Hi, i recently purchased a canoe made by the company white i believed, thats base on the logo on the side of the canoe. there was no documentation that could provide me any deatails and the person l bought it from bought it from somebody else a few years back. I’m trying to register in my local DMV so i can use it with a trolling motor since l’m unable to paddle because of a work injury, but l’m unable to figure out the year so i can complete the forms.
HIN: WHC61698M801
its15.9 feet long
Color Green
the logo white in in cursive
if there is anyone that can help me figure out the year would be much appreciated.
Last two digits give the year - 01 should = 2001.
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I was thinking it was 2001 but i got confuse when i read somewhere that the number after the last letter “M” was the last number of the year. thank you very much for providing this information.
There was a "White " canoe company somewhere in the middle of Maine (perhaps on the Kennebec.). I remember they made a wood/canvas canoe that many thought was superior to the other canoes made in the state. They were expensive and, I think, a one man operation. It seems as though, at the end of their production, the company was sold. They, then, offered the design in a “plastic” model.
Just my memory, so not much credence.
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According to what I see the canoe may have been made in 1980 if the last digit is and I rather than a 1
For boats built between November 1, 1972 and July 31, 1984
Note: This was the first attempt to create the HIN… and parts of it are a bit confusing.
Manufacturer Identification Code (MIC) and Hull Serial Number are the same as described above.
Date of Manufacture
Here’s where it gets confusing. Manufacturers were given the option of giving either the date of manufacture, or the model year.
HIN with Date of Manufacture
Example: ABC123451076 (October 1976) The 9th and 10th characters are the month, and the 11th and 12th characters are the last digits of the year.
HIN with Model Year
Example: ABC12345M72D (November 1972) The 9th character “M” stands for model year. The 10th and 11th are the last two digits of the model year. The 12th is the letter designating the month of manufacture.
Now, here’s where the government got cute:
A = August
B = September
C = October
D = November
E = December
F = January
G = February
H = March
I = April
J = May
K = June
L = July
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I ran your serial number with an I at the end rather than the number 1 and got a hit at Boat Alert.com
It came back as
1980
White Heart Canoe & Kayak Co
Serial No.: 61698
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Thank you for the info. i was getting the feeling it was going to be the 80s. but if thats the case the canoe is 40 years old. mind blowing
I read the same information and it was very confusing to verify. l felt like it may have been the 80s but the condition that it was did not look like it was a 40 years old canoe. hard t believe. thank you very much for sharing your research.
I have several canoes that are over 35 years old in royalex and fiberglass. They will last if taken care of.
The tan gunwhales are a dead 1980’s giveaway. Seems like they were popular then.
thats amazing. l just called DMV because l already submitted the papers to register my canoe and they are sending back because im missing some documents so i can chance the year from 2001 to 1980. because someone suggested it was a 2001 base on the info i gave but is good to know that is different and i can change it now.
Just ran across a reference to the White Canoe Co. in Sig Olson’s REFLECTIONS FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY. I think he said that he one, and was in communication with the two White brothers on the Penobscot River
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Looks like you figured out 1980 a while back. A little history for you. EM White was a well known canoe builder in Old Town Maine. He made wood canvas canoes. An employee and employee’s brother in law bought the company in the late 1940s (48 I think). They started making fiberglass boats. They made both canoes and motorized runabouts. Old Town Canoe bought White Canoe Company in 1984. Old town kept the brand going and the facilities open for a few more years after that. The high end old town boats were built at the White factory. You have a wonderful boat. Take care of it. It will last the rest of your life. Fiberglass is one of my favorite canoe materials because they paddle well and have longevity. White canoes have a reputation of being well designed and well made. You have found a gem!
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EM White wood and canvas canoe designs are still being built in Maine by Northwoods Canoe.
It looks like it’s in great shape. If it were mine I’d scrub the interior with a stiff brush and non-abrasive cleanser like Bon Ami or Barkeeper’s Helper. I’d use the same cleanser on the outside using a sponge and then go over the whole exterior with 3M 09009 to remove oxidation and protect the hull. The woodwork looks good but most boats can always benefit from a light sanding and a light coat of oil (my preference) or varnish. Cane seats on unused boats get dry and brittle over time and will often tear the first time you sit on them. I’d oil them a couple of times to try to save them. If they tear you can re-cane them yourself, it’s not very difficult.
Congrats on a nice canoe!