Identity of Canoe in Maine?
- Thread starter smallboatshop
- Start date
Yeah, that's a Lloyd Rehbein canoe, from up Minnesota way.
OP
OP
smallboatshop
Restorers
Thanks Dan, that was fast! Do you have info on Mr. Rehbein and his work?
Indeed, go to http://dragonflycanoe.com/id/ and click on the link to Rehbein.
Back before I knew any better, I removed the original fiberglass from a Rehbein, and replaced it with canvas. Wasn't a proper restoration I guess...
Back before I knew any better, I removed the original fiberglass from a Rehbein, and replaced it with canvas. Wasn't a proper restoration I guess...
OP
OP
smallboatshop
Restorers
Dan, is there any way to tell the age of the canoe? I was just leaving when Dan came home with this canoe and he is off in Mass. today. It is fiberglassed but the owner wants it restored. The bow is twisted and the stem broken - the result of a misdirected rope swinger at the lake - so that has to be addressed. Are there any serial numbers or any other identification anywhere in the boat?
Linda
Linda
I don't recall there being a mark or serial number on the one I worked on. If the glass is original, it would put it in the 1950s or 1960s time period, otherwise I don't know how you would date a Rehbein.
Cheers,
Dan
Cheers,
Dan
Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
Rehbein
I restored a Rehbein a couple of years ago. There didn't appear to be any ID or serial numbers on it at all. It was a stout canoe! Deep and wide.........The original seats were bolted right to the inwales.
The owner complained of it seeming tippy, so I lowered the seats like Thompson canoes. Made all of the difference in the world, I was told......
The one that Dan and Linda show on the originating post is unusual in the sence that most w/c canoes moved fron east to west, not west to east like this one.
cheers to all!
Dave
I restored a Rehbein a couple of years ago. There didn't appear to be any ID or serial numbers on it at all. It was a stout canoe! Deep and wide.........The original seats were bolted right to the inwales.
The owner complained of it seeming tippy, so I lowered the seats like Thompson canoes. Made all of the difference in the world, I was told......
The one that Dan and Linda show on the originating post is unusual in the sence that most w/c canoes moved fron east to west, not west to east like this one.
cheers to all!
Dave
Attachments
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
It's good the see a MN canoe going east. 
Hey Dan would you like a bit of info on Muller Boat Works of Stillwater MN?
I've got a few pics and a couple history blurps.
I'm convinced that the guy last year who thought he had a Seliga does in fact have a Muller.
Several Mullers have surfaced lately (last few years) at the North House auction and that is what my neighbor has, (had a chance to take another look last weekend) and Alex has restored a number of them, he also thought they looked a lot like a Seliga.
Dan
Hey Dan would you like a bit of info on Muller Boat Works of Stillwater MN?
I've got a few pics and a couple history blurps.
I'm convinced that the guy last year who thought he had a Seliga does in fact have a Muller.
Several Mullers have surfaced lately (last few years) at the North House auction and that is what my neighbor has, (had a chance to take another look last weekend) and Alex has restored a number of them, he also thought they looked a lot like a Seliga.
Dan
Hey Dan,
You betcha I'd like any info on Muller.
Cheers,
Dan
You betcha I'd like any info on Muller.
Cheers,
Dan
magicanoe
Grand Laker Builder
Seliga / Muller
Before he passed away, I sent Joe Seliga a letter along with 10 photos of the canoe in question. He sent me a nice letter back on his Seliga stationary confirming that the canoe is actually a "Seliga".
It reads as follows:
"Dear Mr. Sherman
I do not have any record of Dr. Wendt buying a canoe. Evidently he bought from a girls camp or from the camp Wigiwagan that I built 16 ft canoes for at burntside lake no. of Ely. The reason for only five no's was that I just put the no of canoe and year. A yoke was inserted as the center thwart. Now with my present no system I will stamp the no of the year first then the number of the canoe then the month it was started example 05-500-05. Glad to hear that you enjoy your canoe which is a "Seliga"
Tod Bell canoe Co is building an exact reproduction out of Kevlar cloth and resin weight only 40 lbs and an excellent reproduction
I hope this clears up the no situation
Thank you for the pictures. I will keep them with my others
Sincerely
Joe"
Before he passed away, I sent Joe Seliga a letter along with 10 photos of the canoe in question. He sent me a nice letter back on his Seliga stationary confirming that the canoe is actually a "Seliga".
It reads as follows:
"Dear Mr. Sherman
I do not have any record of Dr. Wendt buying a canoe. Evidently he bought from a girls camp or from the camp Wigiwagan that I built 16 ft canoes for at burntside lake no. of Ely. The reason for only five no's was that I just put the no of canoe and year. A yoke was inserted as the center thwart. Now with my present no system I will stamp the no of the year first then the number of the canoe then the month it was started example 05-500-05. Glad to hear that you enjoy your canoe which is a "Seliga"
Tod Bell canoe Co is building an exact reproduction out of Kevlar cloth and resin weight only 40 lbs and an excellent reproduction
I hope this clears up the no situation
Thank you for the pictures. I will keep them with my others
Sincerely
Joe"
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
Magic,
Even though you very much want the canoe you bought to be a Seliga, and even in light of Joe looking at a few pics and thinking it is his, I believe your canoe is indeed a Muller Boatyard Canoe, as it was advertised to be and not a Seliga.
The S/N in your canoe is 24248, a list of all the 16 ft double end canoes Joe built is shown below. As you can see, the number in your canoe doesn't fit with any of the 16 ft Seliga S/N's. Joe's "code" for these canoes is; 1st 2 digits for year built, "4" for double end canoe and the last 3 digits is the canoe number.
For additional info, I'll post another thread showing features of the Muller Canoes.
Dan
16 ft double end canoes
48 4 102
48 4 103
48 4 104
48 4 105
48 4 106
48 4 107
48 4 108
48 4 109
49 4 110
49 4 111
49 4 112
49 4 113
49 4 114
49 4 115
49 4 116
49 4 117
49 4 118
49 4 119
49 4 120
50 4 128
50 4 129
50 4 130
52 4 150
52 4 151
52 4 152
52 4 153
Even though you very much want the canoe you bought to be a Seliga, and even in light of Joe looking at a few pics and thinking it is his, I believe your canoe is indeed a Muller Boatyard Canoe, as it was advertised to be and not a Seliga.
The S/N in your canoe is 24248, a list of all the 16 ft double end canoes Joe built is shown below. As you can see, the number in your canoe doesn't fit with any of the 16 ft Seliga S/N's. Joe's "code" for these canoes is; 1st 2 digits for year built, "4" for double end canoe and the last 3 digits is the canoe number.
For additional info, I'll post another thread showing features of the Muller Canoes.
Dan
16 ft double end canoes
48 4 102
48 4 103
48 4 104
48 4 105
48 4 106
48 4 107
48 4 108
48 4 109
49 4 110
49 4 111
49 4 112
49 4 113
49 4 114
49 4 115
49 4 116
49 4 117
49 4 118
49 4 119
49 4 120
50 4 128
50 4 129
50 4 130
52 4 150
52 4 151
52 4 152
52 4 153
CampMenogyn
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Hi Dan, I'd be interested in any info you have on Muller Canoes. I recently acquired one & have been having a hard time finding anything about the company. Any info you can pass along would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
OP
OP
smallboatshop
Restorers
There is some good info here: http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?1745-Muller-Boatworks-of-Stillwater-Mn&highlight=muller
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
Menogen,
What I had/found is in the post linked above.
More recently there is another guy in Stillwater(?), Dick Butler, who has gathered some info and reportedly plans to write something about Muller. Not sure the status of this.
Dan
What I had/found is in the post linked above.
More recently there is another guy in Stillwater(?), Dick Butler, who has gathered some info and reportedly plans to write something about Muller. Not sure the status of this.
Dan
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