3 possible

[ken osmer]

The 1st digit in this serial number is somewhat obscured. It may be a 3, a 6, or an 8. I am leaning more toward 8, but It is difficult to tell. I need build records for Old Town 81277 17, 61277 17, and 31277 17. This canoe appears to be an Old Town Otca, I recently puchased in northern Wisconsin. Thanks, Ken O.

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 81277 is a 15 foot long HW and the one with 31277 is a 17 foot long HW. My guess is that you have serial number 61277 which is a 17 foot long, CS grade, Otca model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, 20 inch maple decks, maple trim, and a keel. It was built between May and August, 1920. The original exterior paint color was dark green with an H. P. C. monogram on the right and left bow. It shipped on August 9th, 1920 to Florida. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link behind the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan was 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.

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

Benson

 

[ken osmer]

thank you

Thanks alot. That discription fits my canoe. The bow appears to have had some major repairs a long time ago. The rear deck is definately maple and it does have a keel. I identified it as an Otca from pictures on the canoe identification page from Dragon fly. How it made its way from Florida to northern Wisconsin we'll never know. Thanks again, K.O.