Hey all, I was given this canoe and it has almost zero identification on it. Any idea what the brand could be?
It’s 17ft long, probably Kevlar or a blend of, supposedly around 5-8 years old. Has the word “Portage” on each side.
The Hull ID didn’t turn up any results, and even says it’s a Coleman canoe!
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Coleman Portage canoes, specifically the Coleman Expedition 146 DLX and Scanoe, are known for their ruggedness and durability, making them a popular choice for recreational use and fishing. While not known for speed or ease of portaging due to their weight, they are praised for their stability and ability to withstand abuse.
If you have the Hull Identification Number (HIN) you might try and look it up HERE.
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@rstevens15 thanks for the reply!
I’ve never known Coleman canoes to be made of anything other than heavy duty materials. This canoe seems to be made of a kevlar blend and weighs under 50lbs.
The HIN lookup tool is a great idea, the number on the side of this canoe is two digits less than a traditional HIN (10 vs 12).
The mystery continues!
In the meantime, revel in the fact that you have a decent boat in good condition.
It appears to be well built with good furniture. It is under 50 pounds. It is 17 feet.
I like this canoe a lot.
Coleman canoes are among the worst canoes ever made.
It’s already identified as Coleman. While Coleman did produce canoes for many years, their canoe production has been discontinued. The Coleman brand is now owned by a different company. Pelican International acquired the rights to the Coleman canoe line in 2007 and now produces similar models under the Pelican brand.
Just for fun you can try emailing either Coleman or Pelican with the HIN and they might be able to give you more details.
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Thanks all!
There is a chance it ISN’T a Coleman, so no suggestions are a bad one.
The HIN is on the bow of the boat - not the traditional spot for one, and it’s two digits short of the normal 12.
Another idea I’m pondering is if it’s an older Scott or similar brand.
I’ve emailed a couple companies with the same inquiry as this thread. No clear winners yet. 
What is the HIN?
No need for that, I’ve already identified it 
There actually was a canoe company called ‘Portage Canoe Company’ in Oshawa ON Canada. The logo on your boat is where a manufacturer typically puts its name. HIN prefix was ZFO. Seems odd that you won’t share the number that you have if you want help to ID the boat.
If you’re referring to my post, I’m not the OP. I was just being facetious.
There is also a canoe rental company in Canada called ‘The Portage Outpost’ that does sell their old rental canoes. It could be a re-branded ex-rental canoe. Looking on their website, they rent out Scott canoes so possibly a Scott prospector 17?
As I mentioned before though, I know absolutely nothing about canoes so take whatever I say with a pinch of salt. I just like investigating things like this.
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I was addressing SS_17. Most outfitters that I am familiar with have a logo they affix to the bow or stern (including the Portage Outpost). I doubt they would want to offend a manufacturer by removing their logo and replacing it with another (unless of course you have a rebranding arrangement like LL Bean or Galyans back in the day).
Ok, just wanted to clear up any confusion in case there was any. I wish this forum would make it more obvious who someone is replying to.
I agree, it is a bit strange that the OP hasn’t posted the HIN.
2 ways - either ‘quote’ some text (highlight it, then click ‘quote’), or use the ‘Reply’ under the post, not the generic ‘Reply’ at the end of all posts. (if that is what you were referring to)
If it was a Coleman, the first three letters of the HIN would depend on where and when it was manufactured.
Manufacturers Search Results
Records Found “Coleman” : 8
MIC Company Address City State
CNP THE COLEMAN COMPANY INC 3600 N. HYDRAULIC WICHITA KS
COM COLEMAN POWER SPORTS 364 S. SMITH RD TEMPE AZ
CP2 THE COLEMAN CO INC 766 HWY 306 NEW BRAUNFELS TX
QCC CANADIAN COLEMAN COMPANY 15 NORTH QUEEN TORONTO ON
SEV THE COLEMAN COMPANY INC 3600 N. HYDRAULIC WICHITA KS
XCU C S COLEMAN R D BOX 371 MILLERSBURG PA
XLU COLEMAN BOATS 2960 N FOURLAND KENNESAW GA
XOS THE COLEMAN COMPANY INC 3600 N. HYDRAULIC WICHITA KS
I can think of no good reason not to list the HIN unless the boat was of questionable provenance.
There was another Portage brand canoe for sale on Facebook Marketplace a few years ago, really nice fiberglass construction. I’ve never seen Coleman build anything this nice. Not replying to anyone in particular, just to be clear.
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OP here! I went away for the weekend and return to a flurry of replies. Thanks everyone. To clarify – I didn’t post the HIN because it is only 10 digits, not the traditional 12. That right away made me believe it was a null number. Also, it was located on the bow of the boat, not the stern as is typical. But for those wondering: CP20Ai1629.
I’ll post the photo of it too.
The logo on the red fiberglass canoe matches exactly to the one on this canoe too. Good to see that this brand existed on at least two canoes.
So we have a really nice looking Kevlar tandem canoe, very little wear, metal trim in great shape with a tag that looks like it came out of a scrap yard with a number that does not remotely resemble a pre or post 84 HIN convention? Either the real number is underneath or hidden somewhere else on the hull.
Some boats built before 1972 may have a 10 digit HIN, but this boat looks much newer than that.
The HIN starting with CP2 indicates that the boat is a Coleman manufactured in New Braunfels, TX and they did manufacture a Portage series. Looking at the tag, it could be that the last two numbers are corroded or worn away. The first three characters are the Manufacturer Identification Code (MIC), the next five are the hull serial number, the next two are the certification year. The ninth character should be a letter for the month, not a number. The last two should be the hull model year, which are missing. Without the last two characters it’s impossible to say which year the boat was manufactured in other than it ends in 9. Likely 2009 or 2019.
Lack of a complete or standardized HIN for boats manufactured after 1984 may cause problems when the boat is sold or needs to be registered. Most states have ways to issue a compliant HIN for boats that do not have one, but documentation to do this varies.
My 26 year old Canadian built Necky Arluk 1.9 is missing an HIN. Fortunately, Maryland does not require an HIN or registration for a kayak unless a motor is added. This may vary by state. Virginia requires an HIN, titling, and registration for motorized canoes or kayaks or kayaks over 18’.
SS-17 “The logo on the red fiberglass canoe matches exactly to the one on this canoe too. Good to see that this brand existed on at least two canoes.”
Yet there are some differences. You were thinking Scott, as the seat hangers and other hardware point to the Abitibi/Scott/Bluewater lines. The red one I found on Facebook has the cast aluminum decks and wood slat seats typical of Great Canadian or Sport Craft lines. I’m wondering if the ‘Portage’ was a canoe offered by a large Canadian retailer like MEC with multiple suppliers, like Galyan’s ‘Woodsman’ canoes in the US (supplied by both Bell and Mad River). Either way there would typically be the actual manufacturer HIN stamped somewhere. Please let everyone know if you ever solve this one.
Scott Canoes are manufactured by FIBRE DE VERRES ABITIBI
| MIC | Company | Address | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QFA | FIBRE DE VERRES ABITIBI INC | 2905 AVENUE GRANADA | ROUYN-NORANDA | QC |
HIN would be QFA, not CP2