1105

[Dbolko]

Hi and thanks for your help.

I have a full or partial number of a canoe I will be restoring. I currently see 1105. There may be a 5 or 6 after this, but i am currently not in a place to strip old varnish yet to see. Its an Old Town, about 16 ft. The initial buyer may have been named Brown from Lincolnville, ME.

I'm interested to see what the specs are on this.

Thank you,
Doug Bolko

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 11055 is 18 feet long and shipped to Minneapolis on May 24th, 1909. The one with number 11056 is 15 feet and shipped to Lake Placid, New York on June 1st, 1909. There could be two hidden digits and some of the techniques described at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?791 may provide some other options. Can you provide some pictures, especially ones showing the serial numbers and surrounding areas from each end, the entire decks, and some a good overall perspectives including a side view? The general specifications at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/specific.gif might help. Thanks,

Benson

 

[Dbolko]

Hi Benson,

I've got a full #. 115064. 16 footer. I look forward to your reply.

Thank you,
Doug

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 115064 is a 16 foot long, AA (or top) grade, HW (Heavy Water) 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 December, 1934 and July, 1935. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It was loaded on a private automobile on July 30th, 1935 heading to Camden (near Lincolnville), Maine. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image 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/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/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html 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. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson

 

[Dbolko]

Benson,

Thank you. This information has been beneficial to a friend who is related to the original buyer of the canoe. It made him happy.

Doug