Catalina 22 Sail Numbers
By
Dale Mack
I've been curious about the relationship between the year a boat was built and its sail number. Using data collected from email passing through the Catalina 22 discussion group, I started a list. My goal for the list is to identify the sail numbers that represent the first and last boats built for each year. If you don't find your sail number on the list, it's because I think I already have sail numbers that bracket yours for that year.
As I've collected data, I've noticed some inconsistencies. It appears that what some people believe to be the age of their boat and its actual year of manufacture may not always be correct. Most of the data in the list hasn't been verified against actual hull identification numbers (HIN), so view the list with some skepticism unless there is a HIN entry. If you have something to add to the list, please drop me a line.
By the way, I'm sure Catalina Yachts has a list, but I thought it would be more fun to build one from scratch without their assistance.
The Hull Identification Number
Boats built since 1972 are required to have a Hull Identification Number (HIN) permanently attached to the transom on the starboard side above the waterline.
In 1984 a new regulation was passed which requires the HIN number to also be permanently attached in a second unexposed location.
On my 1987 C-22, the HIN was engraved into the transom after the hull had cured.
The quality of the engraving is very poor, and looks like it was done with an electric hand engraver.
Early Production Numbering
Frank Butler has been quoted as stating that in the beginning, fixed keel boats were numbered separately from the swing keel models, and that the fixed keel models should have a "K" at the side of the emblem on the stern plate. This separate numbering system was abandoned at the request of C-22 Association officers at some point early in the manufacturing process, and after that, all boats, regardless of keel, were numbered sequentially.
How to Read the Hull ID Number
There appears to be four numbering schemes in use. My dates for the transition from one scheme to the next might be off plus or minus a year, but I believe it looks something like this:
- 1969 - 1973, No HIN, just a metal plate at the transom (inside cockpit)
- 1973 - 1975, No letters for month built (e.g. CTYH44011074)
- 1975 - 1984, a mysterious "M" is a part of all HIN's (e.g.CTYH9353M80C)
- 1984 - present, Year built represented with a number (e.g. CTYH5390F697)
Model Year. For the boating industry, the new model year starts in August. Since 1975, the Month Built information has been represented with a letter. In 1984 the lettering scheme was changed to make "A" represent the month of January. Here's a look at the two schemes:
| 1975 - 1984 | Jan = F | Feb = G | Mar = H | Apr = I | May = J | Jun = K |
| Jul = L | Aug = A | Sep = B | Oct = C | Nov = D | Dec = E | |
| 1984 - present | Jan = A | Feb = B | Mar = C | Apr = D | May = E | Jun = F |
| Jul = G | Aug = H | Sep = I | Oct = J | Nov = K | Dec = L |
The Model Year scheme in use between 1975 and 1984 derived the Year Built information from the Model Year and from the Month Built. For example, a boat whose last three letters of the HIN were 82A would actually be a 1982 model year Catalina 22 built in August of 1981. Here's three HIN's decoded:
| CTYH44011074 | A Catalina 22 built in 1974. Sail number 4401. | |
| CTY | = |
Manufacturer’s Identification Code (Catalina Yachts) |
| H |
= |
Model (Catalina 22) |
| 4401 |
= |
Hull Serial Number |
| 10 |
= |
Month Built? |
| 74 |
= |
Year Built |
| CTYH9353M80C | A 1980 model year Catalina 22. Built in October 1979. Sail number 9353. | |
| CTY | = |
Manufacturer’s Identification Code (Catalina Yachts) |
| H |
= |
Model (Catalina 22) |
| 9353 |
= |
Hull Serial Number |
| M |
= |
??? |
| 80 |
= |
Model Year (1980). August is the start of a new model year. |
|
C |
= |
Month Built (October). A=August, B=September, and so on. |
| CTYH5390F697 | A 1997 model year Catalina 22. Built in June 1996. Sail number 15390. | |
CTY |
= |
Manufacturer’s Identification Code (Catalina Yachts) |
|
H |
= |
Model (Catalina 22) |
5390 |
= |
Hull Serial Number |
|
F |
= |
Month Built (June). A=January, B=February, and so on. |
6 |
= |
Year Built (1996). Last digit of the year of manufacture. |
97 |
= |
Model Year (1997). August is the start of a new model year. |
Duplicate Hull Serial Numbers but Unique Sail Numbers
Your may have noticed that only four digits are used for the hull serial number and yet we know that more than 15,000 Catalina 22's have been built (the remaining fields of the HIN uniquely identify the hull). If you have boat build sometime after 1980 when the 10,000th Catalina 22 was built, you simply add a one in front of your hull serial number to derive your sail number.
Catalina 22's Built Over Time
The following graph is an approximation of the distribution of Catalina 22's manufactured over the years starting in 1969. Although the boat is still in production, demand for new boats has been flat since the 1990.
