89769 11 Oldtown 50 lb.

[Tony]

First time using a forum so I apologize up front. I'm looking for any info. On a beautiful little 11 footer. Any historical information would be awesome. I will attempt to restore her to the very best of my abilities. Any tips would also be great too.

Sn# 89769 11

Thank you so much!

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 89769 is an 11 foot long, AA (or top) grade, special model with red western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, and a keel. It was built between January and March, 1926. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on March 15th, 1926 to New York City. 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 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/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. The books at http://store.wcha.org/The-Wood-and-Canvas-Canoe.html and http://store.wcha.org/This-Old-Canoe-by-Mike-Elliott.html may help with the restoration if you aren't familiar with the process. This forum has a wealth of material and ideas. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Tony]

Wow!!!! thanks you so much for the details. I'm so excited !!!

 

[Tony]

Ok - If any of you Oldtown, Model 50 lb./Trapper owners would share their experiences with this little gem, I'd love to hear your storys. I recently purchased one and I am currently working her. I'm interested in how they handle or particular characteristics you have noticed. I know many perfer longer canoes for tracking, but I'm thinking this will work well for me. Thoughts?

 

[Benson Gray]

Some people consider the 11 foot long fifty pound models to be bulbous and slightly ugly while others find them cute. My wife is in the latter category and loves hers. Some pictures of it are attached below from the Assembly a few years ago. The models inside may help you keep perspective that smaller canoes do exist.

The 11 foot long fifty pound model was listed in the catalogs from 1926 until after 2003 although the model name changed a few times. The estimates at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/models.html indicate that nearly 1000 were built between 1927 and 1967 putting it in the top twenty most popular models. This works out to be about 23 per year. The extreme compound curves can make it difficult to canvas so people usually buy extra wide canvas and twist it slightly so you are pulling on the bias instead of directly against the threads at the ends. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson

 

[Tony]

Very nice! Thank you.
I would imagine it doesn't track as well as a larger canoe, but there is something that draws me to it. Bulbous and all. Any Northern Minnesota members out there?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Shorter canoes like this are a bit more difficult to canvas, but don't be discouraged, canvassing is still one of the easier things in the process.

 

[Tony]

Thank you. I wouldn't have figured that it would be more difficult to read canvas. I guess I'd better read and learnmuch more.