Another Rescue, Can Anyone Identify This Canoe?

[Old_Paddler]

Rescued this canoe today - has about 20 broken ribs and has other minor issues, but overall it's a nice boat.

Length @ 16' 6"
Beam @ 36"
Depth @11"
SN 3018 - no other markings, no evidence of deck decal.

Needs a lot of work, but I think she is a treasure.
The stem bands were almost completely gone and someone used lead strips to replace them.
Canvas was painted to look like a bark canoe - I saved the pelt in case someone wants to do forensics on it.

Thank you,
Russ

 

[MGC]

A treasure it is...
Cherry IG decks, doubled gunwales, sculpted thwarts, wide top board, wide stem, and distinctive ribs, front seat hung from (probably cherry) cleats and very distinctive lines...I'd say pre-inc. IG and in decent shape. The front seat is a replacement but the rear looks correct. Check the tops of the thwarts for makers marks and look more closely at the stems for stamped in lettering. 3318 or 3018 looks like a number that fits to the age of the boat. Dan can probably get you a ballpark build year for it.
Nice find.

 

[Old_Paddler]

You are right, stamped on both stems: J H Rushton Canton, NY.
Serial number is 3018 - the 0 is much sharper in the stern.
I didn't finish stripping the thwarts after finding those two stamps, more stamps would only be redundant.

This isn't a restoration I am capable of doing properly - so I will need to find the right per person in WCHA for it.
I've folded up the "pelt" for the next person to have in case they want to do forensics on it.

What year is this from.

I measured width from outside of outwales to come up with the 36".

 

[Dan Miller]

It is a post-incorporation canoe, despite the brand on the stem. The canoes with serial numbers on either side of it had the same brand on the stem, and the Rushton, Inc. shield on the deck (look for nail holes).

 

[JClearwater]

I bought this canoe from Russ shortly after this thread was put up. I started working on it yesterday. As Russ said there are 20 broken ribs, all four inwale tips and outwale tips need splicing, neither seat is original, there are three thwarts that don't match each other, lots of bad planking, etc. etc. It likely was never recanvased. I see no evidence of earlier nail holes. There is bright green paint on a couple areas of canvas under the outwale. The 1903 Rushton repro catalog says that the standard color was "Moss Green". I'll try to post a picture of it. This is going to be a long haul getting this one restored, good thing I work cheap. The bow deck basically fell off after I removed the outwales because the inwales are so rotted. The stern deck is held with steel screws, rusted fast - oh the joy. I wish they had spent the extra 2 cents and used brass screws. Fortunately, the inwales/outwales are held together with brass screws. Bow seat cleats are attached through the planking and ribs with steel screws but those came out without a problem. The cleats themselves are shot and will need to be replaced. Stay tuned.

Jim

 

[JClearwater]

Attached is a pic of what I assume to be the original "Moss Green" paint. This scrap of canvas has dark green paint, a little yellow and the bright Moss Green paint. Also attached is a pic of the broken ribs so you can commiserate with me. Only one of the three thwarts matches what I would consider to be the original. A picture of another Indian Girl showing a correct thwart is attached. I don't know who owns it. Picture was from an Assembly, I think. So I guess I'll be making new thwarts as well.

 

[Old_Paddler]

So glad that my mentor is the one restoring this canoe - I have neither the skill nor the patience to do it right.
Jim, you are nuts to undertake this project...but in a good way.
Looking forward to paddling her with you.

 

[JClearwater]

The seats in this canoe are totally wrong so when someone who owns an Indian Girl like this one has time if you could provide me with dimensions and photos of the correct seats it would be appreciated. I need to strip the interior but until it warms up a bit I can't do it. I figured I could make the seat frames while I wait on the weather. Thanks very much.

Jim

 

[samb]

Mike Elliots blog has the dimensions of the stern seat.
https://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2018/11/

If I remember, I'll measure my bow seat tomorrow: it's dark and cold outside at present!

Sam

 

[JClearwater]

Thank you Sam!