Build info. on an Old Town Canoe# 18 77132

The Old Town canoe with serial number 77132 is 18 feet long, CS (common sense or standard) AA (top) grade, an Otca model with western red cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, birch decks, thwarts and seats. It was built in 1923. The exterior was originally painted dark red. It was shipped on June 6, 1923 to Grand Rapids, Michigan. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link behind the thumbnail image attached below.

77132 - 5627.jpg

This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html 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.

Greg
 
Does this canoe have diamond headed bolts and an Old Town name plate on the bow deck? Can you post some pictures? Thanks,

Benson
 
I'll take a look and get some pictures up for you... It's my fathers canoe and it has been stored in a barn for a very long time.. Thank you for all the information and the quick responses!
 
DSCF1203.jpg
DSCF1198.jpgDSCF1199.jpg
We took a look at the canoe and unfortunatly due to our lack of knowledge about these old boats I can't report for sure about the bolts. Where I believe the decal would be has been repainted black but is peeling.. Maybe it's still under there? I hope these pictures help a little because as I said we know very little.. Any more information, thoughts and or opinions would be greatly appreciated!
 

Attachments

  • DSCF1200.jpg
    DSCF1200.jpg
    87.6 KB · Views: 333
The bolts that Benson (and some others of us) is curious about are the bolts which hang seats from the gunwales -- four bolts per seat, with the bolt heads likely showing atop the gunwales. Earlier bolt heads were round; later ones were diamond-shaped. Benson is trying to pin down when the change-over from round to diamond took places.
 
I can't report for sure about the bolts.

The detail that Benson was asking about is not easily seen in your pictures.
The bolts that he is asking about are used to mount the seats and thwarts.
Beginning in the early 20's Old Town used a very distinctive diamond headed bolts.
Presumably Benson is trying to pin down the exact transition from round headed bolts to these distinctive OT bolts.

Here is a picture of what they look like. Look this over and decide if you have them on your canoe.

If the picture is not large enough to view select it to open it and then use the Ctrl and + keys to enlarge it.
 

Attachments

  • Capture bolt.JPG
    Capture bolt.JPG
    10.2 KB · Views: 288
Thanks for pointing us in the right direction, I'll take a look and let you know!
 
We found the bolts with no problem this time and they are definitely diamond headed..
 
We found the bolts with no problem this time and they are definitely diamond headed..

I appreciate your efforts. The transition to diamond headed bolts appears to have been around 1922 and this helps to confirm that. You will probably not be able to recover the name plate decal from under the black paint but reproductions are available from the WCHA store. Thanks,

Benson
 
Hey oleparts, I've been trying to reach you regarding your boat on CL. Please contact me. Thanx!
 
Back
Top