1927 Ot Otca

[vw7266]

I found this canoe recently, and plan on purchasing it this week I hope.

I wrote Kathy and email and below is the info she supplied me.

Thanks again Kathy

Old Town 93190 is an 18 foot AA grade (first grade) Otca model canoe finished between January and March 1927. It has red Western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks/thwarts/seat frames, outside stems, a keel and a floor rack. It was originally painted with design #30-- I've attached what that looks like-- a very cool design that I don't recall seeing replicated on a canoe. Although it certainly isn't mandatory to make your canoe look just as it did originally, it's fun knowing what the original design was...

Your canoe was shipped to Crowley, Milner and Co. of Detroit on April 11, 1927

 

[vw7266]

The pics make it look much better than it is

Its going to need planking in the bottom replaced as well as the tip of the stems..the decks are in good shape, they just have the nasty fiberglass on the edges..

Also the outter gunwales will need replaced along with a whole list of other stuff Im sure I'll find once I get into it.

Also its missing one thwart! If someone has one from an old scapper let me know! I'll gladly buy it. Of couse I can make a new one but I'd much rather have a original.

As much as I'd love to say Im giong to start working on this tommorow, I have to finish the restoration of a Volkswagen Im working on and have a vintage travel trailer to do over winter...so this is probably my next summer project.

But I plan to collect knowledge and parts in the meantime for it!

 

[Dave Wermuth]

small world

my OT HW is 88445 and was also shipped to Crowely, Milner,and Co in 1926.
It was in worse shape, much worse. tin flashing was twice as big on the decks.
Small world, and smaLLer yet.

Last year, I sold my '71 VW Ghia. My third over the years.

 

[vw7266]

Hey Dave thats very cool...Small world indeed...I wish there was a large gallery of old canoes like there are VWs such as thesamba.com. I just like seeing the old desings. But this forum seems to be very active and should help me out alot.

Heres some VW action for ya

1959 single cab og paint/patina. Restored drivetrain. Everything else is original

1957 Panel Delivery before/after...Was recently featured in the internatioal publication Ultra VW Magazine...Now resides in England.

69 Camper just completed for my Dad

59 Beetle I restored Before/After

I'll end this post with a pic with a canoe so its not all vw related...

Heres my camper with a 14' strip built canoe my dad built when I was younger...I did have my hand in this one too!

69 Eriba Puck Camping trailer (my winter project)

 

[Kathryn Klos]

That camping trailer is really cool! We had a '67 VW camper... with the little fridge that you put a block of ice in, like an old-fashioned icebox. My dad bought a '66 bug new for $1500. Granted, it essentially had no heat in the wintertime and Minnesota winters are kinda cool... but riding along, it made me smile.

 

[Fitz]

Bugs

Nice post vw7266. Kathryn's response jogged my memory. We had a couple of bugs and a couple of vans while growing up in Maine. The bugs pretty much had no floors, but would really scoot in the snow, not unlike the Flintstone's cars. I also have found memories of the vans and snowstorms, driving winds, and my dad using an ice scraper on the INSIDE of the windshield to avoid the snowbanks. We routinely used blankets in the back of the van to avoid the effects of exposure and 20 below F. Dependable, but absolutely no heat.

I learned to drive in a 70's vintage bus and took it to Ft. Lauderdale on Spring Break, but we won't go there...

Here is a 1929 AA OTCA to keep you motivated.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Hey fitz

That otca is beautiful. What paint is that?
And VW, thanks for the memories. I had a couple beetles too. 61, 62, 67, 71, and I thnk a '66. Counting the Ghias and Beetles. Five altogether. My first was a '67. A friend and I used it to haul his canoe. Worked fine.

I am finishing up a '47 Shell Lake Deluxe 16' to the same color as my wife's Mellow Yellow Mini Cooper. Was hoping to get a suitable rack. Yakima wants nothing to do with it. Mini has a rack but likely is not suitable for a canoe. It was a fun idea while it lasted.
I tried to match my replica Penn Yan Guide 18' to the color of my Jeep but not a good match.

 

[vw7266]

thanks for the kind words...thats not all of them ive owned/worked on...but lets not get too off topic

Fitz that boat is very nice... I actually read about the resto you did on it..wasnt it your boss's..

Any pics of it in the water? I see too many boats sitting in grass and not in water!

Dave post some of yours up too sounds pretty cool, your in Michigan right? Im down in southern Ohio on the WV, KY, OH border right on the river

 

[Dave Wermuth]

the Shell Lake

Here's the Shell Lake. Close to being done. needs more paint, stem bands. And some varnish. yes I am East of Flint. I did drop it in the pond already.

 

[Fitz]

Persian Red

Dave:

Years ago Interlux had a color called Persian Red. Kirby's mixed it up and nailed the color I think. The color in the photo may be deceiving. It was taken in the afternoon sun and who knows what computer monitors do to it.

Here is a picture of a fresh coat out of the sun. The color may be closer.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Nice color

is it a little high gloss for Kirby? My Kirby colors so far have a subdued sheen to them. A look i like.

 

[Gary Willoughby]

Dave
The canoe looks great. But that green thing in the background either has to go or be painted red.

 

[vw7266]

I have a question..do you guys brush your paint on? I hate brush marks so myself I would lean more towards wanting to spray it. Are these enamel or epoxy based paints you are using?

 

[Fitz]

Green Thing

The Persian Red is Kirby's gloss, enamel but it is still wet in the photo. I roll and tip, swear, sand, roll and tip, swear, sand, roll and tip, swear, sand, roll and tip - good to go.

The green thing got rehabbed, but it is still green. See attached.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

The Greene machine

It won't go. It ran when I parked it there but after I had the gas tank renewed it started running rough. and now not at all. It's a simple fix I'm sure. But I also have a Ford 801 Powersmaster, so the John Deere just takes up space. The JD is from my wife's side of the family. My Grandmother would not permit a John Deere on the farm. Insisted on Fords.

VW-most of us brush the paint on. With conditioners to let it level out as it dries. By brush, i mean, brush with foam, bristles, or roller and then tip it off. As opposed to spray painting.

Oil based enamel is used most often. Porch/Deck enamel to tractor enamel to topsides marine enamels, Kirby's being well liked. Epiphanes is well liked too. As an auto restorer, you probably have a dust free environment where you can spray. Nothing wrong with that. But canoes aren't complete without scratches about their bottoms.

 

[vw7266]

thanks for the info on the paint. That really helps alot

What is tipping? I read that term but I have no clue what it means.


My enviorment is hardly dust free I actually only have a single car detached garage


And I plan to use the canoe alot...scratches are fine with me!

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Tipping

tipping is when you use the tip of the brush to level out the paint immediately after you apply it. Roll/Brush it on, Tip it off. The tip of the brush is used like a little airplane landing and taking off. Lightly. You probably already do it without knowing what it is called. Pam Wedd has some wonderful info on prepping, painting/tipping. I was unable to find it to copy/paste here, but that's my limitation.

 

[ebeeby]

If you have an air compressor and a gun, I'd shoot that canoe in 3 minutes rather that (*&*^% with the paint like the rest of us. I sanded orange peel and brush marks until I came to hate canoes. I'm still not happy but that's all I'm gonna do. 3 coats is enough for any man.
So Shoot it and be happy!