Old Town 15' Trapper

[Sal]

Hi All,
New to the forum and very excited. I have wanted to own an Old Town wood canoe since I was a thirteen years old. (now 64). I put a deposit on what looks like a nice condition 15ft Trapper. Hoping someone will jump in with Build Information. The serial number is #165806 15

Thank you for your help

Sal

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 165806 is a 15 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, fifty pound model with a keel. It was built between December, 1956 and July, 1957. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on July 5th, 1957 to New Bedford, Mass. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan and several hundred thousand more 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 canoe. The fifty pound model is the original name for what later became known as the Trapper model. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck with the purchase,

Benson

 

[Sal]

Hi Benson,

Very kind of you retrieve the build record for this canoe. I drove from Mount Holly NJ (near Philadelphia) to Coventry RI to see the canoe and leave a deposit. I was afraid someone might buy it out from underneath me since it was posted on Craigslist. I had no idea it would be a 50lb model. Assumed it was the standard 68lb version which I was very concerned that I could not handle alone. Seems to me that this model is a good candidate for solo. Only thing is, it's the typical two seat configuration. So what do you recommend as an excellent set up for use as a canoe solo? Thinking the ideal arrangement is to install a properly positioned third cane seat ahead of the rear seat. Of course the easy solution is to paddle using the front seat but not sure how well balanced this position would be. I don't think I could kneel for long periods (hours) so I need some kind of seat.

Thank you again for your input,

Sal

 

[millie_sass]

Hi Sal,
Congratulation on your "new" canoe.
I am rather new to solo paddling too and often ask local club members about technique. Right now I paddle a 14' Peterborough with the Stern facing the front. Like you suggest, sometimes I sit on the bow seat facing the Stern and put ballast in the front if necessary. But more usually I have an old boat cushion or piece of foam on the bottom to kneel on -- the seat gives your back some support and you can also pad the edge of the seat to help too. Of course my solo canoe buddies at the Three Rivers Chapter (Pittsburgh) are encouraging me to learn the "Canadian" style of solo paddling and I may just do that some day - but that also entails kneeling (in the middle). So head to the gym and get those knees loosened up -- it makes it easier to enter and disembark anyway.

- Millie

 

[Craig Johnson]

http://azlandtraditions.com/leather_Saddleseat.html
Hi Sal.
Here is a link to the saddle seat that I use. you can position it anywhere needed. I just leave it in place when using the canoe tandem. I have been playing around with the set up of the straps over the years. for example I now position the port side straps one rib ahead of the starboard(which I paddle on) this turns me a bit to that side, and I make the front strap longer to let it slope forward, then I kneel and lean back against it. or you can set it up to sit on like a regular seat.
Have fun with your new boat
Craig

 

[Larry Meyer]

Kneeling sounds more tortuous than it is. With a knee pad and resting your fanny on the front seat (that is, don’t paddle sitting in the rear –paddle stern foremost), kneeling is the most enjoyable way to paddle a canoe solo. Your body becomes a tripod, thus transferring much more control and responsiveness to the canoe. Sitting in a seat, your legs just stick out there, and you are left with only your flabby butt connecting the canoe to you.

It takes some time, and maybe some instruction, to get the hang of it - J stroke and Canadian stroke and the like. With a 15 footer, you can’t get too far out of trim.

 

[Benson Gray]

I had no idea it would be a 50lb model. Assumed it was the standard 68lb version which I was very concerned that I could not handle alone.

The 1957 catalog page listed the 11 foot long version of this canoe as 50 pounds while the 15 foot long version like yours was 58 pounds. I once had one as shown at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=3968 from 1914. The weight after the restoration was actually 63 pounds according to my bathroom scale. I usually paddled it solo from the bow seat facing backwards and the balance was fine.

Benson

 

[Sal]

Thank you everyone,

Millie, I like your idea of mixing it up. I suspect it would vary depending on the body of water, weather conditions, and amount of time on the water, keeping in mind that you can mix it up over the course of the day. I think that's where I'll start.

It seems to me, from past pictures I've seen, that solo seats are typically pitched forward as you suggest Graig. In any case it certainly sounds like the best, perhaps most enjoyable way to solo, is in the kneeling position. Thanks for painting that excellent word picture Larry. I'll have to see if I can achieve a comfortable position. Would be curious to understand the different styles (Canadian, J, etc) I'll let you know how it goes.

Benson, I really like your 1914 Old Town. Nice restoration. Hope I have the chance to do similar with my canoe. Regarding the canoe I'm purchasing, Looks like the interior, rib and planking, and seats are in excellent condition. The gunwales need to be refinished but I see no visible damage. Only things I don't like are that the gunwales do not follow a nice smooth curve and so the symmetry is not as beautiful as it could be. Additionally, the surface of the canvas has many indentations that again takes away for the beauty of the canoe. Hope these are things that can be addressed. fyi I'm told that this canoe is original with no restoration to wood or canvas. Looks pretty good if it's true. One last thing while I'm thinking about it, I notice from your pictures that you use a wheeled dolly to move the canoe. May I ask for a recommendation for purchasing this item.

Thanks again to everyone for your input, very appreciated

Sal

 

[Benson Gray]

I notice from your pictures that you use a wheeled dolly to move the canoe. May I ask for a recommendation for purchasing this item.

I got mine from L. L. Bean many years ago. A similar one is available from http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/68566?feat=48787-pprrtop now. The messages at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?12917 offer some other suggestions. Zip Kellogg had an article in a recent Wooden Canoe Journal reviewing several different ones but I don't recall the issue number.

Benson