Long decked canoe ID?

[JClearwater]

Maybe someone can identify the maker of this canoe. 17 ft long, narrow 30" wide (canvas to canvas) excluding outwales, 12" deep. Ribs are 2.25" wide, tapered at ends, open gunnels, bow deck 30" long, stern deck 24" long, inwale spruce?, outwale, seats, thwarts and decks mahogany. Serial number stamped in stem 1381. There may be a fifth digit a 7 or it could be a tool mark or a scratch. It is not aligned with the other digits and not completly shaped. I don't think the short carry thwarts or the yoke are original to the boat. The former owner said it had outside stems and rub rails which were not reinstalled when the boat was worked on in 1991. See attached photos. Thank you for the help.
Jim Clearwater

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess would be either a Charles River builder or a Kennebec. The Kennebec canoe with serial number 13817 is a 17 foot long Torpedo model that was built in 1920 but the build record shows nothing about long decks. The outside stem column is blank but so is the rest of the line including the columns where the shipping date and destination are usually written. Their 1920 catalog does show a canoe with similar decks and thwarts on pages 16 and 17.

The Old Town and Carleton records for 13811 and 13817 have no mention of long decks, outside stems, or other unusual features.

Benson

 

[JClearwater]

Thank you Benson for your reply. When Kennebec and others made these canoes with the long overlaid decks did they take a "stock" canoe off the shelf, add the mahogany outwales, add the decks and other upgrades or was it built from scratch with the intention of being a high end boat? This canoe seems to have "normal" short, heart shaped decks under the long mahogany decks. The mahogany decks are installed over top of the gunnels and do not provide structural strength. The short decks are what is actually holding things together. Thoughts?
Thanks, Jim Clearwater

 

[Dan Miller]

This canoe seems to have "normal" short, heart shaped decks under the long mahogany decks. The mahogany decks are installed over top of the gunnels and do not provide structural strength.

This is a fairy common method used by several builders.

 

[JClearwater]

Thank you Dan for your note. I have given serious consideration to selling this boat. I have nine others, of which only four float. It would make a real nice canoe for somebody and it will be a long time before I can get around to fixing it up. Best regards Jim Clearwater

 

[workingbadger]

Kennebec Torpedo

Here are a couple of photos of my 1920 Kennebec Torpedo. When I found it, the serial number was on a tag affixed to the stern deck. The bow deck had a circular, cast iron fitting, held on by three screws, with a vertically threaded, female fitting. Coming out of the side of the vertical fitting, was a smaller, horizotal, female threaded fitting.