Can anyone identify my canoe?

[Wickedgood Mainer]

I found this canoe in southern Maine. It's about 16'L, 36"W and 14" deep. There are no labels, tags, serial no. stamps or writing on the hull. The ribs are 1/4" thick and the planking is 3/16" thick. The canvas was of two pieces double stitched along the center. The seats are hand-caned although one had been redone in synthetic. The ribs and seat frames were left square on the edges, not beveled or rounded. Galvanized nails were used for the planking, other hardware is bronze or brass. The planking has knots and splits, probably not first quality material or workmanship.

 

[Wickedgood Mainer]

A possible connection for identification

It was after my first post that I found The Canoe Builders of Maine list. It may only be a coincidence, but I found my canoe in Jefferson, Maine. That is in Lincoln County and only a few miles from Cooper's Mills where The Howe Company, Ed Howe's Maine-Made Best Canoes was in the 40's. I'd like to hear anybody's ideas. Thanks

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Canoes usually do not go far from home. But two elements (3?)of your canoe are similar to Baker Canoes from Michigan. The two piece canvas and the keelson were construction details for Baker. Oh, and a high number of ribs is also indicative of Baker. But I don't think Brian ever sewed his canvas together. And I doubt otherwise you have a Baker, because you're so far away. Baker often inlaid his decks with contrasting wood. I wonder if perhaps there was a book or magazine that published these techniques and they were picked up by various builders around the country? Also, I think this type of canoe may have been an open form method of build because of the keelson. Now for the disclaimer: I am not an authority on these matters, but am offerring some possibilities for further research.

 

[Gil Cramer]

My guess is "Popular Mechanics". The untapered and sharp edged ribs, keelson, and the planking pattern in the end of the canoe all tend to point in that direction. It does have a nicely shaped thwart, but that could have been bought @ OT.

 

[Larry Westlake]

From my own experience building both on open forms and without forms, the close relationship of the rib and plank sizes is also suggestive. This close relationship allows the planking to fair the ribs to a very great extent. If the "normalish" sizes of 5/16 or 3/8 for ribs with 5/32 planking is used, you have to be far more fastidious with the ribs to ensure they are fair, because they will not yield to the plank pull at all.

Aren't those wedgy planks at the ends also unusual? That doesn't look like something a pro would do - but since I've only ever closely examined or refurbed Greenwoods, Chestnuts, and one "Peterborough" that was probably a re-branded Chestnut, my experience is very limited.

Larry Westlake

 

[Steve Ambrose]

Some designs that carry more volume into the ends of the hull require small wedges to fill gaps toward the stems (Rollin's Cheemaun for one) but nothing as drastic as this boat. I agree with Gil - looks like a PM homebuilt. It has seen its share of salt judging from the halos around the tacks.

 

[Larry Westlake]

I found this canoe in southern Maine. It's about 16'L, 36"W and 14" deep.

WgM:
There are indeed many similarities between your canoe and the 1938 Popular Mechanics article that Gil mentioned. You should probably get a copy and do a close check.

In case it helps, here are the scantlings from the PM article.

Keelson 3/8 x 3", ash or oak
Gunwales of straight-grained ash 7/8" square
RIBS: 2-in. wide white cedar 3/16 in. thick, spaced 1in. apart
Planking: 1/8-in. cedar , 3" and 4" wide, random lengths 12 to 16 feet.
Decks: two pieces 11" x 6" x ¾" hardwood (or 1" softwood)
THWARTS: maple 2½" x 30"
SEAT FRAMES: Hardwood, ¾" x 1½"
Canvas 8-oz. Cotton duck.
Gunwales hardwood, ¼" x 1"
Keel hardwood, ¾" x 1"

Article does spec 2-piece canvas
Also specs sawn-plank stems, but anyone with any experience would change that.

Designed beam: 31-1/4 to outside of belly
Designed depth: 12" inside amidship
Designed tumblehome 1"
Designed length: 16 feet
No rocker

The stem profiles and deck-edge cut pattern in the article are very similar to yours.

Although the main dimensions of your canoe do NOT match the PM article, it is still quite likely that Gil is right. People following instructions seldom do so closely, and the differences between your boat and the PM design specs are all the kind of thing that people regularly alter.

You could probably get a confirmation of maternity/paternity by expanding the patterns in the article to match the scale of your boat, making a (female) midship and stem template, and offering them up to the hull. Its not a DNA test, but it might give some positive indication, because people DO tend to retain mold shapes even when they alter everything else.

 

[Larry Westlake]

Steve:
Re: wedges...
Yes, I understand the form-effects.
But those skinny points are potential problems, and easy to eliminate.
I would think that a pro would just put in a joint to alter the runs, or at least nib the tips so they had good fastening.

Larry Westlake

 

[Wickedgood Mainer]

I found the Popular Mechanics article you mentioned, "Build Your Own Canoe", March 1938. While not a dead ringer for my canoe, I agree there are a surprising number of similarities. Given that, and the the amateur quality of my canoe, I'm going to say it came from the pages of PM until someone proves it didn't.
To say it came from PM pleases me no end as my father and I built a 16' plywood and glass kayak from PM plans when I was 12 yrs old in 1970! We departed from the plans a bit because Dad insisted we "Beef it up a little". The finished product weighed just under a ton, but we got a ton of fun out of it for years.
If my canoe is a mutt, I'll love it all the more because it is.
Thanks everyone and have a wickedgood day!
Steve G.

 

[Benson Gray]

It may only be a coincidence, but I found my canoe in Jefferson, Maine. That is in Lincoln County and only a few miles from Cooper's Mills where The Howe Company, Ed Howe's Maine-Made Best Canoes was in the 40's.

It doesn't look like a Howe as shown in the catalog below. I agree that it is probably home built.

Benson