17054

[dirtboat80]

Hello folks. I just bought a new project canoe. Its my first antique wood canoe and and needs the canvas stripped and replaced with new covering/ coating. It's a 15ft long Old Town and in pretty good structual condition. I know nothing about it and would appreciate any information anyone could give me. Serial number is 17054. Does anyone know the best place to get a replacement front copper guard rod/rail and were to get the most accurate replacement decals?

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoes with serial numbers 17054 and 117054 are both 16 feet long so they aren't a good match. The Carleton with number 17054 is 18 and the Kennebec is 17 so those aren't any better. My guess is that you may have the Old Town with serial number 170546. This is a 15 foot long fifty pound model with a keel. It was built between November and December, 1960. The original exterior paint color was dark red. It shipped on June 15th, 1961 to Evanston, Illinois. A scan of this build record can be found below.

This scan and several hundred thousand more 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/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. The list at https://www.woodencanoe.org/builders-suppliers includes a variety of suppliers for new stem bands. The store at https://www.woodencanoe.org/product-page/old-town-deck-decal-1956-1978 has the deck decals. Pages two and three of the 1961 catalog at https://www.woodencanoe.org/_files/ugd/537308_21a75ca1cddd452fb80d5bd2c384b589.pdf have more details. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[dirtboat80]

At a second and closer look, you are correct. There is a faint six at the end of the number. Thank you for the great info.

 

[MGC]

You can source the bits you need to restore your canoe using the WCHA Builders and Suppliers guide that is listed on the WCHA website. https://www.woodencanoe.org/builders-suppliers
You can also shop for period correct decals at the WCHA store: https://www.woodencanoe.org/decals