Hull number puzzle, Ω 14

[Jim]

I own Ω 14 hull number 512. I was wondering if I could estimate when it was built. I saw somewhere that they were building this model between 1968 and 1983. (But later I found someone who said his was built in '84). So by looking at boats for sale and such on line I found the following, which makes, BTW, little sense.
1970 #1367
1974 #1974 (year and # same? Suspect coincidence)
1978 #1230
1978 #1285
1984 #2032

Does anyone know how many were made over what period of time?
If you own, or have owned, and Omega 14 can you tell me the hull number and year built?
Thanks, Jim M

[MajorH]

Look on the upper right corner of the rear of the transom for a longer number. If you find one then the info below may be helpful. I got this info from the Sunfish group on Yahoo.

Hull Identification Numbers (HIN) first became a federal requirement on Nov. 1, 1972.
From Nov. 1, 1972 to Aug 1, 1984 two formats were used to show the date of production, STRAIGHT YEAR and MODEL YEAR.

STRAIGHT YEAR example: AMF594840779
AMF Manufacturer Identification Code
59484 Hull Serial Number
07 Month
79 Year of Production

MODEL YEAR example: AMF59484M84G
AMF Manufacturer Identification Code
59484 Hull Serial Number
M Model Year format
84 Model Year
G Month of Production (see table bellow)
[A=Aug, B=Sept, C=Oct, D=Nov, E=Dec, F=Jan, G=Feb, H=Mar, I=Apr, J=May, K-Jun, L-Jul]

In 1984 an updated format known as the "NEW FORMAT" replaced STRAIGHT YEAR and MODEL YEAR formats.
From January 1, 1984 until August 1, 1984 STRAIGHT YEAR and MODEL YEAR were optional.
On August 1, 1984 the New Format became mandatory.

"NEW" FORMAT" example SLI99999B787
SLI Manufacturer Identification Code
99999 Hull Serial Number
B Month of Production (see table bellow)
7 Year of produciton
87 Model Year
[A = Jan, B = Feb, C = Mar, D = Apr, E = May, F = Jun, G = Jul, H = Aug, I = Sep, J = Oct, K = Nov, L = Dec]

According to USCG Boating Safety Circular # 70 - "The ninth and tenth characters in each Hull Identification Number indicate the month and year of the date of certification. In all other cases characters nine and ten must indicate the date of manufacture, which can be no earlier than the date construction or assembly began and no later than the date the boat leaves the place of manufacture or assembly or is imported into the United States for the purposes of sale … A boat is considered certified to comply with safety standards in effect on the first day of the month shown in the ninth character of the HIN. Character ten is the last digit of the year of certification (or manufacture). Characters 11 and 12 are the model year of the boat and must be indicated using Arabic numerals for the last two numbers of the model year. Selection of the model year of a boat is up to the boat manufacturer."

[Jim]

thanks for the information, however, i believe my boat was built before Nov. 1, 1972 and therefore, look as I might, I find no number or marks of any kind on the transom.

[pbarrett]

Jim:
I was looking at a Capri 14.2 on the dock and wanted to find out when it was built. I e-mailed the transom plate info to Catalina Customer Service and was able to get the date. The reply came from a Kent Nelson (kent@catalinayachts.com).
Peter

[Jim]

Thanks for the information posted here. I wrote Kent Nelson at Catalina Yachts and he graciously sent me quite a bit of information and said my boat was built in 1971. It is nice to deal with a company that cares about their products.


Kent Nelson
Engineering Department
Catalina Yachts
21200 Victory Blvd.
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
(818) 884-7700 ext. 237
(818) 884-3810 Fax
kent@catalinayachts.com
www.catalinayachts.com