17' Chestnut 3555 17 PLEA

[Paul Fopeano]

I got a first look at what I hope will be a future project today. She is a 17' Chestnut with 3555 17 PLEA stamped on the stern stem. She came from a camp in Northern New England and has been worked over a bit but for the most part is original - ash outwales, spruce inwales, ash seats. It has double ribs in the places were there wanigans would tend to wear on the ribs. The decks and stems appear sound and the rails may only need a little cleaning up. She has taken some pretty heavy hits and will need 10 to 15 ribs replaced as well as a bunch of planking. The owner has been keeping her afloat by what ever means possible and once his paddling season is over hopefully it will come to my shop for a much needed overhaul - and I get to have some fun this winter playing with a Chestnut!

Does anyone have any idea when this boat was made and what model it is? Thanks!

Paul Fopeano
Onlyone Maine Made Wooden Canoe Works

 

[Benson Gray]

There are no known existing serial number records for the Chestnut Canoe Company so the best you can hope for is that someone has another Chestnut with a similar serial number and a very accurate family history or other documentation. Sorry,

Benson

 

[Larry Meyer]

Like Benson said but the "PLEA" might be a indicator that its a "Pleasure" model. Mind you, Chestnut routinely would not have so stamped a canoe.

 

[Paul Fopeano]

Thanks Benson & Larry,

Using Dargonfly's identification charts, and assuming that PLEA means pleasure canoe, the canoe should be an "Aster" (1st grade) or "Winter" (2nd grade). The simple rounded deck makes it a "post fire" boat. It is 17' long and about 35" wide - Asters and Winters were the only Pleasure canoes in that length and width - those models were dropped in 1954 - 56. So, Chestnut #3555 17 PLEA should be pre 54 - 56....... I guess that is as close as we'll get!

From what I could tell from my quick look at her, she was a more finely built boat that my dad's 1960's something Bobs.

Did Chestnut's confused history lead to the company's downfall!?

Thanks again!

Paul

 

[Benson Gray]

Did Chestnut's confused history lead to the company's downfall!?

That would be one way to describe it, the 1960s and 1970s were not good times for anyone in the wooden canoe business. See http://store.wcha.org/When-the-Chestnut-was-in-Flower.html or http://www.amazon.com/Story-Chestnut-Canoe-Kenneth-Solway/dp/1551092212 for more details.

Benson

 

[Larry Meyer]

I would say the company's downfall led to a confused history.