a little mixed up

[B.C.W.]

Good Afternoon,
I have Old Town Canoe #18478-18. The build sheet describes this canoe as a 18 foot common sense heavy water model built in August of 1911. With closed Spruce gunwales and Spruce outside finish rails. A few things do not seem to be right. The decks are the style of a canoe from the 1940's with the three inch round half circle cut out. It has diamond head bolts that were not in use until 1922-23 and it has open gunwales. The stem numbers are correct and both match. I can understand the bolts and decks being changed over the years. But not closed to open gunwales. Was there option of open or closed in 1911? And if so maybe it was just recorded wrong on the bill sheet. Any comments would be appreciated.
Also I looked into the original person that the canoe was shipped to, Mr. Lawrence L. Beebe. The canoe was shipped to him on August 7, 1911. He had the name "Pearl" painted on the right bow and left stern of the canoe. He got married to Alma "Pearl" Lattin on 8-23-11. So I guess the canoe was a wedding gift to his new bride.
Thanks,
Bruce

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess is that you may actually have the Carleton canoe with serial number 18478, not the Old Town shown at http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/16453/ with that number. This is an 18 foot long, regular (or middle) grade, Carleton model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, birch decks, birch thwarts, birch seats, and a keel. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 13th, 1924 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A scan of this build record can be found below.

This scan and several hundred thousand more 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/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. There was usually a note on the build record when a Carleton became an Old Town (or vice versa) but not always. Please post some pictures of the serial numbers and deck areas from each end. Does it have a curved bow carry handle or bolt holes from a missing one? These were common on Carleton canoes. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[B.C.W.]

Thanks Benson,
For the quick reply The Carleton Description is a much better fit. Here are pictures of the serial numbers and of the decks. The canoe does have a curved bow carry handle also the bow deck shows four nail holes where there might have been a Carleton tag.
Bruce

 

[Benson Gray]

I agree, the serial number font is also slightly different, especially the one digit stamp. The example below shows the Old Town style from 1911. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson