Old Town 10038 (or9)

[Oldtownie]

Any info on this canoe? It is a 17 footer--serial number has a 17 with a long space before the number above. Cannot quite read last number as screw holding on keel obscures stamp. Looks like cedar on ash (plus ash seats, deck, thwarts). Was fiberglassed before I got it ten years ago, always leaked, so I was worried the wood might rot, so I took off the glass and am now up to my ears in yet another project (have old house, wooden row boat, etc etc).

Any help much appreciated

 

[Benson Gray]

Is there a Old Town name plate showing on the bow deck or some other indication that you have an Old Town canoe? Have you used a tape measure to verify the actual overall length? The build records for the Old Town canoes with serial numbers 10038 and 10039 both show 16 foot long canoes. The build records for the Carleton canoes with these numbers both show 18 foot long canoes. The build records for the Kennebec canoes with these numbers show one 17 and one 18 foot long canoe so my guess is that you may have a Kennebec canoe. It would help if you can attach some pictures, especially one showing the bow deck area.

The Kennebec canoe with number 10038 is a 17 foot long Kennnebec model type A as shown on pages 430 and 431 of volume two in the Kennebec ledgers. It was planked by Mansell on November 6th, 1915. The canvas covering and first filler coat were applied by Roy on December 2nd, 1915. Lanc applied the second filler coat on June 24th, 1916. It was railed by Harris on June 6th, 1916. The original color was "A" red which was applied by Lanc on July 7th, 1916. It shipped on July, 10th 1916 to D. B. Smith. This column also has a notation for Chamberlain May 3, 1918 so it may have been returned and re-shipped a few years later.

The scans of these build records can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below. These original Kennebec records are reproduced through the courtesy of the Maine State Museum.

The microfilms and scans of these records were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) as you probably know well. I hope that you will join 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 canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson

 

[Oldtownie]

The canoe is 17 feet long, I thought it was an Old Town because that is what the seller told me. There is no plate on the bow, but a series of numbers burnt into a strip of wood attached to the spine behind the rear seat. I can send a photo later.

Thanks very much for your help--this is a great resource and I expect to be a frequent pest as the project progresses!