Best-Paddling Chestnut

[Stuart]

It depends on what your doing and what you like but this is the nicest canoe I've ever paddled. It is not as fast as a 16.5' x 30" Chestnut I use in Quebec but it tracks and turns very well and has much more primary stability than the big one. It's approx. 14.5" x 36," has slightly rounded bottom, with very fine, almost concave, ends and some tumble-home... very curvy.

I put on new canvas, filled with duct sealant, pva primer and rustoleum paint. I did not replace the 1.5" tapered keel. Weighs 61 LBS. (But this is not the build section so I'll stop).

Identifying Chestnut's by vintage and model seems like a rabbit hole. I just love them however, and this one in particular, so I'm curious. If anyone sees this and knows something, please post.

Stuart

 

[Dan Miller]

It's probably a Bob's Special.

 

[Stuart]

Makes sense. Thank you.

 

[Nick Dennis]

In reality it's the one you own; if I could find a Bobs Special here in the UK I would be one very contented paddler.

Nick

 

[Stuart]

"One you own" Agree. The salient qualities of this one are that paddles a straight line but also turns well. Stable but fast enough. My wife also commented that it moved easily (slippery). We'd recently paddled a 16' Ply-Craft (another Maritime Province boat), a 12' x 38" Chestnut, a huge aluminum Grumman and the previously mentioned 16' x 32" Chestnut. A motley assortment, but none had the charming characteristics of this "Bob's Special."

Age? The screws that secured the inner and outer gunwales were brass but most other's were galvanized. It has a 4-digit "serial number" embossed on the keel.

I'll start another thread on this question, but I already mentioned the 12' Chestnut so I'll post this photo here as well. Arrowhead deck? I had to replace both ends when I canvassed the little canoe. As you can see, the inwale tabs into the notches of the deck. Held there with a (robertson) screw which gets covered by cloth and the gunwale. Strong.