serial # 11206-20

macktrk

New Member
Hi, I just saved this 20 footer from the landfill, after peeling back some paint I found this serial #. I am very interested in restoring this canoe and would love to find more info on the original build specs. thank you
 
Hi Mack-- Congratulations on saving a canoe and deciding to restore her. If you post pictures, maybe we can figure out what you have. The Old Town canoe with serial number 11206 is a 17 foot CS grade XX model shipped in 1910, and the Carleton with serial number 11206 is an 18 foot CS grade Carleton model canoe shipped in 1915. You may have an Old Town and we can find the build record, but check both stems and compare, or post the number. Many of the old canoe companies had five digit serial numbers, so posting pictures helps a lot. You might also take a look at some of the different canoes in the ID section of the dragonflycanoe website at www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/.
 
thanks for the reply Kathryn, Ido have some photos saved but I'm a computer idiot and can't seem to attach them. is there an idiots instruction page?
 
I think it's described under the FAQ section, but basically you click on "advanced" in the lower right, and scroll down to "manage attachments", then a box opens that says "add files" and after clicking that you get "select files" which lets you choose them from your computer. If this doesn't help, the description may be in FAQ too. Most of us didn't grow up with computers and don't have a twelve year old around, so don't feel you are an idiot!

Kathy
 
hopefully this works,
thanks,
Jeff
 

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Hmmmm...wouldn't an Old Town of that age have closed gunwales? And a Carleton would have a short carry thwart in the bow.

Norm
 
Kennebec also used similar gunwale caps, but the stem profile certainly is not Kennebec. The stems have the "flavor" of a Maine guideboat....very straight. Can't find my CD to check the Skohegan catalogs.... Maybe someone will check and post a catalog page to confirm.
 
The caps are throwing me but if not for those I would have landed on White immediately.
What a great save. It's in really strong shape.
 
The decks are possibly replaced-- gunwale caps are Kennebec or Skowhegan... Morris did that too and some Old Town, but this looks more Kennebec/Skowhegan to me. And I should say that my theory is based on looking at pictures of canoes, not on the actual deal, except for my own Kennebec.

I am learning the Kennebec serial number process and if Dan or Benson wants to jump in and look this one up, that's okay because I'd probably just confuse myself. Skowhegan also had serial numbers, but the records are lost.

I will post a Kennebec deck and then a Skowhegan (latter image from dragonfly.com)

Kathy
 

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Both Kennebec and Skowhegan made a guide model. I'll attach the image of the guide from the Kennebec catalog. Skowhegan's line of products is very similar to Kennebec's (history of the founder going from Kennebec to Skowhegan), but Kennebec had a much wider line of canoe-types. The guide is the lower canoe pictured.

More information about this and other Kennebec models can be found in the Kennebec catalogs contained on the Historic Wood Canoe and Boat Company Catalog Collection CDs available from http://www.wcha.org/catalog/ and http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/cdrom.htm on the web.
 

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thanks everyone for the help, I am leaning towards the Kennebec not sure why but...It should be a fun project and hopefully make a nice pond skimmer. I also have a 15'1/2 canvas waiting for some love and attention. This site is very helpful and it's nice to see there are people that enjoy canoeing like I do.
fitting to say thanks dad for introducing me to the sport, lot of memories of days gone by in the north Maine woods.
Jeff
 
I don't know if this holds true for all Kennebecs but both of mine have short stems, only coming to the fourth rib counting cant ribs, your boat has a much longer stem. I have wondered about this myself so maybe someone can inform me about the short stems. Was this universal in Kennebecs? Thanks
Craig
 

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