Canoe serial number search
- Thread starter Lesmith
- Start date
Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoe with serial number 52366 is a 16 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade Charles River model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, maple decks, maple thwarts, maple seats, a keel, a floor rack, one number one grade maple paddle that was six feet long with a seven inch blade, one double width slat back rest in spruce, two cushions, and a life preserver. It was built between September, 1918 and July, 1919. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on July 28th, 1919 to Old Forge, New York.
The Old Town record for number 20360 shows an 16 foot long canoe so that isn't a good match. My guess is that you may have the 18 foot long Carleton canoe with this serial number. It is a Carleton model in Reg. (Regular or middle) grade with western red cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, oak decks, oak thwarts, oak seats, and a keel. It was built between April and July, 1936. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 6th, 1939 to New York.
Scans showing both of these build records can be found below. These scans and several hundred thousand others were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/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 these descriptions don't match the canoes. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions,
Benson
The Old Town record for number 20360 shows an 16 foot long canoe so that isn't a good match. My guess is that you may have the 18 foot long Carleton canoe with this serial number. It is a Carleton model in Reg. (Regular or middle) grade with western red cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, oak decks, oak thwarts, oak seats, and a keel. It was built between April and July, 1936. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 6th, 1939 to New York.
Scans showing both of these build records can be found below. These scans and several hundred thousand others were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/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 these descriptions don't match the canoes. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions,
Benson
Benson,
Thank you very much for the information. The 16 ft Old Town 52366 is exactly correct. Reviewing my photos on the 18ft canoe I discovered I had the serial number wrong, it's actually 20280, not 20360. I've joined WCHA, looking forward to learning more about these great old canoes!
Thank you very much for the information. The 16 ft Old Town 52366 is exactly correct. Reviewing my photos on the 18ft canoe I discovered I had the serial number wrong, it's actually 20280, not 20360. I've joined WCHA, looking forward to learning more about these great old canoes!
The Old Town canoe with serial number 20280 is an 18 foot long, GS (Guide Special or utility) grade, IF model with red western cedar planking, closed spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, spruce finish rails, a keel, a floor rack and a middle thwart. It was built between January and June, 1912. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 29th, 1912. A scan of this build record can be found below.
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.
Benson
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.
Benson
