What a can of worms George!

You're right, the real and true Hull ID number, the little 1/8 inch high code that must be on the transom and hidden in a second area, is required.

The Certification Numbers, or sometimes Vessel Numbers, and sometimes called a Hull ID Number, as in the 3" tall ones up on the front half of a boat are not required. Which, in my defense, is what I thought was being talked about.

What a zoo journey trying to get this straight for my boat. Many phone calls to the Coast Guard finally got it straight from them that yes I do need it, and no they don't have a policy where little boats of a certain size fall out. Interesting, because I ended up having a conversation with the Lieutenant about do little toy bathtub boats a few inches long that you buy at drug stores really need hull numbers if a child plays with them in a pond? The official answer, yes. Even rubber duckies, if they have hull.

So now for many many hours I've been going around still hunting down how to get the hull number. I've been as far up the Coast Guard as their national headquarters. It gets worse. Maryland is a defered/authorized/whatever state whereby they have turned this activity over to the local state agency. Uh oh. I know those folks, and they ain't swift. So far, I've gotten three different variations on the answer, when I was able to get an answer at all, all ending with me having to come to the state capital and fill out papers, and perhaps have to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars. It will depend on 1. whether or not I will have to go through the full manufacturer procedures (which the coast guard regs say I really have to do). Lots of money there. 2. Whether I'll have to title the boat and pay all the taxes (only 5%, but they can't figure out how to determine value). Or if as the last person thought, 3. there might be a ledger book that they just notate a number in for free. Think I'll check with _that_ clerk first when I'm down there!

So the long and short, and this isn't for George, you really DO need a Hull ID number. And, annoyingly, this isn't mentioned in any blessed thing I've ever seen from any kayak maker or plan seller. Other then George that is.