Canoe ID?

[NedL]

I picked up a 16 ft canoe this weekend. At some point someone had "restored" it, but didn't do it many favors. it has been glassed (not too badly and the inside looks like it has been "epoxied"), the seats were moved and changed out and the two thwarts were changed out for one sort of "carrying yoke" style. All unfortunate, but it is what it is.
I can see the shadows of were diamond head bolts were. The decks are not OldTown decks (at least what I am familiar with), both have a small bent "coaming" on the inboard faces. Both ends clearly show the serial number of
It is almost in "usable as is" condition, so will be nice to have some good times in it.

Any guesses as to the builder?

139345

 

[Dave Osborn]

I would say it’s an Old Town. 20” decks with combing is consistent with that. The serial number looks OT. The remaining thwart has been added at some point. The original thwarts seem to be missing.
Hopefully someone will run the serial number for you and provide a build record.

 

[NedL]

Thank you. OldTown was my thought too, except for the S/N. I though the first two digits of an OldTown serial number was always the length, in this case they would need to be "16" for a 16 foot canoe, not "13". I will post the S/N and see what comes up with Benson.

Yes, unfortunately someone didn't do the boat any favors with all the "changes", so it is what it is. Still a usable boat.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Last two numbers are separate from others. They indicate length. 17 in your case I think.

 

[NedL]

Ahhh, ... thank you! Yes, the last two, are the length (I need to find & verify them).
I just looked the pictures over more carefully and see there is a “16” separate to the side..

 

[Todd F]

Can't figure out how to copy and post the build sheet, Benson is obviously the master at it.

However, OT 139345, shipped July 1st 1944 to Dr M F Ridlon in Lucerne In Maine ME, 16' CS Grade OTCA, open spruce gunnels, ash decks, thwarts and seats. Came with a floor rack, original color was maroon.

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 139345 is a 16 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, Otca model with open spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, a keel, and a floor rack. It was built between February and May, 1944. The original exterior paint color was maroon. It shipped on July 1st, 1944 to Center Lucerne-in-Maine, Maine. A scan of this build record can be found below.

This scan and several hundred thousand others were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others as you probably know well. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Thanks,

Benson

 

[NedL]

Thank you very much!
That is definitely a match. There are even still the clips for the floorboards.