Dedham boat

[Johnebybee]

I built this boat 30 years ago and just now replacing the canvas with a polyfiber fabric. My old paper work says this was a Dedham boat. Do any of you know the history of this company. I find nothing when I google this company.

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, I have been researching small boat and canoe manufacturers for many years and have never come across any mention of a Dedham boat company. There was a Dedham Boat Club as shown at https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5176Qc7-dsL._AC_.jpg and the Dedham Boat Livery at https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:27893 so it could be from one of their repair shops. See https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=56100 for more about the club. Hugo J. Anderson, Fred Brodbeck, George W. DeGrasse, DeGrasse & Anderson, and George K. Lent built canoes and small boats just across the Charles River from Dedham in West Roxbury so it might also be from one of them.

It appears that small canvas on frame boats like this were very popular in the 1800s. See https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/14531/ for some descriptions of several from 1877. I suspect that many of the early 'canvas canoes' from the 1800s looked more like yours than what we know today as wood and canvas canoes. Let me know if you ever find more about yours. Good luck with your research,

Benson

 

[Johnebybee]

I can post what I have in my files when I get home tonight. You can then add them to your archive.

 

[Johnebybee]

Today we finish the final coat. Seen here the top was painted twice and now flipped so the bottom can be painted.

 

[Johnebybee]

Ok here are the papers. Mine is the 12 foot wanderer

 

[Benson Gray]

Your kayak was made by Dedham Kayaks which appears to have been operating between the 1940s and the 1970s from various locations in the Dedham area. Good luck with the repairs,

Benson