Ot 126270 17

Sturt

WCHA 7403
Just became the proud owner of this project canoe with sailing rig. The serial number is a little hard to read, but I think it is this.
It's 17' long and 34" wide, and thought to be Old Town HW from 1939.
Can you help me with history and build record?
Thanks.
 
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The Old Town canoe with serial number 126270 is a 17 foot long, CS grade, HW (Heavy Water) model with open spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash trim, and a keel. It was built between January and May, 1939. The original exterior paint color was yellow with a black hair line stripe. It shipped on May 17th, 1939 to Long Island City, New York. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan was 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 contribute 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.html to join.

The sailing rig was not mentioned on the original build record so it was probably added after this canoe left the factory. More information about sailing rigs can be found at http://www.cedarislandcanoes.com/WCHA-Sailing/ and http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/otacc/ on the web. Todd Bradshaw's book "Canoe Rig - The Essence and the Art" from http://merchandise.wcha.org/product_info.php?cPath=92&products_id=436 is another excellent resource. Canoe sailing parts are available at http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/dcwfs2.htm as well as http://classifieds.wcha.org/ and http://www.ebay.com/ occasionally.

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. Good luck with your project.

Benson
 

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Thanks for the quick response and the build record scan. The description fits. The build record shows it being shipped to Macy's in New York, and there's still a metal tag on the stern deck showing the Macy's name.
It looks like yellow paint inside on ribs and planking -- but only in the ends up under the decks. Could they have painted that inside area also when painting the outside?
The idea that the sailing rig came later fits also, since there was an extra bow seat with the mast ring. This seat is painted blue. The lee boards and rudder look exactly like the ones pictured on the "Old Town Sailing Canoe Hardware" page of the Dragonfly website.
Thanks again.
 
Paint was usually applied only to the canvas and varnish on the wood work in the ends under the decks. My guess is that most of the paint on your canoe was applied after if left the factory.

Benson
 
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