Odd HIN / Hull Identification Number - ends in M?

[HubertMagni]

I've just rescued an O'Day 22 that was sitting in someone's yard for a while. Seems to be in reasonable shape - a few projects but probably seaworthy. The backstory I was given is that the boat was rescued at least once before - kind of a hand-me-down boat - and so there is no paperwork (title, previous registration documents, etc). I am trying to find all the ID numbers so I can work up a bill of sale to get it registered BUT the HIN on the transom is a little odd:

XDYJ1976M75M

It is the last M that is tripping me up - as far as I can tell, HINs shouldn't end in M?

Attached is an old O'Day spec sheet on their hull numbers. This boat, in theory, is from the 70's so would be the older format, in which case the only M should be the first one - the spacer for model year / certification date.

I cannot find any other plates or numbers. I am open to suggestions where else to look.

Any info on this M situation would be appreciated.

 

[sail sfbay]

Might contact the Massachusetts department that registers boats to do a lookup for your O'Day 22, serial number 1976, model year 1975 to confirm the actual production month letter designation.

 

[Noodat Lady]

The only problem is the terminal M.
If you visit this site

Free HIN number Decoder for any Boat, Hull, or Vessel - HINDecoder.com

and type in all the letters and digits except the terminal M, and instead of it insert any one of A through L at the end, you will get a valid result. I would suggest simple human error at O'Day.

 

[HubertMagni]

@Noodat Lady and @sail sfbay thanks for your input. I took your ideas and called up a harbormaster friend of mine who ran the hull id for me and found the old registration from the 90's so, that is the HIN in use and there doesn't seen to be any nefarious reason for the M such as the HIN having been altered or anything like that (still no paperwork for the boat). So I'm just going to roll with it. It seems like I will need to bring an etching of the number directly from the hull whenever I do file paperwork for the boat - to prove the HIN despite the M.

Still no idea on the actual build month nor why this HIN ends incorrectly in an M. Likely just going to chalk it up to human error as suggested - probably built in May or something silly like that. I still would love to know the story but, short of one of the builders popping up to share a old funny about the mistake or rationale, I doubt we'll ever know for sure.

 

[jviss]

probably built in May

Or Movember.

You will now have the pleasure of telling all of those O'Day experts that they are wrong about HIN decoding, and you have the proof!

 

[odaydokay]

I used to have a 1982 O'Day 25 I found the docs on. Id was XDYG2606M82D. My current boat number, the 28' contains numbers only, no letters at all.

 

[Sunbird22358]

I used to have a 1982 O'Day 25 I found the docs on. Id was XDYG2606M82D. My current boat number, the 28' contains numbers only, no letters at all.

What is the HIN on your 28? I'm curious! Even if built in 1984 or later (with the revised HIN format) at the very least it should start with "XDYN" (XDY = O'DAY, N = 28), and 9th character should be a letter (A-L) for the build month.
Are you looking at the HIN on the outside of the Transom, or are you looking at the USCG Documentation#?

 

[Sunbird22358]

I've just rescued an O'Day 22 that was sitting in someone's yard for a while. Seems to be in reasonable shape - a few projects but probably seaworthy. The backstory I was given is that the boat was rescued at least once before - kind of a hand-me-down boat - and so there is no paperwork (title, previous registration documents, etc). I am trying to find all the ID numbers so I can work up a bill of sale to get it registered BUT the HIN on the transom is a little odd:

XDYJ1976M75M

It is the last M that is tripping me up - as far as I can tell, HINs shouldn't end in M?

Attached is an old O'Day spec sheet on their hull numbers. This boat, in theory, is from the 70's so would be the older format, in which case the only M should be the first one - the spacer for model year / certification date.

I cannot find any other plates or numbers. I am open to suggestions where else to look.

Any info on this M situation would be appreciated.View attachment 183012

Maybe, you have the very last 1975 model year 22 built, but they molded her in late July 1975, and figured she would not be complete until August 1, 1975 or later??? So, gave her a 1975 HIN, but finished her , technically speaking, after the start of the 1976 model year? I don't know, that just seems to weird to consider, but since completed after July 31(?), she could not be labled as a July 1975 build..... they inserted that "M". I don't know, but just roll with it and use that HIN when you apply for Mass Registration. Maybe Rudy at D&R would have some clue as to the story behind this??Just to confuse things a bit more, it appears that your Class# (1976) could be about the 30th O22 built for the 1976 Model Year (based on total number built listed in the 1976 Brochure, claiming "1946 built to date") Well, just celebrate that you seem to have one very unique O'DAY 22! Still curious what if any info Rudy might have..........

 

[HubertMagni]

@Sunbird22358 You're the second person to mention Ruby at D&R to me this week - I'll definitely get in touch with him.

 

[Capt jgw]

I doubt the DMV or whoever you register with in your state would even notice the odd number. They just need a number. A photo of it would show it being correct and not appear altered, they might want that being there's no prior paperwork. If the boat had been registered with them before they might still have a record of it too. Are there state numbers on the bow? Show those to DMV as well.

The human error idea may well be correct. A lot of builders use a Dymo label gun with the tape loaded upside down so it makes a mirror image, and stick the label in the mold. Real easy to miss label the number. I have wondered how many boats are out there with wrong or duplicate numbers.