A 15 foot long Old Town Charles River model in AA grade with sponsons from 1906

[Benson Gray]

The pictures below show a 15 foot long Old Town Charles River model in AA grade with sponsons from 1906. It originally shipped to Abercrombie & Fitch Company. The page at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/models.html estimates that less than 700 examples of this model and length were built between 1906 and 1911.

Benson

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Simply beautiful!

 

[chris pearson]

Awesome, yours Benson? Did Jerry get you the model paddles?

 

[Benson Gray]

Awesome, yours Benson? Did Jerry get you the model paddles?

Yes to both questions. Thanks,

Benson

 

[millie_sass]

15 feet is a great size for me! How much does it weigh?

 

[Benson Gray]

How much does it weigh?

I have not put this one on a scale yet so I don't know the exact weight. The 1906 Old Town catalog listed this model at 60 pounds and sponsons typically add about 30 pounds on a 16 foot long canoe so my guess is that this one is probably around 90 pounds in total.

Benson

 

[MGC]

I have not put this one on a scale yet so I don't know the exact weight. The 1906 Old Town catalog listed this model at 60 pounds and sponsons typically add about 30 pounds on a 16 foot long canoe so my guess is that this one is probably around 90 pounds in total.

Benson

Benson,
Have you considered removing the sponsons from that? It would be a really nice canoe without them

 

[Greg Nolan]

Benson,
Have you considered removing the sponsons from that? It would be a really nice canoe without them

It is a really nice canoe with them -- -- Maine Canoe Symposium 2016:

 

[Benson Gray]

Have you considered removing the sponsons from that?

I have briefly considered removing the sponsons and wouldn't be selling this canoe if it didn't have them originally. However, it is a very rare model in this length and the sponsons push it to near unicorn status so someone else can make that decision. My nature is to be conflict adverse so this is becoming a pattern for me. I once owned a wonderful Yankee model with an original design number four as shown at http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?attachments/2300/ and http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/241/ has the build record. It eventually started to leak too much for comfortable use on long trips so I sold it rather than face those restoration choices either.

This Charles River model doesn't leak yet so the new owner can probably use it for some years and then decide if they want to put the sponsons back on after the restoration.

Benson

 

[MGC]

I have briefly considered removing the sponsons and probably wouldn't be selling this canoe if it didn't have them originally. However, it is very rare and the sponsons push it to near unicorn status so someone else can make that decision. My nature is to be conflict adverse so this is becoming a pattern for me.
Benson

This one would be one that should remain as is..it is indeed a rare one... the pre-1910 Old Towns have a special quality.
Later sponson canoes are so common that I can't imagine anyone getting too worked up about keeping them original but it really would be a shame for this canoe to be significantly changed.
Faced with the choice I've sold all of the sponson canoes I've owned rather than restore them...by doing that I've avoided making the removal choice. No regrets so far.......