16' Old Town serial number search
- Thread starter bobg
- Start date
Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoe with serial number 11830 is a 16 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade Charles River model with red Western cedar planking, closed spruce double gunwales, spruce decks, spruce thwarts, spruce seats, and a keel. It was built between September, 1909 and February, 1910. The original exterior paint color was dark red. It shipped on February 23rd, 1910 to Rochester, New York. A scan showing this build record can be found below.
This scan and several hundred thousand others 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 http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/pricing-plans/join to donate or renew.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer this description doesn't match the canoe. It is not unusual for an old low five digit serial number like this to have a hidden digit. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
This scan and several hundred thousand others 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 http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/pricing-plans/join to donate or renew.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer this description doesn't match the canoe. It is not unusual for an old low five digit serial number like this to have a hidden digit. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
Michael Grace
Lifetime Member
Hi Bob - if you post some photos here you can get confirmation on the type and year canoe you have. If you search these forums you'll find countless examples of serial number mistakes. The canoe in the build record above is very different from a Guide model, and it has a variety of features that can help confirm if this is yours or not. A 1909 double-gunwale Charles River is very distinctive and we can help you confirm if this is what you have. In any case, enjoy your canoe!
1905Gerrish
Loves Old Maine canoes
Benson,
How common are spruce double gunwales? Can't say I've ever seen that.
How common are spruce double gunwales? Can't say I've ever seen that.
The double mahogany gunwale canoes are rare and the double spruce ones show up even less frequently. Gil Cramer mentioned one that was listed as a "1914 17' Old Town double gunnel sailing canoe with long decks" on Facebook Marketplace in Greenville, Ohio during July, 2022. Another is in the first link below. I don't recall ever seeing one in person or in good pictures. The second link below shows the mahogany version. It would be great if we could see some pictures of the spruce version as Michael suggested.
Benson
Last edited:
Bob Sherlock
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Bob, a heat gun and a painter's 5-way tool will allow you to soften the resin and pull the fiberglass off in strips of several inches wide or even more. Start at a weak point in the glass along an edge and work from there. Use a respirator and/or do it outdoors -- the process can release nasty fumes. Took 6.5 hours to do it on my 16' Old Town.
If you can post some pictures, I'm sure members with more experience than me can provide advice/tips.
Good luck!
Bob S
Update
Ok, so I finally got the canoe down and revisited the serial number… my paperwork was not correct. The actual serial number is 118306. I am sure that one number will make a big difference.
I have uploaded a few photos and am still interested in bringing her back to canvas regardless.
