decoding Beneteau hull ID numbers

[Neil]

I've seen a few F235s lately in my search for one to buy, and have noticed that sometimes the 'date' embedded in the boat's hull ID number doesn't match the "Year of Manufacture" on the plaque in the cockpit. I thought that one should decode a Hull ID No. of BEY1A411A089 (this is ficticious) to indicate that it is hull number 411 and was made in '89.In one boat I've seen recently, the "Year of Manufacture" on the plaque is one year earlier than the year indicated at the end of the ID #. In another case, I've seen a boat of a certain year (as per it's hull ID), yet it's hull number (given inside the ID #) is bigger than that of another boat's hull number that is listed on the F235 owner's page as being made in the preceding year (e.g., say, hull # 215 listed as a 1988 boat and # 220 listed as being a 1987 boat).Can anyone explain these two apparent inconsistencies for me?I can sort of imagine how a "Year of Manufacture" might lag BEHIND a hull ID year date by one year (if perhaps a manufacturer is allocated (by Beneteau?) a block of consecutive of hull numbers sometime near the end of one calendar year, but doesn't get around to actually manufacturing some hulls until early in the following year). However, I can't understand how a "Year of Manufacture" can be EARLIER than the 'year' indicated within a hull ID number.

 

[Dan]

Hull ID

I believe the hull ID # contains the model year which can be the year following the year of manufacture. For example an `88 model year boat might have been built in Nov `87. It is done all the time with boats as well as cars. I once bought a brand new 1996 model Hobie Cat and it was delivered in August 1995. The last two digits were actually 96 for the model year.

 

[Tim]

Depends...

We just bought a 1999 321 that has the hull # ending in B999 (Feb '99). This was when Beneteau says the boat was "completed", but when I asked them for the production order sheet, it said the boat finished production in December 1998. Perhaps they post-date the molded-in hull #'s to reflect when they plan to ship the boat.The "other" Beneteau owners site (www.beneteau-owners.com) has some info on decoding hull #'s, and it says the date molded into the hull is when the boat was molded, not completed. I asked the Beneteau guy about this, and he's the one that told me my boat was molded in 1998, but carries a 1999 model yr I.D. Then he sent me the production order that proved it. Bottom line is: who knows?Cheers,Tim

 

[Dan]

HIN site

I found a web site that may be of interest and is similar to the description I had read in a book once. It is the federal guideline for Hull ID numbers and might help.http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/hin.htm

 

[Rick Evans]

Possible Explanation

This probably doesn't answer your question but I'll mention it anyway. I bought a 321 and it was manufactured in 1999 but was sold as a 2000. In my communication with Beneteau, I understand they sell boats the same way car manufacturers do. In other words, you can buy the model the year before it comes out. For example, by August of this year, you'll be able to buy the 2004 models of the new cars even though we won't hit 2004 for another half year.