20387 16' Carleton Canoe

[Old_Paddler]

I have what I thought was a 1912 Old Town, but have found that it is actually a Carleton.
Any history on 20387?

Sadly, this canoe had grass growing through the bottom and it was way beyond saving, but I salvaged many good parts from her - some I will use and others passed to someone else already.

 

[Benson Gray]

The Carleton canoe with serial number 20387 is a 16 foot long, regular (or middle) grade, Carleton model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, oak decks, oak thwarts, and a keel. It was built between July, 1936 and June, 1937. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It was shipped on June 23rd, 1937 to Boonton, New Jersey. A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/ot_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/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description don't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Old_Paddler]

Thank you for the information. It fits the canoe which sadly was beyond saving.
I joined WCHA a couple of days ago - had previously sent a donation.

Looking forward to paddling my 1951 Old Town Yankee once I restore it in the Spring.
It won't be a wall decoration - I will use it with the Scout Troops I am active with - along with my other (non - wood) canoes.
Having another wood canoe has been on my bucket list for over 20 years.

 

[SWEETWATER]

that carleton is not beyond repair anything can be saved check out some threads or see if someone wants it

 

[Old_Paddler]

While it is true that you could rebuild a canoe from a single rib, it's not practical.

The man I bought this from had 2 other canoes in better shape and I'm the only one who even made an offer on any of them.

The canoe had sat on the ground for decades when he got it. The bottom was so badly decayed that pieces fell off when it was moved. The only ribs that did not crumble were in each end of the boat.

I needed a section of the outer gunwale and the diamond shaped bolts to replace the ones used when the seats were replaced on my Yankee. Someone else needed the inner gunwales and the decks for a project canoe. The seats will end up in another canoe.

The guy still has 2 more canoes in need of rescue - that CAN be saved, but has had no offers in the months he has tried to sell them. He's rebuilding one.

They can't all be saved. It if was a rare or historic canoe, maybe I would agree with you. But considering how far gone this one was, I salvaged what was good and burned the rest in a pryre. No way was I going to put the remains in the trash.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Brilliantly put.