Chestnut Prospector from Early Ninties

[Kathryn Klos]

Have you checked out the information on Chestnut at Dan's Dragonfly site?

http://dragonflycanoe.com/id/index.html

Scroll to Chestnut on the left... good information, maybe some answers for you.

 

[Wadena]

No, they left out Cedarwood's contribution to the Chestnut legacy.

Perhaps a Cedarwood expert will eventually happen past and read this, though.....and answers will come.

 

[walt]

Is anybody with such good credentials currently making canoes on the original Chestnut forms?

Is anybody at all making canoes on the original Chestnut forms?

Is it possible that nobody will ever do it again?

Hugh Stewart of Headwaters Canoes in Wakefield Quebec http://www.headwaterscanoes.ca is building on a few original Chestnut forms including a Prospector Fort (16'). The Cronje form he has is (I think) from the late 1920's and is truly a beautiful thing, especially when you consider the number of boats pulled off of it. Hugh feels very strongly that his canoes are to be used and although he builds 'em better than Chestnut did in the latter years he doesn't go for the perfect gloss finish you sometimes see on wood boats. He figures if you use them like he does the finish will be scratched in a month or two any way.
Looks like you've got a Fort there but take some measurements and go to Dan's site to check.
Oh, and before you do anything else take it for a paddle!

 

[Wadena]

Dan's site, as I said before, says nothing about Cedarwood......unless I missed it......so going there won't answer my questions.

Hugh's site just says Prospectors can carry a lot and are deep and wide.

I knew that.

It really seems there is no source of information about my canoe.

 

[Steve Lapey]

The definitive source for all things Chestnut is Roger MacGreggor's book
"When The Chestnut Was In Flower", Plumsweep Press, 1999.

You can order a copy directly from Roger at Ivy Lea Shirt Co., Ivy Lea Ontario.

www.ivyleashirtco.com will get you there.

 

[Dan Miller]

According to Ken Solway's book, one 16' Prospector form went to Hugh Stewart, the other is with Kenny. Unless there were other original Chestnut Prospector forms that Kenny didn't account for, anything else has to be a new form, and even from lines taken from an original boat, really isn't a Chestnut.

 

[Wadena]

Dan, if that is true Cedarwood was lying on the logo they placed on the Canoe.......OR it is NOT a Prospector, but some other similar model.

So, the plot thickens.....

Anybody with any other ideas?

I did send an e-mail to Mr. Solway at the address given on the Chestnut website, but since he says there that they are temporarily closed, I don't know if I will get a response.