Chuck Sauberlich
Curious about Wooden Canoes
I'm a bit embarrassed and hope I didn't cause anyone to do a lot of searching for something that did not exist. I posted an inquiry for a 14' 6" Canadian canoe. Where I got that measurement is beyond me. I think I measured the canoe from tip of the bow to tip of the stern, got 15' 6" and somehow transposed it to 14'6". Anyway I have since taken accurate measurements . The canoe in question is 16' in length. 35" wide and a strong 14 1/2" deep. The stern deck was the only one left and is heart shaped and deeply undercut. The end cant ribs are wider than the rest about 2 1/2 to 3" wide. In searching the WCHA research site along with Dragonfly Canoe works. I've come to the conclusion the canoe is a Chestnut. More than likely a Prospector, maybe a Fort or Fawn. The width measurement is a bit narrower than those shown on the Dragonfly site. I'm curious as to the age and if my conclusions are correct. The heart shaped deck would put it prior to 1922, but only the very first and last cant ribs are wider. Also there is no taper to the inwales, though the bow section had been repaired with short section of inwales scarfed on. That would put it later than 1922. The canoe has seen some hard use and spent it's working years on and around Lake Nipigon in Ontario Canada.