1936 Old Town
- Thread starter caddman
- Start date
The Old Town canoe with serial number 131181 is a 17 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade, Otca model with open spruce gunwales, birch decks, birch thwarts, birch seats, a keel, and a floor rack. It was built between December, 1940 and March, 1941. The original exterior paint color was similar to the one shown at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/designs/design43.gif which was known as design number 43. It shipped on April 21st, 1941 to Hartford, Conn. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.
This scan and several hundred thousand others were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others as you probably know well. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.
It is possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Please attach some pictures if the original paint design is still showing. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
This scan and several hundred thousand others were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others as you probably know well. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.
It is possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Please attach some pictures if the original paint design is still showing. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
Attachments
Thanks Benson, guess my father-in-law's memory was a little off well before he was 94. If my wife's stepmother ever sends the original store receipt (he still had it) we'll send a copy. Point me to instructions for posting pictures and I'll go out and take a couple.
Caddman
Caddman
The messages at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?469 should get you started posting some pictures. Thanks,
Benson
Pics of the canoe
OK, so now we know it's a 1941 Old Town and we know the color scheme was style #43. I'm attaching some pics (sorry it's still on my truck from picking it up on Friday). Note the original decals on both boat and paddles.
OK, so now we know it's a 1941 Old Town and we know the color scheme was style #43. I'm attaching some pics (sorry it's still on my truck from picking it up on Friday). Note the original decals on both boat and paddles.
Attachments
This looks excellent. It is very helpful to see an original canoe in such great condition. Thanks,
Benson
Our plan is to launch her on Tuesday, are there any potential problems? She's been stored in a basement atmosphere, away from the heat, for some time. The exterior paint is slightly craized like an old plate, are we headed to do her damage? Are the paint colors/makers listed anywhere? We'd like to get her to original paint color.
Caddman
Caddman
There should not be any problems with reasonable care. Some of the old timers would recommend soaking it with water inside and out after a long time in dry storage but it is not clear if this really makes much of a difference. The thread at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?7345 has some old color charts but you will probably need to match yours by eye. Have fun,
Benson
