KANTER MARINE INC HIN Decoder — MIC ZKN
Hull Identification Numbers beginning with ZKN were assigned by the US Coast Guard to KANTER MARINE INC of ST THOMAS, 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
ZKN
Location
ST THOMAS, ON
In business
since 1981
Status
Listed active in USCG records
KANTER MARINE INC built hulls across both HIN eras (1981–present): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.
How a KANTER MARINE INC HIN breaks down
A current-format (1984–present) Hull Identification Number is 12 characters. Using the example ZKN45678D424 (illustrative):
| Characters | Segment | In example | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Manufacturer (MIC) | ZKN | Identifies KANTER MARINE INC, assigned by the US Coast Guard. |
| 4–8 | Hull serial number | 45678 | KANTER MARINE INC'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 KANTER MARINE INC? 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
KANTER MARINE INC HIN FAQ
What does a KANTER MARINE INC HIN look like?
It starts with the three characters "ZKN" — the Manufacturer Identification Code the US Coast Guard assigned to KANTER MARINE INC — followed by a 5-character hull serial and a 4-character date code, 12 characters total. KANTER MARINE INC built hulls across both HIN eras (1981–present): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three.
Is KANTER MARINE INC still in business?
USCG records list KANTER MARINE INC of ST THOMAS, ON in the MIC database (registered 1981).
How do I decode the year on a KANTER MARINE INC HIN?
On current-format HINs the last two characters are the model year and the 9th–10th encode the certification month and year. KANTER MARINE INC built hulls across both HIN eras (1981–present): boats before August 1984 carry legacy straight-year or model-year date codes; later hulls use the current month-letter format. The decoder handles all three. Enter the full 12-character HIN above and the decoder works it out, including the legacy formats.
Where is the HIN on a KANTER MARINE INC 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 "ZKN" MIC the same as a KANTER MARINE INC serial number?
No. "ZKN" is the Manufacturer Identification Code — characters 1–3 of the HIN — that identifies KANTER MARINE INC. The hull serial number is characters 4–8: KANTER MARINE INC'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 KANTER MARINE INC 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 KANTER MARINE INC 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, "KANTER MARINE INC HIN Decoder," carwhere.com/hin-decoder/zkn, last verified 2026-06-15.