help on ser# location please

C

Celtic Canoe

Curious about Wooden Canoes
Hello everyone, I just bought a c.1930 Old Town Motor Boat with sponsons. I can't seem to locate the ser #. any help on where to look would be good. It has been glassed but the interior is original complete with oar locks and drawer under the rear seat. It also has the stern board brass protectors for the motor as well as the floor mats with brass butterflies. Just need to find the #'s if I can.

I saved it from becoming a flower bed in someones back yard. Quite a story, anyway it's safe now and, after some restoration, it will be on permanent display in a Celtic Theatre in Western Maine

From Skye Theatre, the Celtic Canoe.
 
Try looking on the transom or the bracket that holds the transom... then we can find the boat's build record. Glad you were able to rescue the boat from the petunias!

Kathy
 
Thanks for the reply. I have looked everywhere I could think of around the transom, but find no ser#. I see no signs of restoration so am a bit baffled. Unless it's underneath the transom brace. Any other thoughts???

Phill
 
I looked there and all under the bow to no avail. I've owned other Old Town's and never had trouble finding a ser#. This has been in the same family since the 30's. I thought I just didn't know where to look since it was a boat and not a canoe. I've looked under the seats and everywhere I could think of.

Are there many of these boats with sponsons left out there. I'm not familiar with them at all. I found several ads from the late 20's and 30's in my old Hunting and Fishing Magazine collection showing this model.

I'm sure it's an Old Town from canoes I've owned in the past with sponsons. Anyway someone out there must have one and know where else I might look.

Phill
 
Other builders besides Old Town used sponsons - sponsons are not all that uncommon. Old Town and many others stamped the number on the inboard upper face of the stem. If you can't find it there, it may be masked by layers of old varnish, may have been lost (i.e. by sanding during previous refinishing), or it was built by someone else. Photos?
 
Well thanks to all your help I did locate the ser# now the trick is to decypher it. it is a 5 digit with a space and a clearly visable 16.

Any suggestions as to how to get the mostly unreadable digits to come to life again. I've tryed wetting them and lightly rubbing them, what's next????

Phill
 
First things first.

You have to fess up and tell us where you found the number....:D

A little varnish stripper might help.

A rubbing like a tombstone may help.

A low angle flashlight might help.

Your best guess may tell the good folks here with access to the records a place to start with.

Good luck with your project.

Fitz.
 
It was on the forward stem. I found it with the low angle flashlight. It appears that the front seat occupant had a habit of putting their foot on top of the Ser#. I will try the methods listed, however I think it is going to be very difficult to come up with a complete #. I hope to have some time this weekend to try and unlock the mystery.

Thanks for all your help and interest.

Phill
 
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