HID Location
Look for the Hull Identification Number (which should be on both your title and state registration) engraved on the transom on the starboard side, underneath the rubrail. You might have better luck seeing it from outside the boat (i.e. on the swim ladder, in a dingy, on a dock, etc).Before 1984, they follow the form ABC M1234 MMYYWhere ABC is a three character manufacturer code (CTY = catalina)the first M is model - at least for catalina - an "L" I believe designates the 27the 1234 digits are for the hull numberthe "MMYY" should be month and year of certification (e.g. 0678 would be june 1978After 8/1/1984, it changed slightly:the last four characters were changed from MMYY to J586 Where the "J" in my example is an alpha designating the month of manufacture or cerfication (A=Jan, B=Feb...J=Oct), the "5" in my example is the year of manufacture or certificaiton and the "86" in my example is the model year. The "J586" would translate to 'built in oct 1985, 1986 model'The attached link does a better job of showing all this than I did in words above.Good Luck!ps - my 1986 C27 "Inamorata" was hull #6111Tim Brogan"April IV" C350 #68Seattle, WA