1946 OT with concave curve deck and coaming?

[John Maderic]

Its not so much that going to look at a canoe for sale that bothers me: its the fact that I can't seem to not go look. I thought I could sort this one out myself, but , better to ask the experts. Pictured is what I'm told is a 1946 OT. I was thinking maybe Otca, but the deck style has me thinking otherwise. Could anyone please be kind enough to help me with any info. before I try to decide on another winter project? Is this Old Town?

 

[Benson Gray]

It could be a Old Town Otca from 1946. The serial numbers on the inside stems can confirm this. The information at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?791 may help if you aren't sure where to look. The new bow thwart is too short but it seems like a reasonable canoe otherwise. The Otca catalog page from 1946 is attached below for reference. More information like this is available from http://store.wcha.org/The-Complete-Old-Town-Canoe-Company-Catalog-Collection-CD-ROM.html if you want additional details. Good luck,

Benson

 

[pklonowski]

The serial number on a 1946 Old Town would be somewhere close to 146XXX. My '46 Otca has the same decks & coaming as this one.

 

[John Maderic]

Thank you

Thanks so much. Ive been going through the classifieds here, etc, trying to get self educated. On the Canoe Manufacturers here, OT shows the known shaped deck, while others mention the curved deck. I know I have to also keep in mind that changes may have been made in the many yrs these have been around. Ive been slowly working my way back through past threads and between the posts, and the responses by the senior members, theres just such a treasure trove of info.

 

[Benson Gray]

The Otca was introduced in the 1908 Old Town catalog with long decks which remained until the 1957 catalog when it was first shown with the more typical short decks. The version available today at http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/classic_wood/OTCA_16/ has short decks. It was one of the more popular models as shown in the estimates at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/models.html and the chart at http://www.wcha.org/ot_records/options.jpg indicates that the outside stems shown in your picture were a common option. Let us know if you have other questions.

Benson

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

On the Canoe Manufacturers here, OT shows the known shaped deck, while others mention the curved deck. I know I have to also keep in mind that changes may have been made in the many yrs these have been around.

John - the canoe looks very original. Looks like an Otca with the original-style Otca decks with coaming, plus it has outside stems and rub rails. It had a floor rack, but maybe that's missing now? It's also missing the bow seat. Looks like it might be AA grade with mahogany trim, but if so it looks like the thwarts may have been replaced at some point. Overall the canoe looks good, but those wavy gunwales indicate a problem - either breaks in the gunwales, or relaxation from improper storage. There's not an easy fix for problems like these (but of course anything can be fixed).

 

[John Maderic]

Thanks guys

Well, with a little help from the team here, I left home earlier in a rain and sleet storm to go check out the canoe. I was glad to find the couple had the build sheet matching the canoe# 144039. The sheet states it was half built by Jan 30, which prob means it was started in 1945. It is a AA grade Otca with mahogany. The sheet indicates 'rub rails' and also: full length bang plate. It does have brass on the full length of the keel. Theres nothing dated, etc, on the sheet where it lists Floor rack, although the fasteners are in the boat. Ill check better for any wear marks from a rack in the daylight.

 

[pklonowski]

Nice boat!!!

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Your canoe definitely had a floor rack - you can see the ghost of it plainly in your 4th photo. And the thwarts are definitely replacements. Not bad, but different from original (original would have been mahogany, not flared at the ends, and attached with a single diamond-head bot at each end). Looks like this will clean up nicely. That old mahogany will be gorgeous under new varnish.

 

[John Maderic]

Thwarts?

The serial number on a 1946 Old Town would be somewhere close to 146XXX. My '46 Otca has the same decks & coaming as this one.

Could you give me the length of your thwarts, and poss. pics of them, the seats, and floor rack? The canvas seems to be in very good shape, and I will have to learn more of what should be saved, and when its better to replace everything before stripping this one. I have two other Ot that are to be my learning experience canoes first.

 

[pklonowski]

The canoe is on a trailer, wedged up against a building, and pretty inaccessible right now (no one to help move it), so I'm pretty limited in providing pictures. The middle thwart is about 33 &1/4in.; it's not original, but is probably pretty close to the right length. I can't get to the other two thwarts, or the stern seat, but here's a picture of the bow seat, as best as I could get at it.

 

[Treewater]

I have a 1938 Octa 18 ft with the identical deck. I've seen it on a few other OT's. Not common, but around still.