Boat identification number

In Buster boats, the identification number is located in the transom. It is also machine-engraved in each boat, on the surface of the bow deck. The identification number facilitates easy identification of the boat’s production year and model year, even on older boats.

The number is currently known as Watercraft Identification Number, or ‘WIN’.  The formerly used terms ‘CIN’ and ‘HIN’ stand for exactly the same thing.  The identification system is compliant with the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) of the European Union, applied since 1998.

For example, if your boat’s transom has been engraved with FI-BUSA0001K506, you will find the following information in it:

• The ‘FI’ country code indicates that the boat was manufactured by or for a Finnish company.
• ‘BUS’ is the unique code of the manufacturer; in the model years 2011 to 2016, Buster boats were designated with ‘FI-FIS’ in accordance with the company Fiskars, Buster’s owner during that period.
• What follows is the unique serial number of each boat, beginning with the letter that specifies the Buster model in question. Here, the serial number begins with an ‘A’ for Buster Magnum.
• The letter following the serial number specifies the month of production. The calendar months run alphabetically beginning from ‘A’ for January, so in the example, the ‘K’ letter indicates November as the production month.
• The number following the production month indicates production year. Here, number ‘5’ means that the boat was manufactured in 2005.
• The final two characters provide the model year; for this boat, it is 2006.

The serial number does not indicate the production volumes of individual boat models, because the numbering may have been changed from one month to the next.

Identification letters for Buster models currently in production:

Identification letters for older boat models:

Identification numbers of Buster boats, 1994 to 1997

Before the introduction of RCD-compliant ‘HIN’, ‘CIN’ and ‘WIN’, Buster applied its own numbering system, as did other boat manufacturers.

In the model years 1994 to 1997, the manufacturing number of Buster boats was of the form ‘BUS FI A 01 E394’, indicating the following:

• ‘BUS’ is the manufacturer code, i.e. Buster.
• ‘FI’ is the country code for Finland.
• What follows is the unique serial number of each boat, beginning with the letter that specifies the Buster model in question. Here, the serial number begins with an ‘A’ for Buster Magnum.
• The letter following the serial number specifies the month of production. As in the newer models, the calendar months run alphabetically beginning from ‘A’ for January, so in the example, the ‘E’ letter indicates May as the production month.
• The number following the production month indicates the production year. Here, number ‘3’ means that the boat was manufactured in 1993.
• The final two characters provide the model year; for this boat, it is 1994.

Between 1994 and 1997, Buster models were marked as follows:

Identification numbering, 1977 to 1993

In the model years 1977 to 1993, the identification number of Buster boats was of the form ‘A 01 2 345’, indicating the following:

• The first part, here the letter ‘A’, indicates the boat’s model year.
• The second part, here the numbers ‘01’, indicates the production month; i.e. this boat was manufactured in January.
• The third part, here the number ‘2’, indicates the boat model, in this case Buster Magnum.
• The final part is the serial number for this particular boat.

In the boat models Mini, Sun, Buster, R, RS, Big, XL and Magnum, the identification number is located at the top edge of the boat’s left side, above the aft bench. In the boat models Ro and Mix, it is located on top of the transom shield, and from 1992 onwards, on top of the right side.

Model year identification, 1977 to 1993:

Boat model identification, 1977 to 1993:

More information on older Buster models is available on Buster’s web site on the ‘Models through the years’ page