474).
Model Years Mid 1984 and on
Around May of 1984 the system was modified to accommodate new models with different hull designs, V and XT for example. The month and year of manufacture was also changed. Here's how:
- Each number starts out with HSP which stands for HydroStream Pipkorn.
- The next three numbers is the serial sequence.
- The next two letters indicate the hull model, for XT models, the first letter of the model code changes from a "V" to an "X". For YT models, the "V" changes to a "Y". Again, refer to the chart below.
- The next letter is the production month. The letters A through L were assigned for January through December (Jan. = A, Feb. = B ... Dec. = L).
- The last three numbers are the production year. The year 1987 would be designated as "787", the year 1989 would be "989" and so on
This HIN would be a Vegas XT ("XE") built in February ("B") of 1987 ("787").
Once again, the model year changeover was in effect in mid-year: it was possible to have an HSP762XEF989 (Vegas XT built in June of '89 and registered as an '89 boat) to be immediately followed by an HSP763STF990 (HST built in the same month & year but registered as a '90 boat).
For the I/O models that were introduced in the mid '80's, an "I" replaced the letter in the seventh position of the number. So a Voyager XT, for example, would show an "IY" in the HIN instead of "XY".
Model Name | HIN Model Code | |||||
V | XT | YT | AT | ZT | I/O | |
Hooker | HD | |||||
HST | ST | |||||
Hustler | HU | HV | ||||
Valero | VO | YO | ||||
Valero Bowrider/Vasseret | VB | YB | ||||
Vamp | VM | |||||
Vandal | VD | |||||
Vantage | VN | XN | ||||
Varmint | VR | |||||
Vector | VT | |||||
Vegas | VE | XE | ||||
Ventura | VA | |||||
Venus | VS | XS | ||||
Verado | V3 | |||||
Viking/V-King | VG/VK* | YG/YK* | ||||
Viper | VP | |||||
Virage | ZT/HG | |||||
Vista | ZA | |||||
Vixen | HA | |||||
Voyager | VY | XY | IY | |||
Vulture | VL | XL |
* The Viking/V-King code changed to VK during July of 1986. Prior to that, it was VG