Serial Numbers on Old Town canoes

[Au Sable Bob]

Hello, this is my first post in this forum. A good friend of mine has been a long time member of your group and suggested I post an inquiry on the serial numbers of a couple of Old Town canoes I have and possibly have you scan the original build records for them and email them to me. The first serial number is 141513 this is followed by a long space and then has the number 17. The second canoe has a serial number is 170405. Thank you in advance for any help that you can give me.

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoe with serial number 141513 is a 17 foot, CS grade, HW (Heavy Water) model with open spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, number eight canvas, and a keel. It was built between June and September, 1945. The original exterior paint color was dark green with a G. S. (Guide's Special) green bottom. It shipped on March 30th, 1945 to Bay City, Michigan. It appears that this canoe hadn't left the state in November of 1982 when a copy of the build record was requested previously from Essexville as shown on the back side of the build record.

The Old Town canoe with serial number 170405 is a 16 foot long Guide model with half ribs. It was built between September, 1960 and April, 1961. The original exterior paint color was white. It shipped on April 25th, 1961 to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Scans showing these build records can be found below. These scans 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/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

It is possible that you could have other numbers or manufacturers if these descriptions don't match the canoes. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Au Sable Bob]

This is so appreciated. Thank you so much for the quick response and the information. The Heavy Water model has been in my family since it was originally purchased in 1945 by my grandfather. I am the Robert Grant (Essexville, MI) who is noted on the back side of the build record. I did a complete restoration of it at that time (1982 -1983), but in the years that have followed, I have lost the copy of the build record that was sent to me. We have since moved and now live along the North Branch of the Au Sable River in northern Michigan where it continues to be lovingly used. I will certainly now be joining your organization and thank you so much for your assistance!

 

[chris pearson]

Hi Bob and Benson! Benson, the 16 foot Guide has factory screws and countersunk finish washers. Is it common for OT to install a keel without mention of it on the build sheet? Curious.

 

[Benson Gray]

Is it common for OT to install a keel without mention of it on the build sheet?

The 1960s was an era when a lot of standard things were not mentioned on the build sheets. It is also possible that the colored rubber stamp was very light on that entry so was missed by the by the black and white scan.

Benson

 

[Au Sable Bob]

Benson, when an Old Town Canoe's production spanned two years as in the case of this 16' Guide (1960 - 1961), is the production year considered 1960 or 1961? Thank you.

 

[Benson Gray]

is the production year considered 1960 or 1961?

With people we typically celebrate their birth day which would correspond to the 1961 shipping date of this canoe. The 'production year' is usually an arbitrary distinction so some people like to use the earliest "Half Built" date showing when it came off the form. The choice is yours,

Benson