1932 Old Town Square Stern 16 ft."Yacht Tender" model serial number help

[capnhawk]

Hello,
We have recently completed a rather grueling 13 month restoration on the boat described above. This is a sort of half-canoe half-skiff model, made of red cedar planked on white cedar frames. The keelson, side stringers, and gunnel rails are spruce, I think, old wood fading being what it is.
In extensive looking online, I've been able to find virtually no information about this model, and the only verification I have is in
an original 1932 Old Town brochure which accompanied the boat when we bought it, and the title/registration of course, which identifies it as only a 1932 16' Old Town Canoe.
The serial number, which is stamped into the keelson, just aft of the stem, unfortunately has a keel bolt obsuring its second digit, and so all I'm able to share is: 1"x"3368.
Using the Old Town year/date graph I found elsewhere on this site, I imagine that would make the complete number 113368.
Considering the condition this poor baby was in when we started, she could certainly be 80 years old, though I'm happy to
say she's near pristine now, with only the step plates and oars yet to do.
I'd appreciate any help you can give... Please check 103368 also. You never know...
Thanks, Hawk

 

[normsims]

Hawk,

Could you please check the stem on the other end for a complete serial number? 113368 was a 17-foot OTCA built in 1934. 103368 was a 17-foot OTCA built in 1931. Neither build record mentions a square stern. The modification may have been made later. Either way, the serial number should have been stamped in both stems. It would help to have the length of the canoe and some pictures.

Norm

 

[capnhawk]

Here are a 2 pictures. As you can see there is no "other stem". The boat has a standard flat transom reinforced with a knee to the keelson, and looks pretty original.
In the extensive sanding I did as part of the process of bringing her back, I found no evidence of any other number.
I will re-measure the overall length of the boat and post it before the weekend is over. The work I did didn't require one and I just took the paperwork at face value.
I will also post a profile shot as soon as I get one edited down to be small enough to upload. One I tried to attach just now returned an error.
Thanks for helping... Hawk

 

[Dan Miller]

133368 appears to be a good match. Replacing the second digit with 4, 5, and 6 did not give suitable matches.

Dan

 

[capnhawk]

Hi,
I just looked at an enlargement of the sheet you posted. That number is actually 123368. But you're right, it is a pretty good match, and the 120000 series is closer in the timeline. The step-plates do seem to be ash. What I'm going to need to do is re-examine the number and title myself. I took the info I posted from my partner over the phone, and he may have mis-read.
I'll get back to you... and many thanks, everyone, for your help.
Hawk

 

[Dan Miller]

That's what I meant... not enough pots of coffee yet...

 

[capnhawk]

View attachment 20008
Okay, here is a side view shot.
The boat does measure exactly 16 feet.
As good a match as the 123368 number is, even down to the fact that previous owner did buy the boat in Oregon, the problem is that all of the registration slips we have (about 20) list the boat as being a 1932 model.
So lets try the number from the registration rather than the boat. Except that this one is also incomplete according to the graph. The hull number printed on the paperwork is: 011362, and on other slips: 11362. According to the number/date graph that would make the number
111362 or possibly 110362.
Could we try those?
I thank you for your help and patience as I'm stuck 60 miles from the boat for the time being, and have to rely on the telephone and my partner for the info...
Hawk

 

[Dan Miller]

Neither 111362 nor 110362 work, one is for a 50 pounder the other an HW.

Having dealt with all kinds of wonky boat registrations and NY DMV while working at the Boat Museum, anything can turn up on these registrations. In NY if you don;'t know who built your vintage boat, just tell DMV it is an Old Town - everyone leaves the DMV building happy then...

 

[capnhawk]

Thanks Dan,
What I'm going to do, as soon as I can untangle myself from my business in L .A. Harbor, is go to Glendora and look at the boat and registration info myself. I really hate things that don't make sense. I'm sure there must be some error somewhere. Having just recently looked at a 1929 Old Town in the not normally seen collection at Mystic Seaport, I'm pretty sure it's the right builder. The construction details are
just too similar, including, if you'll forgive me, the sloppy parts of the work.
I'll be able to look at everything again in a week or so, and will get back to you. Hopefully, you'll still be willing to help me.
P.S. Apparently old Oregon registrations were just as "forgiving" as New York's.
I'll be back to you. Thanks... Hawk

 

[michaellgray]

Hawk, I have the exact boat (almost) unfortunately during some restoration in the past the keelson was replaced so I do not have a serial number to work with. I can’t tell by the photos but does your boat have “half ribs” in-between the full rubs?

Does anyone have information on when Old Town started and stopped building this boat?
Is there anyway to be sure it is an Old Town.

 

[Benson Gray]

Does anyone have information on when Old Town started and stopped building this boat? Is there anyway to be sure it is an Old Town.

The 16 foot long square stern model was listed in the Old Town catalogs from 1917 to 1964 but it did change quite a bit over the years. An Old Town name plate on the deck or a serial number with a matching build record is the best way to be sure that it is an Old Town. Many other builders built similar boats so most other verification techniques are not reliable. Half ribs were a common option.

Benson

 

[michaellgray]

Thanks for the reply Benson, As I said the serial number was removed some time ago by the looks of the keelson but it does not matter, She is a wonderful girl and with her 1946 2.5 HP Johnson we will have many a good fishing trip together.

 

[frogahern]

Both boats certainly look like OTs but without a number who knows. Here are some pics (I hope) of a 1937 12' I restored and sold.... Mike