Chestnut, Peterborough or ???

[davelanthier]

Just started the restoration on this 18' sponson, open gunwale canoe which I suspect may be from the 1920's. Dimentions are simular to a Chestnut Guide Special [ Moses] or a Peterborough model 1445. Any help in identifying and dating this canoe would be greatly appreciated. Dimentions are as follows: width 37", depth 12", planking width 4 3/4" [ basically 5 boards per side]. Tapered ribs are 3/8' thick, 2 1/4" wide, spaced 1/2" apart. Thin, primary cant ribs are 2 1/2" wide. Probably post 1921 stye 14" decks. Exterior Oak stems matched to the keel, 2 thwarts, 2 hand caned seats. No serial numbers. It's had a lot of use over the years. Suspect that it was a livery canoe at Lake Louise in Banff, Alberta. Some of the ribs are almost worn through in key places. Spent it's last years coated in fiberglass.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

wow nice boat, I cant say i know much about Chestnut sponson construction, but I had a Peterborough with identically built sponsons and ends, and very tapered ribs. Those ribs dont seem to have as much taper. Mine was really old, with an Old Town style deck and spruce gunwales, and maple seats, decks and thwarts. My boat was rumoured to be around 1920 but couldnt say for sure, and it also wasnt close ribbed. Both boats have similar planking to a prospector I tried to buy a while ago, but it was after the early '20s of course. I'm sure Dick will be more informative.

 

[Dan Miller]

Usually, the lack of numbers implies its a Chestnut...

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Good point Dan. Mine had the brass plaque mounted on the deck, and had been agressively stripped at one point so I dont know if it had stamped stems. In fact I dont know if the brass plate boats even had numbers stamped into the wood over to you....

 

[davelanthier]

Here's a few pictures of an early 16' Peterborough I let go a few months ago as a hanger canoe. It had been " WELL " fiberglassed and needed a lot of other work. Note the extremely tapered ribs and where the brass tag was on the deck. Stupid me, I forgot to photo the brass tag. There were no other numbers stamped on the canoe. Kinda wish I hadn't sold it but wifey was on my case about all the canoes in the back yard.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Dave, thats just like the one i had, but with sponsons like the one you are working on. Same sponson construction but i think yours is a later one and a chestnut. All just a guess of course..

 

[Dick Persson]

Your sponson canoe is most likely a Chestnut. The pictures do not give much to go on, but it is definitely a post fire canoe as you already guessed.

The Peterborough is a model #604 or #605 built sometime between 1918 and 1923.

Stay warm
Dick Persson
Buckhorn Canoe Company
Buckhorn, Ontario
http://www.buckhorncanoes.com