Xtc01625m74j

[Mike McCrea]

A friend has picked up an early Old Town Royalex model in need of some TLC.

I know OT was making a few ABS canoes in 1974, including the Chipewyan 16 (Camper), but this appears to be closer to 15’ 6”, not as flat bottomed and perhaps a bit more rockered.

XTC01625M74J

Any ideas?

 

[Benson Gray]

The XTC01625M74J hull identification number (HIN) indicates that you have the Old Town canoe with serial number 201625. This is a 16 foot long Chipewyan model. It was built in May, 1974. The original exterior paint color was blue. It shipped on May 22nd, 1974 to Haw River, North Carolina. The back side of this scan shows that they repaired a hole in the bow and it was in Knoxville, Tenn. by November 22nd, 1976. Scans of both sides of this build record can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below.

Several hundred thousand scans like this 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/catalogs/old-town/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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.html to join.

ABS plastic like wood will change shape over time so I would not be surprised if the length and hull shape now are not the same as when it originally left the factory.

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.

Benson