Am I missing some digits and I don't mean fingers....

Spuddy

Curious about Wooden Canoes
I have an old canoe that my Dad told me was an Old Town. I looked on the stem and got the following numbers: 307 20. It is possible it could be 107 20 as well. From looking around on this site it looks like three numbers are not enough. Can someone help me please?
 
I have an old canoe that my Dad told me was an Old Town. I looked on the stem and got the following numbers: 307 20. It is possible it could be 107 20 as well. From looking around on this site it looks like three numbers are not enough. Can someone help me please?

Those may be the correct numbers, and the canoe may not be an OT.
Could you post a few pictures? Decks, stem, seats thwarts, hull etc.
That should help to pin it down.
Canoes are often identified as Old Towns even though they are not...
 
The information at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?791 may help you find any missing digits in the serial number. Some pictures of the areas around the serial numbers from each end, the decks, interior details and profile could also help as MGC mentioned. The overall length and width in a straight line can be helpful too. Many canoes with three digit serial numbers come from builders in the Charles River area near Boston. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson
 
Last edited:
My son went out and took a look. He thinks the number is 407820. The length measured at the longest point is 20 feet. It measures 38" wide. It's hanging in my garage so it may be tomorrow before I can post pictures. Thanks for the responses so far.
 
The 20 on the end would be consistent with a 20 foot long canoe. This will help confirm the record since 20 foot long canoes are not common. The 4078 number doesn't match the Old Town record and neither does 14078, 114078, or anything in the x4078 or 4078x ranges. I did find a match with 140785. Does your canoe have half ribs and no keel? Pictures of the numbers from both stems should help. Good luck,

Benson
 

Attachments

  • 4078.jpg
    4078.jpg
    244.2 KB · Views: 292
  • 14078.gif
    14078.gif
    95.6 KB · Views: 305
  • 114078.gif
    114078.gif
    46.8 KB · Views: 299
  • 140785.gif
    140785.gif
    162 KB · Views: 267
I want to thank you for your time helping me. I finally got the canoe down and have a number that is accurate. I also have attached some pictures. The number is 907300 20
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0535.JPG
    IMG_0535.JPG
    279.3 KB · Views: 271
  • IMG_0537.JPG
    IMG_0537.JPG
    266.6 KB · Views: 283
  • IMG_0538.JPG
    IMG_0538.JPG
    202.6 KB · Views: 276
I finally got the canoe down and have a number that is accurate. The number is 907300 20
That first digit may still be wrong....try making a rub to see if it is a 3 or some other digit. Hold a piece of paper over the stem numbers and rub over the paper/numbers with a wax pencil, crayon or the side of a pencil. The numbers should transfer to the paper and be a bit easier to read (hopefully)..
 
I did a rubbing with a crayon and it is either a 1 or a three. We originally went with 9 because it is not the same as the other digit that is definitely a three. If a one has a a line as it's base and a bit of a piece that goes off to the left on the top it's probably a one. There is a nick in the wood that makes it appear to be a three.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0539.JPG
    IMG_0539.JPG
    170 KB · Views: 273
  • IMG_0542.PNG
    IMG_0542.PNG
    1.7 MB · Views: 343
I agree with Gill that you probably have the Old Town canoe with serial number 107300. This is a 20 foot long, GS (guide's special or utility) grade, guide model with red western cedar planking and open spruce gunwales. It was built in August, 1930. The original exterior paint color was G. S. (guide's special) green and it shipped to Kokadjo, Maine on September 8th. 1930. There was a previous request for a copy of this information from Central Islip, New York on May 22nd, 1985 as shown on the back side of the record. Scans showing both sides of this build record can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below.

107300.jpg 107300-b.jpg

These scans and several hundred thousand more were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson
 
Last edited:
Back
Top