At least in the US,
Here’s an example:
First three letters- builder
Set of numbers- serial number
“D5” month and year built- April 2005
“05” model year 2005
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Thanks. I’ll keep looking.
It might be just scratched or etched in. My new to me SKUK Explorer’s HIN is scratched in near the seam towards the port rear. It’s very hard to see & I needed a hint to find it.
Hull serial numbers are supposed to be on the starboard side of the stern, but often they aren’t. When a boat made in another country is imported into the US, the manufacturer is supposed to add a USCG-approved hull number, but often they don’t, or the boat could have been brought into the US by a private buyer. My Tiderace, which was built in Portugal, has no numbers aside from a small builder’s plate laminated into the underside of the deck. When I used to work for the Valley importer, most of the kayaks came with an appropriate number but sometimes were missing digits, or once we had two completely different kayaks (model and material) with the exact same number!
Keep looking, but be aware that it may not be there at all.
Finally found it when the kayak was loaded on my car at eye level.
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