Here in Minn, per the person at the Dept Natural Resources, to register a boat and "Legally" use it on state waters, it must have a Hull number. If it is a manufactured boat it must have xx digits (12 or 13 think). If it is a home built, the Hull number can be any number of digits, but receipts/documentation must be provided.

The Hull number is in small letters permanently "stamped" on the Hull. The 3" letters are the registration number that the state assigned when the boat is registered, (like a car license plate), and can be changed if your don't keep the registration current, ie; keep paying the state.

If it is paddle only (non motorized?), the 3" numbers on the front sides are NOT required, only a small 3" square sticker which is on ALL boats. However, if you put a motor on the canoe, then the 3" numbers ARE required.

These regs are for NON Coast Guard patrolled waters, ie; not border waters.

> 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.