Minifish serial number and year of Mfg.

C

CruiseGuy

New Member
I recently bought a minifish, serial number 001523. I bought it new when I was a kid, sold it to my sister, who later sold it to a friend. Upon the friend's passing, the boat came back to my sister, and several years later, I bought it back from her. I think I purchased it in the 1970's but not sure. Can anyone tell me what year serial number 001523 was manufactured or point me in the right direction? I can't find anything on internet. Please respond to [email protected] Many thanks in advance.
 
Is that the number that is on the transom of the boat? Usually it has 3 letters for the manufacturer, then some more numbers, then the last 2 are the year. i don't think it was made in 1923 if you bought it new when you were a kid.
 
If the numbering of the Minifish is like that of the Sunfish, transom numbers came in about 1973. Before that the serial number of the boat was on a plate between the splashrail and mast hole. If this holds true for the Minifish, it is probably pre 1973. Sunfish changed to the current type of flip up rudder in 1973, so if the rudder is original and like the current Sunfish, then it may be a 1972-1973. If it is like the old brass Sunfish rudder mount, then it is pre 1972. If the number is 001523 it must be an early Minifish as I believe in the beginning the Sunfish and Minifish serial numbers were sequential.
 
From what I found in the timeline at the Yahoo.com Sunfish group Minifish came out around 1971. The Coast Guard started requiring Hull ID Numbers on the transom in late 1972. That would be the 1973 model year for most boat builders. You show a number that isn’t in the Coast Guard format unless you left off the front end manufacturer ID code and back end date code so it’s a good bet your hull is an early one. I have never seen a table for the Minifish numbers. To narrow it any more you will need to meet up with owners of early Minifish who know the year of their boat then see where your serial number falls in the sequence.
 
Some boat builders, like the Detroit automakers, start making next years production in mid-year. The Coast Guard webpage claims the Hull ID law didn't start until november 1972. If '73 Minifish were being made before the law came about it wouldn't surprise me to find both styles of ID number.
 
Thanks to all of you. I remember getting the boat in the summer, so I'm guessing from this thread that I got it in 1972, but it's a 1973 model, as there are no numbers on the transom. I guess I was 15 at the time and now have the boat back at age 50 after being bounced around the country for 30 years or so. Pretty happy about that. Thanks again to all of you. Great info. Happy sailing!
 
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