Purist or Custom

[Rand Oliver]

I have a Old Town 13' Lightweight canvas built in 1967 in need of restoration/repair. I am in a quandary, restore or repair? How significant is my 13' Old Town? How important is restoration for it? Seeking advise and guidance before both feet leave the bank. Thanks in advance.

 

[Benson Gray]

The usual answer to a question like this starts with "It's your canoe..." so do what ever you like. A 13 foot Old Town lightweight from 1967 is probably not a historically significant unless it was formerly owned by someone famous. The estimates at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/models.html indicate that about 1587 of them were made. Good luck with your decision,

Benson

 

[samb]

Whichever you choose, make sure you paddle it. Thats what it was designed and made for.

 

[Fitz]

If by "repair" you mean 'glass it, I wouldn't. It will shorten the life of the canoe. Canvassing is easier anyway.

 

[Rand Oliver]

Can I surmise that an Old Town 13'- 50 pounder and a 13' Lightweight are one in the same based on Benson's comment above. I could find no reference to a 13' Lightweight build in the table referenced; and yet, the build bill refers to the canoe as a 13' Lightweight. Seeking clarification, please.

If there is no significance to this year and model, I may replace decks with other woods and paint the canvas a color other than listed on the build bill to customize and "repair" versus restore to original.

 

[Benson Gray]

Yes, only the names are different between the 13 foot long versions of the Lightweight, Trapper, and Fifty Pound models. The original form and resulting hull shapes are identical. The estimates I referenced only counted the ones identified as fifty pound models so the actual total of the entire group would be higher. This form still exists so a brand new one could be built today.

The repairs and replacements you described are not unusual. Paint color changes are very common. Have fun with the repairs,

Benson

 

[Dan Lindberg]

For that canoe, for me, "restore" and "repair" are almost the same thing, and neither infer a strict following of the original build record.
Minimize the use of resin on it and get it back on the water.