New boat to me any ID help appreciated

watermusick

New Member
I am a new WCHA member and just had a project boat donated to me for the long Alaska winter.
I would appreciate any information you could provide serial # 45843
I was told it is an Old Town canvas but that is all the information available.
 

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Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoe with serial number 45843 is a 17 foot long, AA (or top) grade, Otca model with red Western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, a keel, and a floor rack. It was built between October, 1916 and January, 1917. The original exterior paint color was auto gray with a two inch maroon stripe. It shipped on January 31st, 1917 to Toledo, Ohio. The note on the back side of the card indicates that it may have moved to Athens, Georgia by July, 1984 when there was a previous request for a copy of this build record. Scans showing both sides of this build record can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below.

45843.jpg 45843-b.jpg

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 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 http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to renew.

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.

Benson
 
It looks like it has been restored before or the number is off. This boat has premade wicker and diamond head bolts which would indicate a later build date or restoration. The decks look odd too. The top wouldn't be rounded over like that. Plus if it was an OTCA it would have combed decks. No?
 
It looks like it has been restored before or the number is off. This boat has premade wicker and diamond head bolts which would indicate a later build date or restoration. The decks look odd too. The top wouldn't be rounded over like that. Plus if it was an OTCA it would have combed decks. No?

I agree, it appears that the rails, seats, thwarts, bolts, and decks may have all been replaced with modern ones so it is difficult to know what is original. An Otca deck from this era would have been longer and had a combing. The record for number 145843 shows an 18 foot long HW in CS grade from 1946 as shown below. Pictures of the serial numbers and surrounding areas from each end and the extreme overall length in a straight line could help confirm this.

Benson


145843.jpg
 
I cleaned the numbers off
I don’t see an additional 1 but the second to last number may be a 1 or 4.
It appears to have been updated the planking is replaced in some areas and the Deck and oak seat don’t appear quite right.
There are also holes for what appears to be shorter keels on each side of the midship keel
 

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Can you provide a picture of the serial numbers and surrounding areas from the other end and the extreme overall length in a straight line? Thanks,

Benson
 
Last edited:
Benson thank for the quick reply
Measurement 17'
Attached are the photos from each end serial number
Bill
 

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The Old Town with serial number 45813 is another possibility showing 17 foot long canoe in AA grade. The serial numbers in your pictures all appear to be showing the same end. Can you provide one showing the inside stem at the opposite end of this canoe? Thanks,

Benson



45813.jpg
 
Here are both ends
Thanks for looking
 

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The Old Town with serial number 45643 is CS grade and 18 feet long as shown below so that isn't a good match. The most likely number seems to be 45843. It appears to have had some extensive repairs in the past. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson



45643.jpg
 
A factory original purple paint job! That's a bit unusual... but if that's what the customer ordered, why not?
 
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