Which Canadian manufacturer?

[KAT]

I know everyone loves the name the UFO threads and it has been awhile since I could contribute. So, name the Canadian Freighter!

Recent acquisition... 18 feet long, 46" wide, 17" deep, Y stern, not the original seats but the thwarts are and two have a curve to them, the deck shows no sign of ever having a plate nailed in, mast support would be original as well. No serial numbers on the stems it would appear. We are thinking Kildonan, but when comparing this to the one on Douglas Ingram's blog, they don't share certain qualities, like thwart shape, deck shape and the transom appears smaller on this one. This has the original canvas still and the PO purchased it Used in 1950. So if it were a Kildonan, it might have been one of the first they made.

 

[ppride]

It looks very simular to a Chestnut I restored a while back. I added the seats and oarlocks. Pete

 

[KAT]

Ooo, Chestnut would be awesome, this one has tapered ribs too and only needs one rib replaced, fresh paint and new canvas. Need to peel the plywood skin off the back of the transom and replace that but really should get some stripper on it and see what the wood is. Most of the original wood is really cracked, deck, mast support, so they might be quite old. This canoe spent the past 20 years in a barn.

The rails running down the sides are not original, the screws are from the inside, although the seat rails at the back are original.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Kool! Looks like a Peternut, nice project. Do it up and put a 3 or 4hp on it, you will love it. I miss my freighter, they are awesome. Great to fish out of too while you take way too much gear glamping, just so long as there are no portages!

 

[ppride]

Freighter

Here are some more pictures of the freighter I did. Pete

 

[MackyM]

What a transformation!!! Do you have a finished photo?

 

[KAT]

So this would be a steal since Christine paid $200 for it. Hope to get it in the shop before the snow flies.

 

[ppride]

The picture on my first post in this thread is the finished canoe.

 

[KAT]

With some sleuthing we believe it may indeed be a Chestnut. It has the same features on thwarts as another Chestnut freighter we have seen, there are no serial numbers stamped into either stem. Under the plywood skin and a dozen layers of paint the length and width were written on the planking. It would be the "Bay" model as the size fits with the 18 inch depth, but based upon all steel tacks, it puts it in the WW2 time zone. It is in decent shape, no rotted rib tips at all, needs one rib, several repaired, a fresh coat of paint, inwales are cracked at the carry thwart so that will get done and a few minor things like some planking and some transom work. Canvas will be a PITA I'm sure and needs a custom size ordered. Deck is not original either and will be replaced.

All tapered ribs, the cant ribs are tapered thin as well. Ribs are 3/8" thick by 2 3/8" wide, planking is just under 1/4" thick. All thwarts are original and same wood, although I have no idea what it is yet, possibly oak, heavy grained. It is unfortunate someone painted all the wood with deck stain.

It isn't anything fancy or historical, but I figure by posting it here it gets recorded for the future if needed by the next owner(s).

 

[kayamedic]

It seems a lot like what is seen in New Brunswick.. Could be a Chestnut.. I saw two of those at Bill Millers Fiddlers on the Tobique ( NB) last weekend. I don't know if they were from Bill or from Chestnut
Here is Bills contact info
http://www.millercanoes.com/

Here are two of his boats.. the duo forms the sides of a canoe catamaran which is poled in this case.