looking for build record #125762

[Michael Hase]

I picked up an Old Town Rowing Skiff at the Assembly last month and am looking to restore it.
The beam appears to have spread and is currently at 45" to outside of gunwale. I am hoping that the build record may have the correct beam.
What steps do I need to take to obtain a build record?

This is my first attempt at posting or even looking at a forum. Please give me any advice on how to navigate and make the best use of it.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome to the WCHA forum and congratulations on your purchase. The Old Town with serial number 125762 is a 16 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade, double end boat model with open spruce gunwales, ash decks, spruce seats, a keel, outside stems, and a floor rack. It was built between November, 1938 and April, 1939. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It was shipped on July 16th, 1939 to Ashland, New Hampshire.

A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link at the thumbnail image attached 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 doesn't match your boat. The 1939 catalog page for this boat lists the extreme width as 42 inches as shown below so it hasn't spread too much. More information like this is available from http://store.wcha.org/The-Complete-Old-Town-Canoe-Company-Catalog-Collection-CD-ROM.html in the Old Town Canoe Company Catalog Collection. You will probably find the white search box in the upper right corner of this screen most helpful when you are looking for information in this forum. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson

 

[Ed Moses]

Mike,
You might like knowing some additional ,brief " life history" of your double ended rowing canoe you got at assembly. It spent its entire "use life" as a camp canoe at the Rockywold Deephaven Camps in Ashland, NH . I bought it from the camp at the time they made the decision to sell off all of their sidelined, stored W& C canoes that had been replaced by all plastic craft many years previously. You have probably noted the numbered livery brass button in the deck. That canoe identification # was replaced with 3" white stenciled R D C 33 painted on the canvas on each side of the bow. The canvas was torn in several placed and I totally removed it before bringing it to assembly.

If you do a computer search for Rockywold Deephaven Camps you will find some interesting history.

Good luck with your restoration.

Ed

 

[JClearwater]

Mike,
I am in the process of restoring my double-end boat. Mine is 4 years younger than yours. Just finished replacing four ribs and repairing two others. My plan is to have it ready for the Assembly next summer. A link to my boat is here: http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?5967-So-OK-what-did-I-buy&highlight=double+ended If you have questions feel free to contact me.

Good luck with your project.

Jim C.