This morning I had the opportunity to pick up my second canoe for restoration. (my first was a 1947 old town). This "new" canoe spent its life on Lake Titus in the northern Adirondacks. It was obviously well kept, protected from the weather. About 1970 the canoe was moved from the camp on Lake Titus to an attic in Massena, NY in order to get a new canvas skin. (canvas was stripped but that's it). Canoe has a brass plate in the stern stem with a number 13435. I cannot find any additional serial numbers on the stem or side ribs. Bow stem flares out and is notched on the first full rib. Looking at various photos on WCHA (and Youtube videos), I "think" what I have is a Kennebec Sponson Canoe (16 feet, 9 inches), built on a B.N. Morris frame. I'd love to find out the make, model and year of construction for this canoe. Also I'd be interested in any photos or pamphlets which would give me a idea of the colors for the canoe's original paint job. Excited to be getting going a a new restoration..Removing the sponsons is going to be interesting!
Need Assistance with Identifying Canoe - Kennebec with Sponson's??
- Thread starter Ken Kogut
- Start date
Sure looks like a B.N. Morris, with the typical Morris serial number tag. What leads you to believe it is a Kennebec?
(FWIW, the Kennebec with that number is a 17' canoe without sponsons...)
Dan
(FWIW, the Kennebec with that number is a 17' canoe without sponsons...)
Dan
pklonowski
Unrepentant Canoeist
The splayed stem... Do I hear Kathy's eyelashes being batted? 
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
I've batted this one on into the database. Not too many with sponsons in there. Restored Morris canoes with sponsons look mighty pretty.
Here are a couple links to earlier discussions and pictures:
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?5001-b-n-morris-courting-canoe
http://forums.wcha.org/album.php?albumid=3&attachmentid=14748
Kathy
Here are a couple links to earlier discussions and pictures:
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?5001-b-n-morris-courting-canoe
http://forums.wcha.org/album.php?albumid=3&attachmentid=14748
Kathy
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Greg Nolan
enthusiast
It does indeed look like a Morris in nice shape, and there are not many around with sponsons.
But I am pretty sure that stern seat is not original -- does not look like any I have seen, or have seen pictures of in the catalogues. The bow seat looks like an original Morris seat, however.
Here are copies of pages from the 1917 catalogue describing the various models of Morris's sponson canoe. Note that Morris thought sponson canoes were "best for children." The third picture shows the typical Morris stern seat.
Your canoe should be a beauty when restored
But I am pretty sure that stern seat is not original -- does not look like any I have seen, or have seen pictures of in the catalogues. The bow seat looks like an original Morris seat, however.
Here are copies of pages from the 1917 catalogue describing the various models of Morris's sponson canoe. Note that Morris thought sponson canoes were "best for children." The third picture shows the typical Morris stern seat.
Your canoe should be a beauty when restored
Dan,
What led me to think of a Kennebec was 1. one of the Youtube videos on WCHA which popped up when I googled Kennebec Sponson Canoe, and, 2. the heart shaped decking which seemed to really point to Kennebec. Obviously the serial number plate without a kennebec stamp had me stumped (or was that stumped had me stamped?)...In any case I'm such a newbee at this that I'm at the Forum's mercy. B.N. Morris it is! The forum as spoken.
I'd love to stop in at Dragonfly one day..is that possible?
What led me to think of a Kennebec was 1. one of the Youtube videos on WCHA which popped up when I googled Kennebec Sponson Canoe, and, 2. the heart shaped decking which seemed to really point to Kennebec. Obviously the serial number plate without a kennebec stamp had me stumped (or was that stumped had me stamped?)...In any case I'm such a newbee at this that I'm at the Forum's mercy. B.N. Morris it is! The forum as spoken.
I'd love to stop in at Dragonfly one day..is that possible?
The stern seat doesn't appear to be original. Whom ever changed it out used some metal
"hook" like straps that go from the top of the gunnel down under the seat. An odd contraption that I will need to change back to the original.
thanks for the catalogue picture.
"hook" like straps that go from the top of the gunnel down under the seat. An odd contraption that I will need to change back to the original.
thanks for the catalogue picture.
Sure, but there's not much to see yet.... the shop is still a pile of timbers in the yard, waiting for it to get warm enough to resume cutting the joinery...
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Ken-- If you discover some original canvas with original color as you restore this canoe, I'd love a picture of that! Won an eBay auction for Morris paint chips and I'd love to see if it matched anything, to determine how much the colors on the paint chips have changed.
Kathy
Kathy
