Exactly what did I buy -serial number 157477

hikesintherain

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Exactly what did I buy -serial number 151477

Before I begin the restoration I was wonder exactly what I bought. Canoe is an Old Town, about 17ft, with sail (front seat have hardware for holding sail) and rudder (late 1940's era). All there except for the the canvas. Can anyone decode the serial number and point me to the a source for the build sheet. Thanks. Looking forward to putting back on the lakes in ME where it belongs. :)

Looks like it was my mistake the serial number is 151477 (not 157477 as previously posted) IMG_0960[1].jpg followed by any 18 for the length. Besides the front seat having the hardware the sail, the rudder, and rudder hardware is on the back. I haven't unrolled the sail yet. Could we try again on the build sheet etc... I think it might have be red on one time.
 

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If your canoe isn't a square stern, check the serial number again. Check both stems and compare... I mean, if there are two stems to check. But this could be your canoe--- no mention of a mast seat though, and it would look more like a row boat.

Old Town 157477 is a 16 foot CS (common sense or middle grade) square stern model canoe that was completed April-August 1952. It has a keel, outside stems, sponsons, a floor rack and was originally dark green. A copy of the scan is attached below-- click to get a larger image.

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/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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
 

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This may be the correct record. Old Town 151477 is an 18 foot CS (common sense or middle) grade HW model canoe that was completed July 1948--April 1949. It has red Western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, a keel and sponsons and was originally painted fire red. No mention is made of the sailing rig, but this is often an aftermarket addition. The HW model is the most common model to be fitted for sailing and sponsons are commonly placed on sailing canoes-- or a sponson canoe is chosen to fit for sailing. It also appears that the sponsons have been removed from the canoe, if this is the correct record. You may see evidence of screw holes along the gunwales and evidence of smaller carry thwarts at each end of the canoe. It was shipped to Mastic Beach, Long Island, NY, on May 4, 1949. The copy of this scan is attached-- click on it to see a larger image.


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/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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Kathy
 

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All the little whitish corrosion blooms around the tack ends on the canoe interior and around the tack heads on the exterior suggest that this canoe has spent some time in salt water -- which would fit with its having spent some time in Mastic Beach, L.I. as shown on the build record -- most of the water in that area is salt water. The condition of those tacks should be checked -- they may have to be replaced.
 
Hikes,
Greg has properly identified what in all probability is a serious issue with this canoe. The white residue is zinc that has leached out of the brass tacks. Canoes used in salt water a lot and not meticulously washed out with fresh water after each salt water usage develope this problem. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Salt water causes the zinc to leach out of the alloy in a galvanic reaction leaving the tack all copper, very soft and brittle. The condition is called dezincification. Do a google search on it. All the halos on the interior ribs unfortunately will remain even after stripping, staining and revarnishing. I just finished completely retacking a customers'13' canoe that spent its life on salt water in Long Island Sound, 1.5 pounds of new tacks!!!! Tack heads would pop off with just moderate pressure applied to the planking from the interior of the canoe. You should use this test on your canoe to determine the degree of weakening of your brass tacks.
 
Ed and Gregg I noticed the what I considered to be some type of oxidation around the tack, thanks for the proper name. A couple of planks are loose, popped out at one end. I will try your test. Thanks for the information.
Bob
 
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