Question from a neophyte and warm reagards from Michigan's U.P., eh.

[ckirk]

I have long lurked here on the forum with no real reason to post. That all changed yesterday. I responded to a classified advertisement and acquired a wood/canvas canoe in very good condition. I purchased the canoe from a very elderly man that was the local high school industrial arts teacher. He claims to have acquired the canoe when the Cyrus McCormack family donated their Upper Peninsula family camp to the USDA in 1967 and the camps furnishings were auctioned to the public. He and his wife used the canoe as a trout fishing craft for years. He also said he restored the canoe about 20+ years ago. I can find no other identifiers on the canoe outside of an oval serial number tag on the inwhale. It has a square stern which puzzles me, because I assumed square sterns were a more contemporary design. I will post some pictures of what I think to be distinguishing characteristics.

I bought the canoe because I plan to use it for fishing with my daughter. I have used aluminum canoes due to finances, but I have always wanted a wooden canoe of my very own. Now I just want to know about the canoe I have acquired. Any questions, information, or thoughts on possible manufacturers would be welcomed.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

 

[Benson Gray]

You appear to have a Morris Canoe from Veazie, Maine. I suspect that it was not originally a square stern. Most of the active forum users are at the WCHA's Assembly this week so it may take a while before anyone else responds. Congratulations!

Benson

 

[Greg Nolan]

The splayed stem, the shape of the deck, and the serial number tag are pretty good indicators that you have a B. N. Morris canoe. Bert Morris was an early builder of wood/canvas canoes, and canoes he sold under his own name were generally premium quality. He did build a lower quality (though still good quality) canoe under the name Veazie canoes. Morris canoes are generally considered quite desirable today.

We can't know for certain the date when Morris canoes were built, but a good estimate for a canoe with a 55xx serial number is sometime around 1908-1909. Morris catalogs from that time do not show square sterns -- but when outboard motors became popular, it was not uncommon to cut one end of a canoe off, build a transom, and mount an outboard.

Your canoe looks to be in very good condition, and should do quite nicely for fishing with your daughter.

Greg

 

[ckirk]

It seems I made a rookie mistake and posted the same thread twice. One with a typo in the subject line and the one without when I tried to edit. Please pardon the mistake.

Thanks for the replies. I did a closer inspection of the stern and it does appear to be altered. The "new" square stern is inserted about 3/4 of an inch behind the last full rib. I can see remnants of where the old stem lapped over the first full rib in the rear. Currently the canoe measures fourteen feet six inches. I also measured from the first full bow rib forward to the front of the stem and the distance was about 18 inches. My guess is the original length was 16 foot. I am pretty sure the previous owner altered the canoe when he restored it. He included in the sale an AquaBug motor. He said he used the motor whenever he fished the Sturgeon River, but the canoe and motor had been in storage for 10 years.

I am going to put her on the water tomorrow and see how she does. No need for a motor, I'd rather paddle. Hoping for minimal leakage.

Thanks again,

Chris

 

[Greg Nolan]

I've never had occasion to paddle a square stern, whether because of owner modification (as yours seems to be) or factory built. I expect it might not paddle as quietly (with regard to passage through the water) as a regular double-ended canoe, or as smoothly, but I would not expect the difference to be great. I'd like to hear how you find paddling yours goes.

Greg

 

[ckirk]

Well, I put the canoe in the water this morning and my hopes that I made a good purchase were confirmed. I am very pleased with this canoe and can't wait to take my daughter fishing. I paddled down the Chocolay River to Lake Superior and back to the boat launch. The canoe paddled well and was very quiet. The quietness was relative because I have only ever paddled aluminum and plastic canoes. Best of all, no leaking. The paint on the canvas is cracked in a few places, but the cracks do not seem to extend all the way to the canvas. At least, that was my hope when I bought it.

I do need to make some minor repairs. The bow seat is cracked and has been repaired with a wooden slat screwed to it for support. The varnish on the gunwales is worn away, so I will need to do a little sanding and re-varnishing. The seats, thwarts, and fore deck all appear to be original mahogany. The seat caning is in fantastic shape, so my guess is this was replaced when the canoe was restored/modified. The canoe is missing the center thwart, but the holes are in the gunwales where it used to reside. I think I will try to replace the center thwart.

Here is a pictures of her dockside after this mornings paddled. As I said, I was thrilled to discover no leaks.

 

[pklonowski]

Now THAT's a good day!!!

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Hello Chris--

Have you been to the canoe exhibit at the Marquette History Museum? Several of our members-- including board President Ken Kelly, have loaned beautiful canoes to the museum for the duration of the exhibit. Ken's canoe is a Morris Molitor (long decked courting canoe).

Denis Kallery and I have been researching Morris canoes for a number of years, and have been keeping track of Morris canoes and their serial numbers. I've put your canoe into the database. Yours most certainly wasn't a square stern to start with, as Morris kept his different vessel-types in different serial number systems, and yours fits right in with the canoes... style-wise too. I'll poke around and find more information for you eventually.

I am hoping you would like to be a member of the Upper Peninsula Chapter of the WCHA. The museum is sponsoring a one-day Assembly in July and our chapter is expanding it to two-days. There will be speakers and demos on Saturday the 21st and we'll paddle somewhere the 22nd. One of our other members is working on the details as I am involved in caring for Denis, who is in hospice. But I am here and you are welcome to stop by and pick up the back issues of Wooden Canoe containing articles on the Morris. And I can show you one of the oldest known Morrises and a Morris Molitor and a Veazie.

I used to live in Harvey, on the banks of the Chocolay, but now am at the base of Green Garden Hill.

Glad you showed up here--- and congratulations on your wonderful find!

Kathy

 

[ckirk]

Hi Kathy,

We are planning on visiting the Marquette History Museum next week while we have family in town. I guess I have a little more motivation to get there now. My wife and I have always enjoyed canoeing with family. We were married in Ely, MN and we honeymooned in the BWCA. After I bought the canoe Monday I started researching the web to determine the manufacturer. I watched your Youtube videos and saw your name pop up several times as I perused the forums for information and clues. I must say I was surprised to learn you live right here in Marquette.

I will become a member of the UP chapter of the WCHA. I regret I will have to miss the July assembly since I will be traveling to Austria during those dates. I would like to take you up on your kind offer to see the Morrises and the back issues of Wooden Canoe.

Best wishes to you and Denis. Thanks for your warm welcome.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Welcome, Chris... and while your family is enjoying the museum, take note of the fact that Denis was behind the construction of the log buildings and "Yooper camp", in addition to being the motivational force behind the canoe exhibit. Like many in the WCHA, he's multi-talented-- especially when it comes to things made of wood. His name/phone number/address are in the phone book whenever you want to contact me for a visit.

 

[ckirk]

Hi Kathryn,

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Marquette History Museum. The canoe exhibit is fantastic. This was our first visit to the museum and all the displays are very impressive. After seeing the log building displays, I must agree Denis is a very talented craftsman.

At some point I would like to pick your brain about who might be a good local resource to help me restore my Morris canoe. It is definitely a daily driver right now, but it has a few issues to be addressed. Most urgently a cracked bow seat. I intend on getting more history about the Morris canoe from the gentleman I purchased it from in Ishpeming. Let me know if there is anything I could provide to add to your Morris database.

I took my 10 y/o daughter and 6 y/o son fishing this weekend from the Morris canoe on Petticoat Lake. The canoe handled the 3 of us great, plus the kids hammered the smallmouth bass as I paddled around the lake. Great fun.

Happy Independence Day and stay cool.

Regards,
Chris