Canoe make?

[kybishop]

I was looking to possibly bid on a canoe that has come up on a local auction. I was wondering if any of you may recognize the make of this canoe? Any guesses or maybe home built?

It is about an hour from me, I have not seen it in person yet. It is hard to tell by the dimensions listed on the auction how big it is "DIMENSIONS

40.0" W x 13.0" H x 155.0" D". I am guessing it is about 13' long according to what they listed. The oars are 6.5' so that would look about right on the length.

Thanks.

 

[Rod Tait (Orca Boats)]

Based on the configuration of deck and the babiche seats, I would say a Huron. Typically there would be a thin strip on the top of the inwale that covers seat bolts and the joinery where inwale meets deck. Look for small holes in the inwale top that would indicate that something was nailed to it. Some woods do not look original type though.

 

[Rod Tait (Orca Boats)]

babiche seats

Forgot to mention that the seats look in good condition and are worth quite a bit if you had to have someone either make a new set or re-do them. I often pick them up just for the seats to replace ones that come in for repair.

 

[kybishop]

I have always admired the wood canvas canoes but have never owned one. I was thinking it looked as though some of the wood may not be original.

Someone else on another forum mentioned that it may be an early Navarro.

Thanks.

 

[kybishop]

Well, it is up to $200 which is the top end of what I was thinking I would bid. The oars are worth something too. Sometimes folks resale these things in shops so they may be looking to do that.

 

[MGC]

As a floater (it looks like it will) and without any of the typical major rot or damage that bogs down most restorations it's surely worth more than 2 bills. These boats don't ever command insane prices but the ones in reasonable shape should be worth at least what you might pay for a beater fiberglass boat. If I wanted one to use, I'd think about offering a bit more for it.
Did you read our thread about canoe valuation in the FAQ?
Good luck.
MIke

 

[Treewater]

The thwart and seats are laminated wood, well done but recent. That inwale might not be original which would cast doubt on the decks. If it was a Huron canoe, and I think that is a broad term, the bang strip would have been bent into the deck and the hole would be visible. I'm more concerned there is no picture of the bottom of the hull. But I do agree, it's probably worth more than $200, or does it need new canvas? Still, not a bad looking boat.

 

[kybishop]

As a floater (it looks like it will) and without any of the typical major rot or damage that bogs down most restorations it's surely worth more than 2 bills. These boats don't ever command insane prices but the ones in reasonable shape should be worth at least what you might pay for a beater fiberglass boat. If I wanted one to use, I'd think about offering a bit more for it.
Did you read our thread about canoe valuation in the FAQ?
Good luck.
MIke

I have not read that, I will check it out. Thanks.

 

[kybishop]

No, not bad. It may be fiberglassed over. The auction lists it as fiberglass but I assumed they did that as they didn't know exactly what it was. It may very well be fiberglass as a lot of these canvas canoes were fiberglassed over as a quick fix I guess.

I have a beater fiberglass canoe my brother picked up for like $40 maybe 20 years ago. Patched it up and still use it. Also have a really nice Mohawk Nova 16 I picked up for $300 about 5 years ago or so. It is Royalex, only used a few times before I got it.

I have been canoeing a while but have not spent a lot a time with the wood and canvas canoes. I have admired them a long time and have read books about them. Wanted one from the beginning. Path of the Paddle, Song of the Paddle, loved both of those. The videos are great too. I have watched these canoes on Ebay and Craigslist go from a few $100 to well up into the thousands.

I will read the valuation FAQ as mentioned and give this boat some more consideration. I will post more pictures of it as well.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice.

 

[kybishop]

It is hard to tell from a photo but looks kind of thick to me like it may be fiberglassed over.

I can tell where it has had some ribs repaired and the gunwale is broken. Some of that looks like it may not be original either.

Still may be a floater to mess around with if the gunwale was repaired.

 

[pklonowski]

In that last image, I don't see a stem band on the stem; that would make me think it's been fiberglassed. If you're lucky, the fiberglass may be on top of the canvas, which should make it easier to remove...

 

[Dan Miller]

If you're lucky, the fiberglass may be on top of the canvas, which should make it easier to remove...

I've heard this a lot. How many have actually found this to be the case?

I'm guessing close to never.

 

[Gil Cramer]

I have never, ever found a canoe with fiberglass over canvas. I'm sure that there must be one out there somewhere, but I have never found even one.

 

[pklonowski]

I saw an Old Town like this a few years ago. It weighed ~120lbs, according to the owner. He had bought it that way, had no idea why it was 'glassed over the canvas.

So it's not quite never... But probably darn near, I agree...

 

[MGC]

I have also never seen a canoe that was glassed over canvas. I did find one that still had canvas under the keel. They had glassed over the keel.

Back to the topic at hand, if it's a glassed Huron that's already been tweaked (it has) I'd walk away from it. The DNA does not warrant the effort required to strip, fare/prep a hull that's been glassed. There are others that will disagree with me but having done my time with enough of these glassed boats, I'm pretty particular about how much effort I will expend on that process and for what.
I'd keep looking for a better hull to repair...
Hey, did I just see a nice little Chestnut listed on this sites classifieds??? Something more like that..
Or an OT Ideal, Yankee, Penn Yan Hunter etc...
Good luck

 

[Dan Lindberg]

I'd pass on that canoe even if it isn't glassed. Not a very interesting boat to me.

Dan

 

[Treewater]

I'd pass on that canoe even if it isn't glassed. Not a very interesting boat to me.

Dan

Let him buy it. It's only the first of ten or twenty.

 

[kybishop]

I have passed on more than 20 already lol... I am retired but definitely don't need any more projects (as none of you do either I imagine ). In the middle of major home (s) renovations that never will end. This one was close and I thought I may grab it if it went cheap. It is up to $310. I'll pass.

Someday maybe. Thanks for all the advice, great forum here and I will just keep admiring them for now.

There is a beautiful one in town here that I have seen hanging in a carport for maybe 5-10 years. The gentleman was a local veterinarian and he moved out. I inquired about the canoe and the family was going to keep it. Some of his family moved in to the house and the canoe still hangs. Looks pristine driving by, the canvas is yellow. I have inquired about it maybe 3 times over the years...

 

[kybishop]

I have also never seen a canoe that was glassed over canvas. I did find one that still had canvas under the keel. They had glassed over the keel.

Back to the topic at hand, if it's a glassed Huron that's already been tweaked (it has) I'd walk away from it. The DNA does not warrant the effort required to strip, fare/prep a hull that's been glassed. There are others that will disagree with me but having done my time with enough of these glassed boats, I'm pretty particular about how much effort I will expend on that process and for what.
I'd keep looking for a better hull to repair...
Hey, did I just see a nice little Chestnut listed on this sites classifieds??? Something more like that..
Or an OT Ideal, Yankee, Penn Yan Hunter etc...
Good luck

That Chestnut does look like a great solid project. Be a beauty restored.

 

[Dan Miller]

That Chestnut does look like a great solid project. Be a beauty restored.

Yes, yes it does.