Intro : Trip to Indian Lake, Ny to pick up 5 canvas/ wood canoes

John Maderic

Enthusiastic about Wooden Canoes
My friend Jeff: known as 'Wildhart' on his Adirondack fb page, arrived near Canada Lake to pick me up, along with my "custom" canoe trailer. Todays trip was way beyond my budget, and its lucky Im still engaged after this one. Ive included a couple pics of the Adirondacks that drew my attention along the way. The hour and a half trip, one way, was pleasant as one could ask for. The exact identity of serial numbers and make of a couple of the canoes is yet to be decided, and, as part of my education into the canoe world, may have been an expensive lesson for me. The trip ended with a recently purchased property I have to store the canoes in having been broken into within the last two days. Ill get today covered with pics, and within the next couple days, get individual pics of the canoes posted. I really appreciate being (so far) excepted here and getting helpful responses to my efforts. Each of you, no matter your end results, are a true artist, the very ones keeping this art alive . John
 
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pics

I believe Ive got the uploading figured out
 

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John - that is very pretty foliage! And is that the Hudson River? We will be going through Indian Lake in about 10 days. I hope the color holds. Oh, and those canoes look like they will be fun to work on! Al D
 
Some pics of what I purchased as a Rushton Indian Girl

Although not stamped anywhere I could find, this canoe , as per the seller, had been identified and appraised as an Indian Girl. I did find a tag by feeling under the stern board, but haven't had time to get back to where Im storing the canoes, to check with a mirror and light.
 

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OT with sponsons

I will research on how to go about clarifying the serial number imprints before attempting to uncover the #s more.
 

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sailing OT Factory?

A good structurally sound canoe
 

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Flat back OT

As advised here earlier, this may be a =n after factory change
 

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. . . identified and appraised as an Indian Girl.

With the splayed stem end pictured, I think you do not have a Rushton. The splayed stem is not characteristic of Ruston canoes. It is most commonly found on Morris canoes -- but the rib ends are not set in pockets in the inwales, as is usual with Morris canoes, so I think you have a Kennebec Morris -- see
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?9478-17-Kennebec&highlight=splayed.

Other builders that used splayed stems were Rhinelander and Willits, but the shape of their stems is different.
 
John,
Greg is correct, the canoe that was advertised as a Rushton is a Kennebec Morris. Not a Rushton but still a nice canoe - the best of the lot. The Old Town sponson canoe is likely from the 1930's with newer replaced seats. The sailing canoe is likely from the late 1920's and is a Guide model. The square stern canoe is someones attempt at a repair job, definitely not from the factory that way. Post the serial numbers - you may have to use stripper to reveal the numbers clearly, and some one will reply with the build sheets. Kathy will likely reply regarding the Morris.

You have a lot of work ahead of you. Good luck.

See this link: http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?3995-Kennebeck-with-Morris-Hull&highlight=kennebec+Morris

Jim
 
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