15' old town
- Thread starter Searay
- Start date
The scanned Old Town records stop at 210999 so none of us have any newer information. Old Town stopped keeping detailed records in the late 1980s and yours is after that. They issued serial number 500,000 in 1995 and their millionth serial number was issued in 2003. You can also look for the hull identification number on the starboard stern that contains an embedded shipping date. Good luck,
Benson
Benson
The Old Town canoe with serial number 166846 is a 15 foot long, CS (Common Sense) grade, fifty pound model with thwarts in place of seats, and a keel. It was built between December, 1957 and January, 1958. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on April 30th, 1958 to Reidsville, North Carolina. A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.
This scan 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/ot_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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php 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
This scan 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/ot_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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php 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
Attachments
The page describing this model from the 1958 catalog is attached below. The specifications at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/specific.gif may also be helpful. More information like this is available on the Old Town Canoe Company catalog CD. It is available at http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/cdrom.htm or http://woodencanoe.org/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=90_91&products_id=404 in the WCHA store.
The 1950s canoe seats used manufactured cane and are similar to many of the ones offered today. One difference is that most of the modern ones have rounded corners on the cane area while yours would have had square corners if you want to be really original. Good luck with your restoration,
Benson
The 1950s canoe seats used manufactured cane and are similar to many of the ones offered today. One difference is that most of the modern ones have rounded corners on the cane area while yours would have had square corners if you want to be really original. Good luck with your restoration,
Benson
Attachments
Most of these weigh more than fifty pounds and I suspect that the difference in weight between a thwart and a seat is not significant. The catalog page indicated that yours was 58 pounds when new. I have one shown at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=3968 and the current weight is actually 63 pounds according to my bathroom scale. Pictures are always welcome. Thanks,
Benson
Benson
50 Pounder
I restored a 1964 vintage one last summer. It had seats. I can't remember if I put No. 10 or 12 canvas on it (must be the leaded filler
), but my bathroom scale indicated 59 lbs when finished.
My canoe was not an AA grade, but it had mahogany outwales. Spruce inwales and ash seats. My center thwart was missing, so I fabricated one from ash to go with the seats.
I restored a 1964 vintage one last summer. It had seats. I can't remember if I put No. 10 or 12 canvas on it (must be the leaded filler
), but my bathroom scale indicated 59 lbs when finished.My canoe was not an AA grade, but it had mahogany outwales. Spruce inwales and ash seats. My center thwart was missing, so I fabricated one from ash to go with the seats.
Attachments
Planking
IIRC OT used thinner 1/8 inch thick planking and 1/4 inch thick ribs on the lightweights to cut down on weight. I had to replace much of the planking in the bottom of the canoe.
The more I think about it, I'm pretty sure I used No. 12 on this canoe. My uncle in law lives on a lake and it wasn't going to see hard use.
I think you will be fine with No. 10.
IIRC OT used thinner 1/8 inch thick planking and 1/4 inch thick ribs on the lightweights to cut down on weight. I had to replace much of the planking in the bottom of the canoe.
The more I think about it, I'm pretty sure I used No. 12 on this canoe. My uncle in law lives on a lake and it wasn't going to see hard use.
I think you will be fine with No. 10.
shelldrake
LOVES Wooden Canoes
I finished restoration of a 1963 15' 50 lb model last winter. Like Fitz's, it also weighed 59 lbs with 12# canvas and external stems.
OP
OP
Searay
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Nice looking boat Fritz.
This 50# is going to be the right one for my first restoration project. I assume the thinner planking and ribs are easier to work with. Most of it is in good shape but 50% of the bottom planking will need to be replaced.
Can you recommend a good source for this?
This 50# is going to be the right one for my first restoration project. I assume the thinner planking and ribs are easier to work with. Most of it is in good shape but 50% of the bottom planking will need to be replaced.
Can you recommend a good source for this?
The specifications page from the 1958 catalog is attached below. It lists 1/4 inch white cedar ribs, 1/8 inch red cedar planking, spruce inwales, and mahogany outwales as Fitz mentioned. It always annoyed the people in the factory that the width of the saw kerf was larger than the planking on these canoes so more than half of the wood was lost when making planking. Good luck with your restoration.
Benson
Attachments
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