Another mystery

[Dave Nelson]

Hello fellow paddlers. I acquired this wide bodied 15'x 40" canoe probably 35 or 40 years ago and put it back together as well as my limited experience allowed back then. I have wondered ever since then what it was and how it came to be here in E. Washington. I hope one or two of you could shed some WCHA light. Ribs and planks seem to be some sort of mahogany, but I am no wood ID expert. Fastened with small Phillips head brass screws. It may have had a canvas skin, I don't recall. I did cover it with fiberglass and probably epoxy, before I knew better, but it still looks good. The decks are my own devising, so no clues there.

With. the wide beam and round bottom, I have found it to be a fun and seaworthy open water craft with a drop-in outrigger rowing rig. The one I came up with is a much modified recycled vintage exercise machine with 8.5' oars, a bit crude but it works. Comments?

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess is that it was home made. A commercially built boat after 1972 in the U. S. would have a hull identification number on the starboard stern. Phillips head screws were invented in the early 1930s. It looks like a fun boat. Please reply here if you ever determine who built it. Thanks,

Benson

 

[Dave Nelson]

Thank you, Benson. I too suspected it was home made due to choice of wood and some less than elegant routing along the thwarts and seat frames, not to mention the unusual shape for a canoe. Makes a good rowing rig though.

 

[Larry Meyer]

Almost more dory than canoe!

 

[Benson Gray]

The double ended row boats have been popular for many years. See http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/3628/ for some more examples.

Benson

 

[Gary]

Hey anything made of wood resembling the lines of a canoe is beautiful to me. I must say though I struggle with this new trend to use kayak paddles in a canoe, or the much older trend to row one. I like seeing where I'm going.
Enjoy it, Gary