For better or worse, the “name” of your canoe model is “H.W.” -- nothing so nice as “Yankee,” “Trapper,” “Otca,” “Guide,” or “Ideal.”
The initials H.W. are generally understood to mean “heavy water.” The 1935 Old Town catalogue describes the model’s characteristics:
"Instead of having a perfectly flat floor the H.W. Model tends toward the shape of the well-known salt water yawl boat below the water line. This shape gives more draft and hence greater steadiness in windy waters. It is a general utility model, somewhat faster under the paddle than the Otca Model, sturdy and handsome in appearance -- the kind of canoe that is always ready for any use.
"Extra fullness at bow and stern enables this model to ride over large waves instead of cutting through them as in the case of a canoe with sharp ends. For cruising, carrying heavy leads, for use on large rivers, lakes, ponds and salt water, this is an excellent canoe. The lines are speedy and graceful and the ends curve with that nicety given by the Indians to their bark canoes. It's a good sailer."
There are various other theories about the meaning of H.W., but as Benson Gray has written: “there is virtually no documentation for any of the various theories. Dan Miller's message at
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=1806 has a good summary of this. The oral tradition was that Henry Wickett was one of the first Old Town employees and the HW model was named for him as reported in Rollin [Thurlow] and Jerry [Stellmok]'s book.. Sue Audette's research for her book which came out later indicated that Henry Wickett never worked there and that his son Alfred Wickett was the first employee of the Old Town Canoe Company. Roger MacGregor's book came out even later and suggested that HW might have been for a Canadian designer named Henry Wicksteed who was a friend of J. R. Robertson. This last theory seems the least likely since the HW model was listed in the Indian Old Town Canoe Company catalog from 1901 before Robertson became involved in 1902. It is very popular with many Canadians though. The Old Town catalogs consistently described the HW model as being good for heavy water in the same way that the IF or Guide's model was described as being an ideal fishing canoe.”
You can post photos here (using the third icon from the right on the tool bar that appears when posting a reply) -- I and others will certainly offer opinions. And we just love to see pictures of other WCHA members' canoes.
Or send me an email at
gregnolan272@gmail.com, if you have trouble posting pictures here.
Greg