Hello, Would like to know all I can about my canoe. From reading other postings, I gather that it was build c. 1954 and it is called a 50 pounder. It is green and we still use it. Bought it at an auction years ago in the Middle of the Lower Pennisula of Michigan. It is a green 13 Footer with serial number 161954. Anyone have more information on my little green canoe? All thoughts are appreciated.
Old Town Canoe Maine 13 feet serial number 161954
- Thread starter 13footer
- Start date
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Old Town 161954 is a 13 foot AA (top) grade fifty pound model canoe that was completed July-September 1954. It has a keel and a floor rack and was originally dark green. AA grade canoes are mahogany trimmed, although it doesn't give wood species on the build record, that's what AA means. The planking is probably red Western cedar. The canoe was shipped to Lansing, MI, on July 11, 1955. The shipping date is considered the canoe's "birthday", even if it was completed years earlier... this is the convention.
I'm wondering if you thought your canoe was built in 1954 because the serial number has "1954" in it-- if so, this is purely coincidental. Old Town canoes are numbered sequentially, beginning over 100 years ago. While some of the old canoe companies figured a year into their serial number scheme, Old Town did not. There is a graph, however, that permits folks to determine the year an Old Town canoe was built, based on the serial number, and you may have seen that. I just wanted to be certain you didn't think "161954" meant it was built in 1954. It was, but... well, it's interesting when things like this crop up and can lead to misunderstandings in dating canoes.
I'm wondering if you thought your canoe was built in 1954 because the serial number has "1954" in it-- if so, this is purely coincidental. Old Town canoes are numbered sequentially, beginning over 100 years ago. While some of the old canoe companies figured a year into their serial number scheme, Old Town did not. There is a graph, however, that permits folks to determine the year an Old Town canoe was built, based on the serial number, and you may have seen that. I just wanted to be certain you didn't think "161954" meant it was built in 1954. It was, but... well, it's interesting when things like this crop up and can lead to misunderstandings in dating canoes.
Attachments
thanks
Thanks for the info and the receipt. I figured it was made in 54 because of a request I found on the wcha site that had four canoes with some serial numbers before mine and some after. 2 were the same year as mine. Easy to figure when one serial number was above and built in 54 and one serial number was below and also built in 54. I hadn't even noticed the 1954 coincidence. I like that it was green. Mine might have original paint. I also love that it is AA.
Thanks for the info and the receipt. I figured it was made in 54 because of a request I found on the wcha site that had four canoes with some serial numbers before mine and some after. 2 were the same year as mine. Easy to figure when one serial number was above and built in 54 and one serial number was below and also built in 54. I hadn't even noticed the 1954 coincidence. I like that it was green. Mine might have original paint. I also love that it is AA.
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
My thought is that AA is less common on these little guys, which were/are handy little canoes to wear as a car-hat all summer and use for fishing and poking around interesting waters. Very nice to have one in good, original condition. Enjoy paddling!
Kathy
Kathy
Howie
Wooden Canoe Maniac
Hi! About your 13' 50 Pounder... I'll be restoring one soon, but my problem is that it has been missing the center thwart as well as the front seats. I suspect this has caused the canoe to 'relax' a bit - I bet it now measures wider than it's supposed to. So... if you still have yours, could you take a few measurements for me? Can you tell me the screw-to-screw distances of the thwart as well as the front seats? Thanks for any help you can give...
