1948 old town
- Thread starter rdzx21
- Start date
Greg Nolan
enthusiast
The Old Town canoe with serial number 61826 is a 17 foot long, AA (top) grade HW (heavy water) model with western red cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany seats, decks and thwarts, equipped with a keel and a floor rack. It was built in 1920-21. The original exterior paint color was black, with a 4 inch border stripe (color of stripe not specified). It was shipped to NHartford, Connecticut on June 11, 1921. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link behind the thumbnail image attached below.
This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/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 also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
What is the basis for your saying that your canoe is from 1948. If that date is correct, you should take another look at the serial number in your canoe -- in Old Town canoes, the number is stamped into both the bow and stern stem pieces as the stem runs out onto the floor of the canoe -- look at both.
In addition to asking questions here, there are three good sources of information about canoe restoration which you would do well to get, or at least look at -- "The Wood and Canvas Canoe: A Complete Guide to its History, Construction, Restoration, and Maintenance" by Rollin Thurlow and Jerry Stelmok, and/or "Building the Maine Guide Canoe" by Jerry Stelmok, and "The Old Town Canoe Company" by Susan Audette and David Baker.
The first is often called the "bible" of canoe repair, restoration, and maintenance; the second is an excellent study of the wooden/canvas canoe and its construction, and the third is a great history of the company and its canoes. The Thurlow/Stelmok book is out of print and can be hard to get -- check your library, which should be able to get it on inter-library loan if they do not have it.
And very important -- we can't really offer advise about a particular canoe without seeing pictures of it and its condition. Aside from which, we just like to see pictures of canoes, especially those in need of restoration, while being restored, and when finished.
Whether restoring it yourself is a good idea depends on your interest, enthusiasm, and ability to undertake what is sometimes tedious, but always rewarding, work. With some minimal DIY skills, as well as some basic tools, most restoration tasks can be done by a motivated owner who can follow the advice given in the books I have mentioned, or advice given here. The WCHA builders' directory lists quite a few very capable professional restorers who can do the job if you do not wish to do it yourself. AA grade OT canoes make for very attractive canoes, well worth the effort.
Welcome to the WCHA and the forums. And if you are able to make it to the Adirondacks next month for even a day or two of the Assembly ( http://www.wcha.org/annual-assembly/ ), you will see and learn a lot.
Greg Nolan
This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/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 also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
What is the basis for your saying that your canoe is from 1948. If that date is correct, you should take another look at the serial number in your canoe -- in Old Town canoes, the number is stamped into both the bow and stern stem pieces as the stem runs out onto the floor of the canoe -- look at both.
In addition to asking questions here, there are three good sources of information about canoe restoration which you would do well to get, or at least look at -- "The Wood and Canvas Canoe: A Complete Guide to its History, Construction, Restoration, and Maintenance" by Rollin Thurlow and Jerry Stelmok, and/or "Building the Maine Guide Canoe" by Jerry Stelmok, and "The Old Town Canoe Company" by Susan Audette and David Baker.
The first is often called the "bible" of canoe repair, restoration, and maintenance; the second is an excellent study of the wooden/canvas canoe and its construction, and the third is a great history of the company and its canoes. The Thurlow/Stelmok book is out of print and can be hard to get -- check your library, which should be able to get it on inter-library loan if they do not have it.
And very important -- we can't really offer advise about a particular canoe without seeing pictures of it and its condition. Aside from which, we just like to see pictures of canoes, especially those in need of restoration, while being restored, and when finished.
Whether restoring it yourself is a good idea depends on your interest, enthusiasm, and ability to undertake what is sometimes tedious, but always rewarding, work. With some minimal DIY skills, as well as some basic tools, most restoration tasks can be done by a motivated owner who can follow the advice given in the books I have mentioned, or advice given here. The WCHA builders' directory lists quite a few very capable professional restorers who can do the job if you do not wish to do it yourself. AA grade OT canoes make for very attractive canoes, well worth the effort.
Welcome to the WCHA and the forums. And if you are able to make it to the Adirondacks next month for even a day or two of the Assembly ( http://www.wcha.org/annual-assembly/ ), you will see and learn a lot.
Greg Nolan
