ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR HIN Decoder — MIC ZDG
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZDG were assigned by the US Coast Guard to ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR of NEW HAMBURG, ON. The builder is listed in the USCG MIC database. Enter the full 12-character HIN below for build date, model year, and serial — free, no account.
MIC
ZDG
Location
NEW HAMBURG, ON
In business
since 2015
Status
Listed active in USCG records
ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR hulls (2015–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
How a ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZDG45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | ZDG | Identifies ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR's own production number for the specific hull (the letters I, O, Q are never used). |
| 9 | Certification month | D | Month built — A=January … L=December (D = April). |
| 10 | Certification year | 4 | Last digit of the certification year. |
| 11–12 | Model year | 24 | The boat’s model year. |
Free · no account · the HIN is on the transom, upper starboard (right) corner
Buying this ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR? Check it before you pay.
Decoding the HIN confirms the year and serial, but not the safety record. The $9.99 Boat Report adds the full CPSC marine-recall check, a HIN consistency check, a verify-before-you-buy checklist, and the USCG builder record for this hull — one downloadable report, one-time, no subscription. See what's included
ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR HIN FAQ
What does a ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "ZDG" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR hulls (2015–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits.
Is ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR still in business?
USCG records list ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR of NEW HAMBURG, ON in the MIC database (registered 2015).
How do I decode the year on a ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR hulls (2015–present) all use the current HIN format: a month letter (A=January…L=December), a certification-year digit, then two model-year digits. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Where is the HIN on a ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR boat?
On the outside upper-starboard (right) corner of the transom, within two inches of the top — required by 33 CFR 181.29. Since August 1984 an identical duplicate HIN is also molded into an unexposed interior location as an anti-theft measure. Both should match the title, registration, and insurance card exactly.
Is the "ZDG" MIC the same as a ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR serial number?
No. "ZDG" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR's own production number for that specific boat (the letters I, O, and Q are never used). The full 12-character HIN combines the MIC, the serial, and the date code.
Can a ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR HIN tell me the exact model?
Not on its own. A HIN encodes the builder, hull serial, certification month/year, and model year — not the model name or length. Match the decoded year and serial against ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR records, the title, or a marine survey to confirm the exact model and configuration.
Other builders in ON
Sources: verified against the USCG Manufacturer Identification Code database (refreshed monthly) · HIN format per 33 CFR Part 181, Subpart C. Reviewed by Sam Reynolds, Lead Researcher, CarWhere. Cite this page: CarWhere, "ONTARIO DRIVE AND GEAR HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zdg, last verified 2026-06-15.