Carleton Canoe

[Barbara Beeker]

I have a 1913 Carleton #9804-181 sailing
canoe. I can't recall where I found this information.
Any information would be a help...

 

[Gil Cramer]

Ms. Beeker,
This is not the correct format for a Carleton canoe serial number. If you could include a photo of the actual serial number stamped into the stem, somebody will post the build record.

 

[normsims]

Ms. Beeker,

I'm assuming you've got one extra digit at the end of this serial number. That can happen easily, especially if there are signs of age to make the numbers a bit hard to read. The serial number 9804 18 was assigned to an 18-foot Carleton built in the Old Town Canoe Company factory in 1913 and shipped to Indianapolis in 1914. It had spruce gunwales and birch decks, thwarts, and seats. It had a keel and sponsons. The original color was dark green. The build record doesn't mention a sailing rig, but that equipment was probably added later.

The scan of this record is attached below-- click on it to get a larger image. This scan 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/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you and anyone else reading this will join or renew membership in the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to renew.

If you are selling your canoe and plan to use this build record information as part of an ad, please consider giving the WCHA credit for this information on eBay or craigslist or wherever your canoe is listed.

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

Norm

 

[Barbara Beeker]

Thanks Norm...

The information jibes with some of what we knew...
especially Indianapolis. The canoe is now in Leland,
Michigan and has been for decades. Yes, we'd like
to sell it, so we will give you credit. Thanks.

 

[Barbara Beeker]

Thank you Gil. I'll do that. I think the extra 1 didn't belong...just the 18 for feet?