Charles River Canoe

[bob1959]

Does anyone know much about early 1900's Old Town Canoes? I have a 1911 Charles River and need to know if it is worth restoring?

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, the information at the link below may help you with the value question. The usual answer is no, the typical cost of restoring a canoe in most cases exceeds the price you can sell it for. However, if it has sentimental value or you just like working on an old project then go for it. What is the serial number and can you provide some pictures?

Benson

Thread 'How much is my old wooden canoe worth?'

Nov 14, 2004

How much is my old canoe worth?

One of the most common questions that gets sent to the WCHA webmasters is "how much is my old canoe worth?" Tim Hewitt's responses over the years have included the following comments:

Any wooden or wood/canvas canoe in usable condition is worth $1000 - $1500. A canoe that is documentable will go on the high end, one that is particularly rare will bring more, up to $3000 for a wood canvas canoe, and as high as $5000 for an all-wood canoe. These high end canoes must be in showroom condition and you must have evidence or documentation of their age and...

• Benson Gray
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• 

 

[Michael Grace]

Hi Bob - It depends on what you mean by "worth it." I thought perhaps you were interested in whether the canoe is in a condition suitable for restoration. If so, this is the place to get opinions. The short answer is that anything is restorable, and an early Old Town Charles River could be a very nice canoe. For a more detailed response from those here, post photos including ones that show the ends of the aloe, the decks, gunwales, etc., and especially any problems it has. Restoring a Charles River model would be essentially the same as restoring any similar Old Town or cedar-canvas canoes from a wide variety of other makers.

If you're asking about the financial "worth" of restoration, see Benson's comments above. If you want to restore it or have it restored for your own enjoyment, then you have to ask yourself about the cost. Having a canoe restored by a professional can be expensive, but you should end up with a very nice final product that you can enjoy for a long time. You can also do it yourself with care and forethought, even developing new skills as you go. Right here you can find some very thorough guides to restoration:

The Wood & Canvas Canoe: A Complete Guide | WoodenCanoeHeritage

Author: Jerry StelmokRollin ThurlowFrom the final decade of the 19th century until the mid 1950’s, the predominant small water craft for recreationists, summer camps, and wilderness travelers was the iconic canvas covered wooden canoe built by Old Town, B.N. Morris, E.M. White, Chestnut, J.H...

www.woodencanoe.org

This Old Canoe: How to Restore Your Wood Canvas Canoe | WoodenCanoeHeritage

Author: Mike ElliottWhen restoring a wood-canvas canoe, you don't work on it, you work with it. In This Old Canoe: How To Restore Your Wood-Canvas Canoe, Mike Elliott guides you through the process of bringing your classic heirloom back to life. He takes you step-by-step through all aspects of a...

www.woodencanoe.org

Materials areavaailable from a variety of sources, some of which can be found here:

BuildersSuppliers

Whether you're looking to have a canoe restored, or to find the products or information to restore it yourself, you'll find what you need in our Builders and Suppliers listing.

www.woodencanoe.org

Hope this helps. Hopefully we will see some photos of your canoe.

Michael