The serial number on a Hinckley is its Hull Identification Number, a 12-character code that starts with one of Hinckley's Coast Guard builder codes. It gives the builder, the hull serial, the month the boat was built and its model year. Here is how to find it, read it, and check a used Hinckley against the Coast Guard's records.
A builder since 1928
Hinckley started in 1928 as the Manset Boatyard in Southwest Harbor, Maine, where Henry R. Hinckley serviced lobster boats and summer residents' yachts. He built his first boat, the 36-foot fisherman Ruthyeolyn, in 1933. That long history matters when you look up a used one: a Hinckley can be decades old, and the oldest predate HINs altogether. The federal HIN requirement covers boats built from November 1972, and the current 12-character format dates from August 1984.
Hinckley's Coast Guard builder codes
The Coast Guard's manufacturer register lists three codes under the Hinckley name:
| Code | Registered to | Location |
|---|---|---|
| THC | The Hinckley Company | Trenton, Maine |
| LHB | Hinckley Yachts | Portsmouth, Rhode Island |
| EIN | Hank Hinckley Boat Builders LLC | Southwest Harbor, Maine |
THC is the code on most Hinckley yachts. EIN is registered to a company with a different name, so if a boat sold as a Hinckley carries EIN, ask the seller which yard built it.
Reading a real Hinckley HIN
The Coast Guard's own recall record gives a real example: THC37058A213, on a 2013 Hinckley 37.
- THC is the builder code, The Hinckley Company.
- 37058 is the hull serial.
- A2 is the build date: A is January, and 2 is the last digit of 2012.
- 13 is the model year, 2013.
Built in January 2012 and sold as a 2013 model is normal for a boat finished early in a model year. Our guide to reading a boat HIN covers the pre-1984 formats.
Where to find it
Under 33 CFR 181.29, the primary HIN goes on the starboard outboard side of the transom, within two inches of the top of the transom, gunwale or hull-to-deck joint, whichever is lowest. A second, identical number must be in a hidden place inside the hull or under hardware. On a Hinckley with a swim platform or teak trim at the stern, the plate may sit as close to that spot as the fittings allow. See where the HIN is on a boat for the other common locations.
Recalls on record
The Coast Guard recall database lists one Hinckley campaign: 12R4798S, for the Hinckley 37 diesel, model year 2013. It was opened in August 2012 and closed in July 2013. A campaign on record means some boats of that model and year were recalled, not that a particular hull was.
Checking a used Hinckley
A used Hinckley is a big purchase, so the paperwork is worth checking. Type the HIN into the free HIN decoder to confirm the builder code and model year match the listing, then compare it with the documentation or registration. Run it through the boat recall check too. Hinckley also runs a certified pre-owned programme through its own yards, so ask whether the boat has been through it.
Check the boat, not just the listing
Type the 12-character hull number from the transom. The decoder reads the builder, build month and model year, and the recall lookup lists any US Coast Guard recall campaign on record for that manufacturer. Free, no account.
