Who made this Canoe?
- Thread starter Nesto
- Start date
Andre Cloutier
Firestarter. Wicked Firestarter.
Peterborough or chestnut, could be a prospector with the slat seats, need width and depth measurements
Further to the above canoe. It is for sale in Vancouver for $500. It has 2 cracked ribs, just at the major bend and 4 or 6 cracked planks, 2 at the chine where a chunk has been punched out and 2 above and 2 below them. The last 2 being full length. As well, the stem tops are rotted out along with the gunwales there and also along the gunwale amidship. I would suppose those are the standard places where the canoe would sit upside down on the ground, resting on one side.
It does seem to be a Prospector although there are no identifying decals or serial numbers. It is approximately 35 1/2" wide with some tumblehome with about 34" width at the top. Doesn't seem to have bottomed out as it is 14" deep to the top of the thwart.
I think I could manage the stems, gunwale and plank replacements but the ribs replacement would be a bit too much I think. Would it be possible to just stiffen the ribs by sistering an inside knee to them?
Any thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks
Nesto
It does seem to be a Prospector although there are no identifying decals or serial numbers. It is approximately 35 1/2" wide with some tumblehome with about 34" width at the top. Doesn't seem to have bottomed out as it is 14" deep to the top of the thwart.
I think I could manage the stems, gunwale and plank replacements but the ribs replacement would be a bit too much I think. Would it be possible to just stiffen the ribs by sistering an inside knee to them?
Any thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks
Nesto
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Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
Bad inwales, outwales, rib tips, ribs, decks, and stems.... Maybe fiberglassed?
At $500 I would not walk away from this canoe..... I would run!
At $500 I would not walk away from this canoe..... I would run!
Rod Tait (Orca Boats)
Designer/Builder
Before you walk (or run) away, take a look at my videos on repairing these things. https://www.youtube.com/user/OrcaBoats At $250 and your labour, it could be worth the find, but maybe not if it has been fiberglassed on the outside. Your probably looking at round at least $500 in materials alone.
There is only a fibreglass patch on the canvas, about 8 x 8. It's not where the structural damage is, so I imagine it must have been a rip in the canvas?
After watching a few of Rod's videos, I'm feeling confident I can take this on.
As someone who somewhat restored a 1946 60' wooden Seiner/Packer before handing it off to someone with much deeper pockets,
I pretty sure this will be more manageable!
After watching a few of Rod's videos, I'm feeling confident I can take this on.
As someone who somewhat restored a 1946 60' wooden Seiner/Packer before handing it off to someone with much deeper pockets,
I pretty sure this will be more manageable!
davelanthier
Wooden Canoes are in the Blood
It is a 3rd. grade circa 1970's Chestnut. These were mainly sold through the Hudson Bay Co. in Canda although I have seen a few from Eatons. It seems the 16' models were built on older Pal or Prospector forms. Usually, but not always had no makers identity on them. All had 1.5" ribs. They either had slat seats or poor grade babiche seats which were usually fastened directly to the inwales. Many had only one basic center thwart fastened by two rather than four 3/16" bolts. When restored they are much lighter than the dealer canoes making them desireable to us older folk. Hope this helps. I would buy it as they don't come up often.
Well took the plunge and bought her, seller upped his price to $275, claimed he paid $500 in Nanaimo last year.
Here are some dimensions;
15' 10" L, 34" W @ mid thwart, 35 1/2" W 2 planks down, 14 1/2" D @ rib top, 15" D @ plank top to bottom of board placed across gunwales.
Ribs 2 1/4" W x 3/8" thick, spaced 2 1/4" to 2 3/8" apart, tapering to 1 1/2" at tips. All tips appear to be sound, no rot.
Stern seat hanging 2" to 2 3/4" below inwales, fwd seat 1 7/8" to 2" below, both 7 slats.
Mid thwart attached with 4 steel carriage bolts and other with just 2.
Also could make out most of a stamped serial # on fwd stem; 9_72(?) 1452(definitely)
4 or 5 cracked planks with 1 having a hole punched in and 2 cracked ribs at the chine on opposite side of cracked planks.
Rotted outwale, ends of inwales rotted and stem tops, though it doesn't appear to extend to far down.
Here are some dimensions;
15' 10" L, 34" W @ mid thwart, 35 1/2" W 2 planks down, 14 1/2" D @ rib top, 15" D @ plank top to bottom of board placed across gunwales.
Ribs 2 1/4" W x 3/8" thick, spaced 2 1/4" to 2 3/8" apart, tapering to 1 1/2" at tips. All tips appear to be sound, no rot.
Stern seat hanging 2" to 2 3/4" below inwales, fwd seat 1 7/8" to 2" below, both 7 slats.
Mid thwart attached with 4 steel carriage bolts and other with just 2.
Also could make out most of a stamped serial # on fwd stem; 9_72(?) 1452(definitely)
4 or 5 cracked planks with 1 having a hole punched in and 2 cracked ribs at the chine on opposite side of cracked planks.
Rotted outwale, ends of inwales rotted and stem tops, though it doesn't appear to extend to far down.
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The 1452 portion of the serial number tells us your canoe is a Peterborough Canoe Company River Model (Prospector model). Your dimensions correspond. With the 4+4 serial number, it was built some time after 1940.
16' Prospector is a heck of a good boat.
Oh, and welcome to the wild world of CaPeterNuts.
Dan
16' Prospector is a heck of a good boat.
Oh, and welcome to the wild world of CaPeterNuts.
Dan
Thanks for Welcome and that information Dan. 
If I am understanding the info from your website properly, this canoe would have been produced from 1941 to 1956?
Much older than I thought!
Also wanted to add that the keel extends almost 14', is 7/8" tall, 7/8" wide at base tapering to 5/8" with a steel guard.
Not flat like the ones you see on Chestnuts.
If I am understanding the info from your website properly, this canoe would have been produced from 1941 to 1956?
Much older than I thought!
Also wanted to add that the keel extends almost 14', is 7/8" tall, 7/8" wide at base tapering to 5/8" with a steel guard.
Not flat like the ones you see on Chestnuts.
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Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
Glad you were able to get a reduced price! To me it just wasn't a $500 canoe... It has all of the typical vintage canoe issues, so when you have completed this restoration, you will be well on your way to the next and many more....if you catch the disease.
Cool to find out that it is a River model! I have one..and am on the fence about restoring or selling it.
Canadian historians, Dan Miller, others.... Correct me if I have misinterpreted the whole Prospector hull thing.
The "Prospector" type canoes all came from the same molds at Chestnut. The canoes that Chestnut sold off of the molds got a Chestnut decal and were called Prospector models. The canoes that Peterborough sold off of those molds got a Peterborough decal and were sold as River models. The same hulls were also sold with Canadian Canoe Co. decals as well.... Is this true??
Cool to find out that it is a River model! I have one..and am on the fence about restoring or selling it.
Canadian historians, Dan Miller, others.... Correct me if I have misinterpreted the whole Prospector hull thing.
The "Prospector" type canoes all came from the same molds at Chestnut. The canoes that Chestnut sold off of the molds got a Chestnut decal and were called Prospector models. The canoes that Peterborough sold off of those molds got a Peterborough decal and were sold as River models. The same hulls were also sold with Canadian Canoe Co. decals as well.... Is this true??
