copied from one of Jon's posts, used to be at the top of the technical section
Phantom Hull Identification
I've managed to sieve this data from my 'incomplete data back-up'!
Gavin Brown was asking about Hull ID the other day, so here goes:
Phantom Hull identification
Info for determining the age of Phantom boats
'Boats built before October 1987 had a simple reversed date system on the transom, i.e. If your boat has the numbers '860322' your boats construction was first started on: 22nd March 1986
From October 1987, to December 1997, things were a little more complicated, the hull ID consisted of a number (in most cases 3 digits), followed by a single letter. i.e.: 021J The number represents the build number, in sequence, across the model range, for that financial year. And the letter represents the financial year in which it was built (April to March) The first 2 years though, were, just to be confusing, different!, boats built from October 1987 to December 1987, used the letter 'A' (2 month period) Boats built from January 1988 to March 1989, used the letter 'B' (15 month period) From then on, each letter represents each financial year (excluding 'I') as follows:
Oct 87---Dec 87 ='A' (2 months)
Jan 88---Mar 89 ='B' (15 months)
Apr 89---Mar 90 = 'C'
Apr 90---Mar 91 ='D'
Apr 91---Mar 92 = 'E'
Apr 92---Mar 93 = 'F'
Apr 93---Mar 94 = 'G'
Apr 94---Mar 95 = 'H'
Apr 95---Mar 96 = 'J'
...............(missed 'I')
Apr 96---Mar 97 = 'K'
Apr 97---Dec 97 = 'L' (9 months)
So, a boat with the HIN: 021J would be the 21st boat built by phantom in the financial year 1996. One would need to refer to the factory records to determine exactly what model it would have been, and in which Month it was built.
From January 1998, the standard RCD (recreational craft directive) HIN system was used. This defines the boat in more detail, i.e. the country of origin, the manufacturers code, the boat model, the boat No, the month and year of production, and the model year. For example, GB-PHA28016H303 would be a phantom 28, built in GB, by Phantom boats, it would be the 16th P28' built to date, the build began in Aug 2003, and it is a 2003 model year. It splits up like this: Great Britain-Phantom boats-28'-No16-started in Aug 2003-2003 model. Clear as mud!