Decoding Beneteau Hull number (HIN)

[unroadrunner]

I am very close to buying a Beneteau boat in the US, and I am Canadian.

One of the thing I need to worry about is whether the boat is made in US, otherwise duties are quite prohibitive.

How can one tell from HIN number where it was made? Thanks!

 

[Calif. Ted]

US built boats start with BEY and have a 12 digit code including the BEY. French built boats should have the prefix FR before the BEY and use a 15 digit code which includes the FR-BEY.
Scroll most of the way down on the link below for pictures of examples.
http://www.pcmarinesurveys.com/Whats a HIN .htm

 

[Jackdaw]

US built boats start with BEY and have a 12 digit code including the BEY. French built boats should have the prefix FR before the BEY and use a 15 digit code which includes the FR-BEY.
Scroll most of the way down on the link below for pictures of examples.
http://www.pcmarinesurveys.com/Whats a HIN .htm

Only true after 2006. My Beneteau First 260 was made in France in 1995, and this is it’s format/number:


0144085102600xxx

xxx is the actual hull number.

 

[Calif. Ted]

0144085102600xxx

15 digits ? Think that's the key ? 15 on French built and 12 on US built ?

 

[ToddS]

My 2004 Beneteau 373 is French-built, and has a 12-digit HIN starting with "BEY"...

 

[Jackdaw]

I am very close to buying a Beneteau boat in the US, and I am Canadian.

One of the thing I need to worry about is whether the boat is made in US, otherwise duties are quite prohibitive.

How can one tell from HIN number where it was made? Thanks!

More complex than first thought... maybe knowing the model and build year would help. Can you get access to the builder plate on the boat?

Unlike the experience that surveyor had, I called Beneteau and they immediately decoded my number and issued a US-based equivalent.

 

[Calif. Ted]

I'm stumped, we did some charters on a friend's Jeanneau that required a waiver for the CG inspection but I can't remember the details. The only visible sign I can think of is the 12 volt panel is labeled in French, "Pompe Le Bilge" etc.

 

[Davidasailor26]

the 12 volt panel is labeled in French, "Pompe Le Bilge" etc.

Our US built Beneteau has all of those labels primarily in French. English is just small font underneath.

 

[Hollyberry]

Looking for same info... HIN starts with BEY but it's a '91 so I don't think the FR prefix was in play yet then...