Boat Serial Numbers

Location on boat

Traditional
Starboard side of the Stern Deck near the drain plug
The four digit hull number may be stamped on a piece of Aluminium on the upright under the inspection port near the splash board
The four digit hull number may be stamped on the lock plates of the rigger

Advantage
Starboard side of the Stern Deck near the drain plug
Written under the seat deck forward of the rope handle. The numbers are written backwards so if a mirror is placed in the inspection port near the splash board the numbers will read correctly.

Decoding

Van Dusen boats use the standard Coast Guard Number.
They are in the format: CIG12345X678

CIG is the Manufacturer ID code
The first 2 numbers indicate the boat model (see below)
The next 3 numbers are sequential from the first boat made (starting at 001)
The next letter is the month it was made (see below)
The last 3 numbers are a date code as follows:
The last 2 numbers are the year (e.g. 05) with the first number repeating the last number (e.g. 505, together indicating the year 2005).
An example: CIG14055E989 is the 55th Lightweight Single Advantage (14000 series) made in May of 1989.

BOAT MODEL CODES

Advantage Rowing Shells

14000 – Lightweight Single
16000 – Heavyweight Single
17000 – Lightweight Double
18000 – Heavyweight Double
20000 – Flyweight Single

Traditional Rowing Shells

01000 – Midweight Single
02000 – Heavyweight Single
03000 – Midweight Double
04000 – Lightweight Single

Kayaks & Canoes

05000 – Eagle K1
06000 – Osprey K2
08000 – Condor K4
09000 – Merlin C1
10000 – Falcon K2
11000 – Hawk K1
12000 – Eagle 2 K1
13000 – Merlin 2 C1
15000 – Jaeger C2
19000 – Tiburon K1
21000 – Mohawk 85 K1
22000 – Mohawk 67 K1
23000 – Mohican K1

Other

07000 – Eight-oared rowing shell
MC000 – Marathon C2 canoe
DF000 – Dragonfly C2 canoe

Month code:

A – January
B – February
C – March
D – April
E – May
F – June
G – July
H – August
I – September
J – October
K – November
L – December