Two Digit Sail Numbers?

This is certainly a Hobie noob question but here goes...

I was looking at pictures from several recent regattas and noticed a few of the H16s had two digit sail numbers. My first guess was that those were special sails from a big event like NA Nationals but then I noticed that most of the 2011 Nationals competitors had normal sails with 100K numbers.

Why the two digit numbers? Do they mean something special?

Generally, the two digit sail number sails were made for a special event, like the 2008 40th Anniversary Regatta, the US Youth Championships or the ISAF Youth Champs. The last time the factory supplied boats in the US for a North Americans was in 2005 - with 2-digit sail numbers. Some of the 2004 Mexico Worlds boats are around, too.

You can order any sail number you like from the factory. They really have no special meaning.

Does the factory keep track of sail numbers at all? Could they tell from an original sail number when the sail was made or what dealer it was sold thru?

Not that it really matters, but I would be curious to hear the history of my boat.

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Steve
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
1985 & 1973? Hobie 14 "Sea & Ski"

Only to the extent of which number goes on the next sail. Even then, they lose track sometimes. There was a period in the early '00s when they "forgot" 10K numbers on the H14 sails (numbers should have been 6XXXX and instead they were 5XXXX).

Maybe currently, but certainly not for one sold 30 years ago.